Joel May

Joel May earned both his BA and MS From SUNY Buffalo State College and is professionally certified to teach Physics, Earth and Space Science, and General Sciences and has been in the classroom for 8 years. Mr. May currently teaches Regents Physics and Regents Earth Science at North Tonawanda High School, where he also serves as the Head Coach of the School’s Science Olympiad team, and as a facilitator for the school’s ACE mentorship program. In the past Mr. May has also taught Physics and General Sciences at a PTECH school in Western New York. Mr. May is also member of Quarknet, a collaboration of science teachers and scientists that focuses on bringing authentic research and experimentation to the high school science classroom. Along with his colleagues and students, Mr. May helps to manage a cosmic ray muon detector, to collect and analyze data related to high energy particles from the distant reaches of our galaxy smashing into our atmosphere and creating cascades of other particles. Mr. May is a self described “Maker” and loves to create things that are useful or just for fun out of various materials, and with various methods of design (CAD, 3d modeling) and construction (electronics, 3-D printing, laser cutting) a hobby that regularly merges into his classroom experience. Mr. May is excited to be involved in the Master Teacher Program and is interested in breaking the educational “fourth wall” and integrating the STEM disciplines in his school.