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Photograph by Chad Pilster
Voyager: Science teacher Juan Fernandez-Maculet participates in NASA's Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence project.
Public Citizen
A Stellar Instructor
Branham High teacher Juan Fernandez-Maculet brought his love of science from Spain to Campbell
By Genevieve Roja
I'm a little skeptical of people who keep reptiles as pets. But in Juan Fernandez-Maculet's case, the snakes are just one of several educational tools for the freshman and sophomore science students at Branham High School. Apparently, Fernandez-Maculet--whose last name reflects his father's and mother's sur- names, respectively--is also fond of show-and-tell. He opens the top of the chickenwire cage, then reaches in and lifts out a red-and-orange striped snake.
"It's OK to pet them," Fernandez-Maculet says, as I backpedal away from the corn snake. "They were born and raised in captivity; they've been around people. They don't bite or sting. He's only sticking out his tongue to smell."
For now, this classroom of pets, space posters and creatures in jars of formaldehyde is Fernandez-Maculet's home away from home. Born and raised in Pamplona, Spain--home of the famous "running of the bulls"--Fernandez-Maculet holds a master's degree in chemistry and a doctorate in plant physiology from the University of Sevilla. Post-doctorate work led him to the University of California at Davis for a year. He liked the U.S. so much that he extended his stay for another year and a half.
"The Bay Area--it's wonderful," says Fernandez-Maculet, who is a U.S. citizen and lives in Campbell. "But I go back every year to Spain; all my family is there."
But during that time at UCD, Fernandez-Maculet's research work in plant genetics grew tiresome. After budget cuts closed several laboratories, he realized he wanted to do something more useful with his scientific knowledge. With California teaching credential in hand (Fernandez-Maculet also had a Spanish teaching credential), he began teaching at a private school in Chico, then moved to Westmont High School in Campbell. After four years teaching science there, Fernandez-Maculet made the switch to Branham, where he is chair of the science department.
Fernandez-Maculet is also applying his passion for science at NASA Ames Research Center, in his work with the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project.
Through one of SETI's programs, called Voyages Through Time (VTT), Fernandez-Maculet, other teachers, scientists and writers have developed a CD-ROM that will be piloted at high schools around the Bay Area, including Westmont, Branham, and Independence in San Jose. The CD-ROM is an integrated science curriculum that will be used as a teaching companion and provide multimedia videos and graphics more elaborate than the one-dimensional textbook. If all goes well, the CD-ROM will be piloted nationwide, and published in the year 2002.
So what does Fernandez-Maculet think about the existence of other life forms in the universe?
"What people need to understand is that intelligent life on Earth has happened only the last maybe couple million years out of 3.8 billion years," he says. "So if we find life elsewhere, it might not be intelligent."
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Campbell, California
