Yianna Russo

Mrs. Yianna Russo earned her BSEd and MSed in Physics Education from SUNY College at Buffalo and NYS certification in General and Earth Sciences. As a McNair Scholar, she studied “How personal attitudes of women and minorities affect the efficiency of teaching methods” and “Computer Modeling of Martian Atmosphere”. She has been recognized with the Angeline D. Harrison Award for academic excellence and the James W. Wells Award in Physics for superior effort and dedication to the learning, research, and teaching of physics. As a recipient of the Dewayne Berry Physics Scholarship, she completed a masters project on “Reflective Learning in Co-Teaching Inclusion Classrooms” and has mentored students in University at Buffalo’s Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership. A classroom teacher for 13 years, Mrs. Russo teaches Regents Physics, Regents Earth Science, Astronomy, and Meteorology at John F. Kennedy High School in Cheektowaga-Sloan UFSD; she also serves on the districts Technology Committee, Coaches Varsity Volleyball, and co-advises STEM Club and Drama Club. She is motivated to engage students in the field of physics like her inspiration, Walter Lewin, a professor of MIT, who’s words “Teachers who make physics boring are criminals" remind her of the wonder and excitement physics teaching can foster. As a NYSMTP, she is looking forward to participating in the Common Science Language Professional Learning Team while completing certification in Chemistry Education.