The Lawrence Hall of Science is privileged to honor Dr. Milton Chen and the George Lucas Educational Foundation for their deep and lasting commitments to education and, notably, to increasing accessibility through new and traditional media, as well as the collaborative contributions of educators and policymakers working for positive change in the educational system.

Milton Chen, Ph.D.

“I am deeply honored to receive this award from the Lawrence Hall of Science, whose work I’ve long admired for its dedication to innovation, access, and excellence in science education. As our nation seeks to dramatically improve science, technology, math, and engineering learning for all students, LHS is among the leading science centers that will continue to play a pivotal role.”

Dr. Milton Chen is senior fellow and executive director emeritus at the George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF), where he served as executive director for 12 years. During his tenure, GLEF greatly expanded its publishing efforts aimed at providing resources for effective, innovative, and interactive learning environments, to a wide audience of educators, parents, students, and policymakers. GLEF’s notable publications include the award-winning Edutopia magazine and the Edutopia Web site. Edutopia.org is known as one of the best Web sites for educators and others interested in educational innovation, and has won numerous honors. Before joining GLEF, Dr. Chen was the founding director of the KQED Center for Education (PBS) in San Francisco; a director of research at Sesame Workshop in New York, helping develop Sesame Street, The Electric Company, and 3-2-1-Contact; and an assistant professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. During 2007-2008, he was one of 35 Fulbright New Century Scholars conducting research on access and diversity issues in higher education and K-12. Dr. Chen currently chairs the advisory council of the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at St. Vincent College in Pennsylvania. He has been a member of the National Parks Second Century Commission and a trustee of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. He also serves on the boards of directors of ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career and the San Francisco School Alliance.

The George Lucas Educational Foundation

Founded in 1991, The George Lucas Educational Foundation celebrates and encourages innovation in education. The Foundation documents and advocates for the dissemination of exemplary programs and leading-edge tools in K-12 schools, and provides mechanisms to help spread these practices nationwide. It publishes stories of innovative teaching and learning through various media such as the Edutopia magazine and Web site, e-newsletters, DVDs, and books. The Foundation is the recipient of numerous awards, including Webby People’s Voice Award for Best Education Web Site and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational Publishers. As a result of its outstanding work in providing educational resources to the widest possible audiences, the Foundation has become a leading resource for educators to find what works in public education for the 21st century.