Grazyna Anna Zreda teaches regular and advanced chemistry, earth science, and physics at Tanque Verde High School in Tucson, AZ; she serves as the high school’s science department chair. Dr. Zreda has been teaching science for nine years, at both the junior high and high school level; advanced chemistry is taught as a dual-enrollment class with the local community college. She also was a teaching assistant at the college level for five years.
Prior to her teaching career, Dr. Zreda worked as a scientist; as a specialist in volcanology, she is the lead and secondary author of multiple articles published in scientific journals. Dr. Zreda participates on district-wide committees devoted to curriculum development and program design. She also serves on the local school district’s Superintendent Advisory Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, and high school NCA accreditation committee.
Parents attribute their child’s excitement about science to Dr. Zreda. They indicate that their children have chosen science careers as a result of Dr. Zreda’s dedication, encouragement, and rigorous classes. Students indicate they have been inspired by Dr. Zreda to challenge themselves. Other teachers also view Dr. Zreda as a leader and outstanding example of a dedicated teacher. She involves students in school and community events and devotes time to generating additional funding to improve classroom resources.
Dr. Zreda won a Discovery Channel award for mentoring two finalists at the national level of the Discovery Young Scientists Challenge competition.
Dr. Zreda is certified in secondary education (grades seven through twelve), chemistry, physics, earth science, physical science, and general science. She has a combined B.S./M.S. in geology and paleontology from the University of Warsaw (Warsaw, Poland) and a Ph.D. in geochemistry from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.