A Head Start on Science Encouraging a Sense of Wonder

William C. Ritz, professor emeritus of science education at California State University Long Beach (CSULB), has been involved in science teaching and science teacher education all his professional life. Bill's career began in the public schools of western New York state, where he taught junior high science and biology for many years. Then, four years as an elementary science consultant with the Eastern Regional Institute for Education took him into classrooms throughout New York and Pennsylvania; during this time he completed doctoral studies in science education at The State University of New York at Buffalo. In 1970, Bill joined the science education faculty of Syracuse University, where he also directed the university's Environmental Studies Institute. Since moving to California in 1977, he has taught both elementary and secondary science education courses at CSULB. Bill was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) as its teacher education director in 1983. He returned to the NSTA Board in 1988-1989 as president of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science (AETS) and again in 1996-1998, as director for District XVI. Author of more than 20 publications in science education, he has directed a number of funded projects at CSULB. Perhaps most important, in 1996 Bill developed the A Head Start on Science project that strives to provide quality science resources and professional development for early childhood educators.