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Ed Hessler, longtime Executive Secretary of MnSTA, has resigned his position as “It is time.” Since 1996,  Ed has graciously and expertly completed the varied duties of this position. Ed’s comprehensive historical knowledge of MnSTA and the work of the Board of Directors has been insightful as we grappled with decisions always with an eye to enhancing the organization and serving our membership.

Ed has been the pulse of MnSTA from acknowledging the commitment of life members, to coordinating announcements of upcoming Board meetings, taking minutes, serving as the MnSTA liaison for SciMathMN and taking on the role as an “invisible” purveyor of news of science and science education to our membership through Facebook and other social media platforms. In partaking in those studies, Ed exuded a welcome eloquence and poise in his writing, often ending communications with a poem. I share with you some of his correspondence as he welcomed new life members to our organization:

The late Wilma Pearl Mankiller, the first female principal chief of the Cherokee nation,  once said this about education. "I don't think anybody anywhere can talk about the future of their people or of an organization without talking about education. Whoever controls the education of our children controls our future." It is a messy journey consisting of surprises, satisfactions, challenges, frustrations (sometimes),  possibilities, and the hope and promise seen in each student. 

There are many ways to think about science education.  It is captured these days in an acronym--STEM. A professor in the Department of Chemistry at Carleton College once suggested to me  that it is one of the liberal arts, an important part of a general education. This includes the usual reasons for learning science: employment prospects, citizenship, the consideration of enduring questions of human meaning, the enhancement of childhood but also as so important that a general education would be incomplete with it (or them if we use STEM).

I like to think that keeping in the back of our heads that we have members who are life members helps us keep our eyes on the work we've set out do. 

Thank you, Ed, for the hope and promise you see in MnSTA and for your willingness to help MnSTA reach the goal of "excellence in science education." We are grateful for your twenty-two years of service.

Sincerely,

Michele Koomen

MnSTA President