Theodore Varno holds a B.S. in Biology from Duke University and an M.A. in History from the University of California, Berkeley. He is currently a doctoral candidate in the UC Berkeley Department of History and is completing a dissertation on the history of evolution and genetics in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He has been an instructor in the Duke TIP Summer Studies program for five summers, teaching courses in both the life sciences and the humanities. He currently resides in San Francisco, where he spends excessive amounts of time drinking coffee and wandering along the Pacific coast.
Scott Byington holds a B.S. in Biology from James Madison University and an M.S. in Biology from West Virginia University. He has taught a variety of biology courses, including genetics, environmental science, forensic science and anatomy for over 15 years in community colleges and independent schools. Currently he is a biology instructor at Central Carolina Community College. He is the former director of the NASA/VIMS Governor's School for the Gifted in Virginia. Scott has worked as an education curriculum consultant for SAS and Carolina Biological and has developed curriculum for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. He has trained public school teachers in the innovative use of technology in their classrooms. He is a past recipient of the North Carolina Science Teachers Association Innovation Grant and has received several honors for his teaching.
Carol Morgan holds a B.A. in Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.A. in English Literature from the University of North Texas. She has taught a variety of English courses at the middle school, high school, and college levels. She helped start Cary Academy, a co-ed college preparatory school in Cary, NC, and served for many years there as an 8th grade English teacher and the Middle School English Department Chair. Today she edits curriculum for gifted students, travels, and spends time with her grandson, Tony.
Robin Follet holds a B.A. in English with high honors from the University of Virginia and an M.A. in Education from the College of William and Mary. Currently the chair of the Upper School English Department at Cary Academy in Cary, North Carolina, he has taught a variety of courses over the past decade, ranging from world literature to creative writing. He has also taught at the West Virginia Governor's Honors Academy as well as with Duke TIP in the e-Studies program. A 2001 Fulbright Exchange teacher, he also recently co-authored Teaching Romeo and Juliet: A Differentiated Approach, where his illustrations also appear.
Lyn Hawks holds a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Education from Stanford University. She has taught English, creative writing and other humanities courses for over 15 years in public and independent schools. She has been an instructor in the Duke TIP e-Studies program, and she has also served as a gifted education resource teacher and a curriculum consultant. Currently she serves as Coordinator of Independent Learning at Duke TIP. Lyn has been recognized as a Distinguished Teacher with the Presidential Scholars Program, and she was a 2001 recipient of the All-USA Teacher 3rd Team Award and a 2002 recipient of the William Friday Summer Fellowship at Cary Academy. Lyn is co-author of The Compassionate Classroom: Lessons that Nurture Wisdom and Empathy and Teaching Romeo and Juliet: A Differentiated Approach. Her lessons are also featured in Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum, Grades 9-12.
Teresa Porter graduated with honors from Elon University with a B.A. in Human Services. She assists in Duke TIP's e-Studies and Independent Learning divisions and oversees the Duke TIP Testers program. Teresa has been recognized nationally for leadership and service and was named Organization President of the Year at Elon University and was a recipient of the National Youth Service America's National Youth Service Award. In addition, Teresa has been published in Teen Ink 2: More Voices, More Visions and in Chicken Soup for the Teen Soul. In her free time Teresa enjoys reading, writing, and editing home movies.
The following students TIP Tested this course: Nicholas LaRocca, Xilin, Christopher Lu, Hayley Pikard, Sindhu, Akshay Ratnani, Kelly Ryan, Melina Smith, Andrea, and Christy Vaughn.
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Duke University Talent Identification Program
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