Dr. Brian Murfin

Assistant Professor, Science Education and Technology

Powdermaker Hall. Room 150P

Phone: 718 997-5066

Dr. Murfin received a B.S. degree in Biology from Bowling Green State University in 1977. He then joined the Peace Corps and taught at the Secondary School of Science in Swaziland and Botswana for 12 1/2 years. After returning to the U.S., he completed his Masters degree and Ph.D. in Science Education at Ohio State University in 1993. He has held faculty positions at Queens College, New York University and Adelphi University, and was also a Manager of the Office of Educational Programs at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Email: brian.murfin@qc.cuny.edu

Web site: http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/~bmurfin

Courses:

Enhancing Inquiry in Science Instruction

Research Seminar in Science Education (I)

Research Interests:

Collaborative virtual learning environments; the use of technology in science teaching and learning; and the relationship between science and culture.

Presentations:

“The RHIC Adventure” presented at the RHIC & AGS Annual Users Meeting held at Brookhaven National Laboratory on September 20 –21, 2002.

“Technology Resources for ESL Teachers” Presented on Friday, April 27 2001 at the 23rd Annual National Conference of the NAAPAE Asian & Pacific Americans.

“Development of science software and web resources for secondary science teachers and students” Presented at the National Institutes of Health on March 9, 2001

“Using Technology to Help Your Students Meet the New NYS Science Regents Requirements” presented at the Manhattan High Schools and Comprehensive and Alternative High Schools Technology Conference - ACT III Aligning Classrooms with Technology conference held at New York University on May 19th 2000.

“Putting Science Fair Projects on the Web” presented at the Manhattan High Schools and Comprehensive and Alternative High Schools Technology Conference - ACT II Aligning Classrooms with Technology conference held at New York University on May 15th 1999.

October 21, 1998; Presentation to the Neural Science faculty entitled “Science Teaching Tips” to help the faculty in their preparation for the Johns Hopkins University Institute for the Academic Advancement of Youth’s Mind/Brain Seminar.

July 28, 1998 - A presentation at the Multinational Institute of American Studies 1998 Fulbright program SUMMER INSTITUTE ON AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE, THE MEDIA, AND THE INFORMATION HIGHWAY entitled “Technology, Pop Culture and Science Education”

“Chemistry is Everywhere! “Presented at the Science Fair held on November 7, 1998 at NYU by Chemical Education Committee of the American Chemical Society.

Workshop on Web-Based Learning and Instruction in Science - ACT III Aligning Classrooms with Technology conference held at New York University, May 1998.

Presented “Developing a Bilingual Dictionary on the Internet” for teachers and staff at Seward Park High School on April 28, 1998.

Conducted a workshop on “Web-based Learning and Instruction in Science” for in-service Science teachers in Brooklyn (District 13) of New York City.

“A Model for the Development of Web-Based, Student-Centered, Science Education Resources” presented at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching conference held in San Diego on April 22, 1998. 30 pages plus a 24-page appendix.

July 15, 1998; Conducted a Bioinformatics workshop for New York City science teachers

“The Student Genome Project” at Doctoral Service Day held on November 7, 1997 at New York University.

“VRML in Science Education” at the NYU Academic Computing Facility held on July 11, 1997.

“Developing an English-Chinese Dictionary on the Internet” at CABETAC’s Fifth Roundtable for Educators of Bilingual Asian Students held on May 16, 1997 at New York University.

“Technology and the Future of Education – A New Golden Age or a Swamp of Danger and Infogarbage” at The NYU School of Education’s “Dean’s Day” held on Sunday October 5, 1997.

“Is Paper and Endangered Species” presented at the New York University Courant Institute.

Hands On, Minds On Science at the Professional Development Laboratory’s Second Annual Conference “Creating Teaching and Learning: A Celebration of Successful Practice” held at New York University on March 14, 1996.

The Use of Text-Based Virtual Reality in Science Education Paper Presented at the Sixth Consultation of the International Consortium for Research in Science and Mathematics Education (ICRSME VI) in Belize City, Belize February 7-9, 1996.

“A Survey of Telecommunications Use by Secondary School Science Teachers” in New York City at the 1995 NARST Annual Meeting held in San Francisco from April 22-25 1995.

