She won the prestigious Central Florida STEM Teacher of the Year Award for Polk County Public Schools through the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
HAINES CITY, FL, September 20, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Madhu Thomas has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
After earning a Bachelor of Science in botany, zoology, and chemistry from Barkatulla University in 1981, Ms. Thomas aspired to pursue a research career, inspired by her father, a biochemist at St. George Hospital in Oxford. However, upon getting married and becoming a mother, she put her research plans on hold and earned a Master of Science in limnology and a Master of Philosophy in bioscience from her alma mater in 1983 and 1985, respectively. In the following years, she pursued doctoral coursework before putting that on hold to raise her children. Through teaching, Ms. Thomas found a way to fulfill her passion for research by guiding her students in designing innovative experiments and participating in science fairs.
Over the years, Ms. Thomas gained valuable expertise as a teacher in India. Subsequently, she and her family came to the United States, where she taught biology at Valencia College and environmental science at Polk State College. Backed by her considerable chemistry, biology, and environmental science expertise, she excels as an IB/AP chemistry teacher at Haines City High School. Since joining Polk County Public Schools in 2011, Ms. Thomas has engaged with students with hands-on activities, encouraged her students to think outside the box, and employed various techniques to help her students connect concepts.
Given her considerable achievements in a nearly 40-year-long educational career, Ms. Thomas won the prestigious Central Florida STEM Teacher of the Year Award for Polk County Public Schools through the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. While her career has been filled with highlights, she takes the most pride in helping her students achieve their long-term goals. In her class, she lets them discuss who they want to be and, based on that, gives them suggestions for courses to help them pursue their chosen path. Many of her students have gone on to have successful careers and study at such prestigious institutions as the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Looking toward the future, Ms. Thomas's dedication to her students is unwavering. She aims to help them succeed and foster their interest in science, whether she is teaching high school or college students. Her ultimate goal is encouraging her students to learn and achieve more in science.
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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