Fletcher G. Watson (c. 1912 – 7 May 1997) was an American professor of

science education Science education is the teaching and learning of science to school children, college students, or adults within the general public. The field of science education includes work in science content, science process (the scientific method), som ...

at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (1946–77), where he served as the Henry Lee Shattuck Professor of Education (1966–77). Watson was a founder and co-director of

Harvard Project Physics Harvard Project Physics, also called Project Physics, was a national curriculum development project to create a secondary school physics education program in the United States during the Cold War era. History The project was active from 1962 ...

Early life and education

Watson was born in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

in 1912. He graduated in

astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, g ...

Pomona College Pomona College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalists who wanted to recreate a "college of the New England type" in Southern California. In 1925, it became t ...

in 1933 and earned a

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

in astronomy in 1938 at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

Career

Following his Ph.D., Watson joined the

Harvard College Observatory The Harvard College Observatory (HCO) is an institution managing a complex of buildings and multiple instruments used for astronomical research by the Harvard University Department of Astronomy. It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United St ...

, researching meteors, meteorites, and solar observation. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, Watson served in the

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...

, where he worked on the Long Range Navigation (

LORAN LORAN, short for long range navigation, was a hyperbolic radio navigation system developed in the United States during World War II. It was similar to the UK's Gee system but operated at lower frequencies in order to provide an improved range u ...

) system. He left the navy in 1946 with the rank of

lieutenant commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding ran ...

president James Bryant Conant appointed Watson a professor of science education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he served from 1946 until 1977. He was named Harvard's first Henry Lee Shattuck Professor of Education in 1966. In 1964, Watson founded and was co-director of Harvard Project Physics, a nationwide effort to develop high school physics courses that would attract more students, particularly females. One aspect of the program that he researched was testing the course materials in schools to find out if they were having the desired result of increasing interest and enrollment in science courses. Watson retired from Harvard in 1977, and served as director of Project City Sciences at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

. This program focused on training teachers and other professionals for work in inner-city schools. He served as a member of the planetarium advisory committee of the

Boston Museum of Science The Museum of Science (MoS) is a science museum and indoor zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, located in Science Park, a plot of land spanning the Charles River. Along with over 700 interactive exhibits, the museum features a number of live presentat ...

, and was the committee's first chairman.

Personal life

Watson's son is Alexander F. Watson, former ambassador and diplomat. He had three other sons, Jonathan G. Watson, former pilot of Marine One and a helicopter expert, Stephen C Watson, and Christopher Watson, a nurse in Rhode Island.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Fletcher 1910s births American astronomers Science teachers Pomona College alumni Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni New York University faculty Harvard Graduate School of Education faculty Harvard College Observatory people New York University people 1997 deaths

Early life and education

Career

Personal life

See also

References