Dr. Seaborg’s vision, dedication, and accomplishment in the field of education have made an enormous impact—and at the cornerstone of these achievements stands the Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS). LHS is a public science center, and a center for curriculum development and research in science and mathematics education.

From his initial leadership role in helping conceive of and then build the Hall as a tribute to Ernest Orlando Lawrence through intensive day-to-day involvement in many of the Hall’s outstanding curriculum and teacher programs, Dr. Seaborg has been instrumental in making “the Hall” all that it is today.

In his long service as Chairman of Lawrence Hall of Science, Dr. Seaborg has overseen its brilliant thirty-year record of outstanding innovation in science and mathematics education. CHEM Study became an internationally recognized resource under his leadership and tutelage, in close collaboration with leading chemistry educators such as George Pimentel and under the direction of David Ridgway.

Dr. Seaborg served as Principal Investigator and/or “prime mover” on many Hall projects, including ACCESS, which works directly with Bay Area school districts and IISME, with is an innovative partnership with industry. ACCESS is the Alliance for Collaborative Change in School Systems and it works with Oakland and San Francisco to strengthen the capacity of their secondary schools to prepare students from historically underrepresented groups for college. ACCESS staff work at school sites and provide a wide range of technical assistance, staff development, and student support to improve mathematics instruction. IISME stands for Industry Initiatives for Science and Math Education and it is a collaboration between Bay Area industries and the Lawrence Hall of Science. IISME places teachers in paid industry jobs during the summer where they work side-by-side with industry mentors, participate in “real world” science, and increase their knowledge of current developments in their subject areas. Teachers then take part in follow-up activities to help them transform their summer experiences into updated and enriched classroom instruction.

Notably, Dr. Seaborg has also served as Principal Investigator of the well-known Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS) program, directed by Jacqueline Barber, which now has a national network of over 25 GEMS Centers and Network Sites, with GEMS Leaders and GEMS Associates in all 50 states. GEMS serves as the publication arm for many of the Hall’s public education classes and workshops and now has more than 50 widely-used teacher’s guides and handbooks. It is estimated that more than 500,000 teachers and at least 6 million students have experienced GEMS activities. Dr. Seaborg also writes a column in the GEMS Network News, a free newsletter that circulates to more than 40,000 teachers and educators twice a year. Many of his columns are included on this web site. Last but far from least, Dr. Seaborg finds the time to present certificates of completion to GEMS Associates, who receive intensive training from LHS staff in the pedagogy and practice of inquiry-based science and leadership. For more information on GEMS, you are invited to explore their publications and workshop offerings at the Lawrence Hall of Science website.

Dr. Seaborg’s longstanding contributions to Lawrence Hall of Science also include a major leadership role in evolving direction and obtaining donations for the Hall, evaluating the educational effectiveness of innovative interactive exhibits as well as many other public programs, and representing all of the diverse programs of the Hall during his many public appearances and upon accepting many awards and honors. It was thus fitting that for his 80th birthday a huge celebration was held on the Hall’s expansive plaza, with one of the most beautiful views of the entire Bay Area, for his vision and commitment to education has played a central role in bringing the Lawrence Hall of Science to its deserved pinnacle of prestige in the world of science and mathematics education.