Story

Senior Shaun Datta teaches physics and math(s) in Barcelona, Spain

"Teaching physics reinforced everything that I appreciate about the subject: its simplicity, its beauty, and its power to explain some truly bizarre quirks of the Universe. I hope I conveyed some of that awe to my students."

Shaun had a dream to visit CERN, but he didn't expect that his teaching role in Spain would bring him to the mecca of particle physics.

Invigorating with special relativity

Shaun taught physics and mathematics to students ages 12 to 18, in addition to cultural lessons about the United States and its education system. For the science-track students, Shaun gave university-level lectures on particle physics and special relativity. He describes the experience as formative and eye-opening. "It's humbling to remember that your default environment, lifestyle, and even language are not universal." Shaun also had the opportunity to accompany his physics class on their tour of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, which was a longtime dream of his. "Teaching is invigorating, and reinforced my interest in education and curricular development."