Annie Chien (2013)

2013 Robert Ludwig Teacher of the Year

Annie Chien earned her AB in Psychology, Biology, and Education from Barnard College of Columbia University and MA in Educational Communication and Technology from New York University. As a part of her graduate work, she completed a semester in Pretoria, South Africa, examining the effect of educational transformation on AIDS Education. She spent several summers under the tutelage of Dr. Ron Breslow at Columbia University, synthesizing and characterizing oligothiophenes as nanostructures for electron transport.

Ms. Chien loves teaching Biology at Schenectady High School. During her 20+ years of teaching, she sponsored students in independent research, mentored student-teachers, taught at the graduate level, sat on school committees, and served as advisor to student organizations. Yet, the activity she enjoys most is upkeeping her Reptile Sanctuary with the collaboration of her students, who are the best ambassadors for reptile compassion and proper husbandry!

Ms. Chien’s most cherished accomplishment was when a former student accredited her as inspiration to teach biology. In her spare time, she enjoys sewing and raising reptiles.