Aida Awad

Department of Sciences, Science

Maine East High School

Aida Awad is an Adjunct Professor at AIU and Broward College where she teaches Earth Science, Environmental Science, and Oceanography. She is an Educational Consultant, an Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow (2016-17 U.S. Department of Energy), a STEM Education Specialist, the divisional team challenge coordinator for the U.S. Dept. of Energy National Science Bowl, and an administrator academy developer and presenter for the IL Principals’ Association. Aida is the NAGT representative to the NGSS-ESS Working Group, which produces a monthly webinar series on NGSS-ESS implementation and resources. She’s a former high school administrator, Google Certified Trainer, long time science teacher, and geologist. She is passionate about working to build bridges between scientists/researchers/industry and the classroom that ignite student passions for learning and make a difference, and about developing curriculum that deeply engages students in learning activities. Her skills and engagement with educational technology integration and teacher training continue to forge change in learning experiences for students.

Aida was the Science Department Chair at Maine East High School in Park Ridge, IL for thirteen years, after teaching Earth Science, Geology, Chemistry and Physics at Maine West High School for nine years. Aida served as an adjunct instructor at Oakton Community College, teaching dual credit Physical Geology courses, and as an adjunct instructor at Aurora University, teaching courses in educational technology integration.

Aida is Past President and past Secretary/Treasurer of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT). She was a co-convener of the Summit on the Implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in the Earth and Space Sciences, and a presenter at the Geological Sciences of America (GSA) Annual Meeting, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) GIFT workshop, and the AGU Fall meeting. Aida is an annual Spotlight Speaker at the Midwest Google Summit, presenting on educational technology integration and on integrating geospatial tools into the K-12 classroom. Aida leads Climate Change and Sustainability teacher workshops for Northwestern University’s Office of Community Education Partnerships, developed curriculum for the Watershed Dynamics and MyWorld GIS programs, and was a member of the Interdisciplinary Teaching about Earth for a Sustainable Future (InTeGrate) Assessment Team.

Aida received her Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Science from the University of Illinois Chicago, and her Master’s degree in Earth and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois Chicago. Aida was named as a Fellow of the Geological Society of America in 2016.

aawad@tothecloudedu.com 

Webinar Leader, Workshop Leader, Website Contributor, Reviewer

Website Content Contributions

Activities (2)

Architectural stone investigation - What makes great buildings? part of Public Policy:Activities
This small group research project, and accompanying field trip, gives students an opportunity to investigate issues related to city planning, building design and usage, and earth materials used as architectural ...

Glacial Isostatic Adjustment part of Geodesy:Activities
The activity begins with a hands-on lab students design to consider the relationship between increasing masses loaded on a viscous medium. Students then investigate the Antarctic ice sheet and Pleistocene glacial ...

Courses (2)

Geology - Dual Credit part of Geodesy:Courses
Physical Geology laboratory-based course plus a Historical Geology component.

Introduction to Earth Systems Science part of Quantitative Skills:Courses
This course is an introduction to Earth Systems Science. Earth Systems Science is the study of the complex interrelationships between materials and energy in the atmosphere and in the solid, fluid, and living ...

Conference Presentation (1)

Building Earth and Space Science Community Capacity for the Next Generation Science Standards part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2016:Program:Oral Sessions:Monday A
The Next Generation Science Standards offer an opportunity to teach Earth and space science in ways that are closer to how scientists practice, and more relevant to students and to societal issues. However, the ...

Other Contributions (4)

There's Money in Muck: A sustainability study focused on biogas part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2018:Program:Afternoon Workshops
BUILD A BIOGAS GENERATOR SET-UP AT THE WORKSHOP! FIRST 13 PEOPLE AT THE WORKSHOP GET TO BUILD THEIR OWN BIOGAS GENERATOR! WE"LL SUPPLY THE EQUIPMENT! Link to workshop slides: http://bit.ly/biogasworkshop ...

Communities

Workshop Leader

Workshop Participant (20 workshops)

Webinar Leader (28 webinars)

Data Puzzle Project
March 2023
A New Take on the Water Cycle
February 2023
Evaluating Lessons Using the NSTA Sensemaking Tool
November 2022

Webinar Participant (22 webinars)

I had no idea assessments could actually be joyful!
April 2022
Exploring the Earth System with Understanding Global Change
February 2022
Beyond Interactive Maps: Building StoryMaps
January 2022