Dr. Hector Ibarra is the Co-Chair of the American Meteorological Society’s (AMS) WeatherFest, a public outreach of the AMS program. He received the Milken Educator Award in 1993. He was appointed to the: 1) 2006-07 National Assessment of Education Progress committee; 2) 2008-2009 Classroom Fellow at the U.S. Department of Education; 3) 2011 mid-west Regional Advisory Committee; and a 4-year term to the National Assessment Governing Board (2010-14). Previously he was a science teacher for 34 years and department chair where he taught 6th grade physical, 7th grade earth, and 8th grade life science. Dr. Ibarra's innovations relate to environmental, energy and health awareness, including a community focus with students applying the scientific process to community environmental issues. Students received more than $1,000,000 in saving bonds/cash as finalists or winning 35 national contests. Students presented in Tokyo, Costa Rica, the United Nations and 15 metropolitan cities in the U.S. In 1993, he was cited by President Clinton for excellence in science teaching. In 1998, Dr. Ibarra’s energy/environmental initiatives were cited by President Clinton in his national address to the nation on global warming. He was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 1998 and identified as a 2002 USA Today’s First Team teacher. He received a 2002 Christa McAuliffe fellowship, a 2004 DisneyHand educator award, and was 2005 PDK Wal Mart National Teacher of the year. He was selected as a Fulbright recipient to Russia and Japan, and twice named a Fulbright Master Teacher in Japan. He is a past president of one of the National Associations of Presidential Awardees in Science Teaching (APAST) and the National Middle Level Science Teachers Association.
2005 2005 University of Iowa, Ph.D.
1992 University of Iowa, M.S.
1975 University of Iowa, B.A.
