Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Fong named Outstanding Teacher in Science and Math

Photos and story by James Hill

Portland Community College¡¯s April Ann Fong,a resident of southwest Portland, has been selected as the Oregon Outstanding Teacher in Science and Mathematics in Higher Education by the Oregon Academy of Science. Fong was acknowledged for her work with students in and outside the classroom, which includes founding groups that are dedicated to restoring habitat and to educating staff, students and faculty on sustainability issues.

¡°I was totally surprised!¡± said Fong, who works at the Sylvania Campus in southwest Portland. ¡°I had no idea. I¡¯m just thrilled that my colleagues nominated me and that the Oregon Academy of Sciences is giving me this award. I¡¯m absolutely touched. I¡¯ve always felt very committed to my students, my field, and my college, but I never thought I’d get an award.¡±

Fong, a native of San Francisco, came to PCC in 1993 from American River College, where she served as a biology instructor. She got her master¡¯s degree from the University of California at Davis in entomology after earning an undergraduate degree in biology and psychology from UC-Berkeley. One of her crowning achievements in her 15 years at PCC was establishing the Sylvania Habitat Team in 1996 where students and staff volunteered to improve the ecosystems around the campus, including habitat restoration, serving learning projects to identify native and non-native plants and remove invasive species of weeds.

Fong was nominated for the honor by PCC anatomy and physiology instructor Dieterich Steinmetz.

¡°Along with being challenged to learn the material, April¡¯s students apply what they¡¯ve learned in the real world while improving the quality of several natural areas on or near the Sylvania Campus,¡± wrote Steinmetz in the nomination letter. ¡°April has long been recognized as one of PCC¡¯s great teachers. Her students frequently comment that they learn more in April¡¯s classes than in any other class at PCC.¡±

In addition, Fong was instrumental in establishing Sylvania Campus¡¯ green team, which is a gang of students and staff who help improve sustainability at the campus. Some of the team¡¯s work includes an annual waste audit, improving recycling, supporting PCC¡¯s shuttle fleet to operate on bio-fuels and spear-heading the hiring of a full-time sustainability coordinator at the campus.

¡°Its nice motivation to keep on trying to do what I¡¯m doing,¡± Fong added. ¡°I don¡¯t think it will change what I do. I still have a lot of areas for growth in my teaching, learning, and other aspects of work and life in general.¡±

The Oregon Academy of Science promotes science education and scientific research within the state. The academy¡¯s 13 sections work to encourage communication among Oregon scientists, both private and public, through the open forum of the annual meeting and by election of the outstanding Oregon scientist of the year. Further, the academy fosters the growth of tomorrow¡¯s scientists through the Junior Academy for high school students and though the election of outstanding science teacher of the year. For more information about the organization, visit its Web site at oas.pdx.edu.