American astrophysicist meets over 100 students and staff from GEMS Dubai American Academy.
Over 100 high school students from GEMS American Academy had the unique opportunity to discuss astronomy and the cosmos with Neil deGrasse Tyson – world renowned American astrophysicist and space expert – who believes the idea of space has the power to inspire young minds.
Currently the host & narrator for Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey, Tyson is the fifth head of the world-renowned Hayden Planetarium in New York City. He is also a research associate of the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History.
Tyson’s professional research include star formation, exploding stars, dwarf galaxies, and the structure of our Milky Way, and was invited to the World Government Summit 2018 in the UAE to talk about the future of human space colonisation and related topics.
At GEMS Dubai American Academy, Tyson encouraged students to pursue things that serve their interests, that might not be visible on an exam score. He highlighted that creativity needs to be nurtured and asked teachers to not only teach content, but to stimulate curiosity.
Tyson explained: “It doesn’t matter what you teach. There are bodies of knowledge everywhere. A school needs to make sure that the worst day of your life is the last day of school. And when you get out, that is the beginning of your education, not the end. If schools accomplish that, you can transform the world overnight.”
Tammy Murphy, Superintendent of GEMS Dubai American Academy, said: “We are extremely happy that we were able to give our students the chance to engage with one of the leading minds in the world. We believe that opportunities like this are what helps to further nurture the genius in every child. We could see the excitement in every student as they asked their questions to Mr Tyson.”
About GEMS Education:
GEMS Education is a pioneering education company. Through our schools, consulting practice and our charitable foundation we are advancing education for all. Every day in our schools around the world, we prepare thousands of children of all ages for real world success. We are a catalyst and delivery partner. We work with governments, donor agencies and private clients to improve education systems, and provide vital training for young people in an increasingly competitive world. Through the Varkey Foundation we campaign for, and support initiatives that change lives through education.
For more information on GEMS Education, please contact:
Yasser Alvi | Deepti Naidu
ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: (+971) 52 52 6286786 | (+971) 50 8470239
Email: yasser.alvi@bm.com | deepti.naidu@bm.com
