VAST RISE Awards are presented to spotlight the excellent work done by science educators across the Commonwealth. They recognize service to science education in the individual’s school, school system, and the VAST district in which they work.

Mrs. Akesson was nominated by Timothy Couillard, a physics teacher at James River High School and a member of Virginia Instructors of Physics, a statewide network of physics educators. The pair met backstage before Mrs. Akesson presented at the 2015 TEDxRVA event in April, for which Mr. Couillard served on the organizing committee.

“Between the quality of her talk and the warmth of interaction with a fellow teacher, I knew I was in the presence of someone who cares deeply about the education of young people and is passionate about science education,” Mr. Couillard said.

Mrs. Akesson said: “It was flattering that someone could see a presentation and engage in a few moments of conversation, and then be confident enough in my abilities to nominate me. It was also great to be recognized by someone who understands the depth and breadth of the subject.”

Mrs. Akesson’s physics award was presented along with awards in the categories of biology, chemistry, earth science, and middle school science at VAST’s 2015 Professional Development Institute conference. Recipients received funding to attend the conference as part of their award.

“We should all be excited to learn more from Laura,” Mr. Couillard added. “We need her energy, insight, and, most of all, her vision to see science education differently.”

Mrs. Akesson is also the recipient of Steward’s 2014 Upper School Teacher of the Year award and the Dominion K-12 Educational Partnership Grant for her non-profit organization Science Overdrive. She assisted in the creation of The Leonardo Project, in which students created a digital database exploring photography’s relationship to the acquisition of scientific knowledge. Steward received a 2012-13 Partners in the Arts award for the project.