Dean Reese, a Tracy High School science teacher known for his dedication to science education programs at LLNL, has been awarded the Cortopassi Foundation Award for Excellence in Science Teaching. 

The award recognizes distinguished mathematics and science teachers who motivate students to excel; support students in their academic pursuits both in and outside the classroom; provide leadership in curricular and co-curricular events; and encourage students to pursue a career in mathematics and/or science.

Reese's passion for teaching science bridges the classroom and the community.  He has co-presented with Lab scientists Science on Saturday lectures offered in Livermore and Tracy. For the past several summers, he has been a part of LLNL's Teacher Research Academy as a DOE-funded "Academies Creating Teacher Scientists" (ACTS) scholar in the Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS).  He has worked with Lab scientists and staff, including Tom Guilderson, Graham Bench, Dick Farnsworth, Kurt Hack, Paula Zermeno, and John Knezovich.

Reese was recognized during an awards ceremony held at the San Joaquin Science Olympiad on March 12. Last Saturday, April 2, he presented with Lab scientist Roger Aines the Science on Saturday lecture, "Put it Back When You Are Done: Storing Carbon Dioxide in the Earth Not the Atmosphere." For more information, go to the Web.

Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a national security laboratory, with a mission to ensure national security and apply science and technology to the important issues of our time. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.