In 2015, in partnership with West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Jean produced five video profiles of Inspiring West Virginians – individuals who are all leaders in science and engineering. The profiles and the accompanying curriculum are aimed at middle school students and are currently available on PBS Learning Media.
Heart Surgeon Geoffrey Cousins
McDowell County native Dr Geoffrey Cousins is one of the most innovative heart surgeons in West Virginia. View the 10-minute video and see Dr Cousins perform a heart operation. You can also see lesson plans to accompany the video here.
Astrophysicist Kim Weaver
Kim Weaver is a NASA scientist at the Goddard Space Flight Center, and a pioneer in using x-ray telescopes to study the universe. For many years she was also the public face of NASA, explaining complex scientific discoveries on radio and television. See a 12-minute video about the life and work of Kim Weaver, as well as curriculum for science and social studies here.
Field Biologist & Conservationist Rodney Bartgis
Rodney Bartgis, former State Director of The Nature Conservancy, probably knows more about the natural history of West Virginia than anyone alive. He’s been passionate about plants, animals, birds and everything there is to know about the woods since he was a little kid growing up in Berkeley County. See Rodney Bartgis atop a mountain in West Virginia where rare plants thrive. The 11-minute video and curriculum are available here.
Biochemist and Cell Biologist Lewis Cantley
Big Chimney native Lewis Cantley made one of the greatest discoveries in cell biology in the last 50 years. See the 11-minute video about how he found one of the keys to understanding cancer, diabetes and obesity, and see the accompanying curriculum for middle school science and social studies students here.
Structural Engineer and Professor John Ochsendorf
John Ochsendorf teaches structural engineering and architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is also a world authority on the structure of old buildings – why they stand up and don’t fall down – which he became interested in while growing up in Elkins. See the 10-minute video about Ochsendorf”s life and career, along with lesson plans for science and social studies here.