“The Use of Computer-Mediated Communication in Science Education” at the Conference on the Development of Science and Technology in Central America Plans and Strategies in San Salvador, El Salvador from October 3rd to October 5th 1994.

“Results of a Content Analysis of Computer-Mediated Communication Between Urban Middle School Students and Scientists” at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching in Anaheim, California, March 26-29, 1994.

“The Use of Electronic Bulletin Boards to Provide Scientist Role Models” at the National Science Teachers Association 1993 National Convention in Kansas City, Kansas 1993.

“African Science, African and African-American Scientists” and the School Science Curriculum at the National Science Teachers Association 1992 National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts

“Contributions of Africa and African-Americans to Science, and the School Science Curriculum” at the Science and Mathematics Sack Lunch Seminars supported by the National Center for Science Teaching and Learning, The Program for Earth Systems Education, and The Department of Educational Studies of The Ohio State University. November 10, 1992.

Publications:

(2001). A Case Study of Math and Science Teacher Education in a Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 20(4), pp. 405-425.

(2000). The Use of Project-Based Learning in a Technology Course for Math and Science Teachers. The Journal of Mathematics and Science, 3(1), pp. 47-53.

(2000). A Case Study of an Online Science Fair - The International CyberScience Expo 2000 (ICE2000). The Journal of Mathematics and Science, 3(1), pp. 91-97.

(2000, Fall). The Belizean Bridge Activity. Science Activities, 37(3), pp. 10-14.

(1998). Food for Thought A Comparison of Dietary Fat in Western and Inuit Diets. The Science Teacher, 65(3), 43-45.

(1998). Seismic Studies, The Science Teacher, 65(2), 34-37.

(1997). On-line Genetics. The American Biology Teacher, 60(2), 86-91.

(1997). Science on the Basketball Floor. The Science Teacher, 20(5), 10-12.

(1997, Fall). Unicorns in the Science Classroom. Science Activities, 34(3), 9-14.

(1996). The use of Computer-Mediated Communication in Science Activities. International Institute for Theoretical and Applied Physics. Pp. 211-218.

(1996). Crunchy Caterpillars and Delicious Durians. Science Scope. 19(6) 29-31.

(1996.) An African Chemistry Connection. The Science Teacher, 63(2), 36-39.

(1997, Fall). The Student Genome Project A Glimpse of the Future of Genetics Education. Connect. Pp. 21-23

(1996, Fall). School of Ed Students Develop Curriculum for HS math and Science Program at ACF. Connect.

(1994). African Science, African and African-American Scientists and the School Science Curriculum. School Science and Mathematics 94(2), 96-103.

(1994). An Analysis of Computer-mediated Communication Between Middle-School Students and Scientist Electronic Role Models A Pilot Study. IPCT Journal Interpersonal Computing and Technology: An Electronic Journal for the 21st Century. 2(3), 57-81.

(1994). Constructing a MEZOPED (Multiple Electronic Zone of Proximal Development), Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 13(4), 405-413.

(1993). Science Pantomimes as Hands-Off Activities. The Science Teacher 60(3), 66.

(1993). An Analysis of Computer-Mediated Communication Between Urban Middle School Students and Scientists. (Doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University, 1993). Dissertation Abstracts International, 54, 1770A.

(1993). Hunting for Lions. American Biology Teacher, 56(4), 242-243.

(1993, Spring). Contributions of Some Africans and African-Americans to Science. Journal of Multicultural Science Education pp. 7-12.

(1992). African Science, and the School Science Curriculum. African Technology Forum 5(3), 9-16.

(1992). The Effect of Deantennation on the Dominant-Subordinate Relationship in the American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana) Ohio Journal of Science 92(1), 8-10.

Scholarship and creative work:

· 2004 - Designed an online guide to the Internet Geographic Exposure Modeling System for the EPA, student web activities, and an online teacher’s guide for high school teachers and students.

· 2002 - Organized a “Biotechnology Day” at Brookhaven National Laboratory in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, for middle school students and their parents.

· 2001 - Directed the Brookhaven National Laboratory Online Classroom and RHIC Adventure Projects to develop online interactive physics education software.

· Director of The International CyberScience Expo 2000 - http://sciedweb.net/projects/ice2000/

· Directed the NYU Summer Math, Science, Technology Institute for 4 years.

· Directed the Student Genome Project - http://sciedweb.net/projects/sgp/