Inspiring 2008 Hero Nominee - Dr. Jack Gerlovich
Dr. Jack Gerlovich, Nominated by Dennis McElroy, PhD, Asst. Professor of Education, Graceland University School of Education
Dr.
Jack Gerlovich, Nelle Levvitt Professor of Education, Drake University
School of Education, Des Moines, Iowa; Founded JaKel, Inc. in 1986, an
Iowa registered corporation specializing in science education safety
products and services for elementary, middle, junior high, high school,
community college, and teacher preparation colleges.
Dr. Jack
Gerlovich's primary area of research interest is in science safety. He
has authored 8 books, 30 professional journal articles, and The Total
Science Safety System CD-ROM's.
During the past 20 years, he has
built custom state CD-ROM and training packages for 20 U.S states,
addressing applicable laws, codes, and professional standards unique to
each. In addition he has conducted 500 school safety assessments, served
as a consultant to government agencies, private business, publishers,
and the legal profession. He is past Chair for the Safety Advisory Board
for the National Science Teachers Association.
Dr. Gerlovich has
served as the State Science Supervisor for the Iowa Department of
Education and as an Iowa science teacher. He was also been active in
school science and mathematics education and computer networking and has
received several grants from the National Science Foundation, State of
Iowa, and private foundations.
Dr. McElroy wrote:
Jack is
recognized by his peers across the country as our nation's top expert
concerning science safety in the learning environment. In 1986 he
founded JaKel, Inc. a science safety company that focuses on working
with teachers to create the safest possible science learning
environment...
Jack is an outstanding individual who has dedicated
his life to the cause of science safety. I can think of no other person
who is more deserving of this recognition.
I began working with
Jack in 1999 and since then we have been contracted by 14 states to
create a state specific version of the Total Science Safety System
software and to provide training for teachers in those states.
JaKel
works through the department of education in each state and
collaborates with OSHA, the fire marshal and other safety personnel to
personalize the software to the specific state. In two states, Tennessee
and South Carolina, the software has been made an official state
document. Of particular importance, there have been no serious science
safety related accidents in any of the 14 states that are using the
Total Science Safety System. Drake University has recognized Jack's
contributions and uses him as an example of why students should come to
Drake.
Champion of Safety (Excerpt from the article "Get Your
Hands on This: School of Education professor's active approach creates a
lasting impression.")
While education majors and elementary
students are inspired by Gerlovich's inquiry-based activities, educators
throughout the world know him as the expert to call when it comes to
maintaining science safety in the classroom. "I'd start a Jack fan club
if I could," says Clara Stallings, middle school science consultant for
the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. "He has
single-handedly though he'd never say that transformed science safety in
elementary and secondary classrooms."
As a father, Gerlovich
worried about the safety of his two daughters in science classrooms
cluttered with unmarked chemicals, outdated equipment and unclear or
nonexistent procedures for safety and accident prevention. Many schools
around the nation were simply not equipped to collect and standardize
safety information according to state and industry specifications.
As
a science educator, he decided to take action. Through his teachings at
Drake and his company JaKel, Inc., Gerlovich researches and compiles
requirements, guidelines and operating procedures, state by state.
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