Joining the science department this year is new AP Chemistry and AP Physics 1 teacher, Mackenzie Gibbs. When asked about her interest in science, Gibbs said, “I love science. It is one of the great loves of my life.” From fluorescent lights to the ideal rotation rate clothes need to dry, Gibbs sees science in everything; it enhances the universe’s beauty.
Growing up in southwestern Colorado, Gibbs was always good at math so, despite not knowing what a civil engineer was, she went to school to become one. “If you’re good at math, that’s what you should be,” those around her said. After taking more advanced courses in high school, she realized how much she loved the physical sciences and eventually obtained a bachelor’s in physics from Rhodes College.
Before coming to the Academy, Gibbs’ only teaching experience was a year spent at a school in Jackson, Mississippi. “I realized that I could not be in Mississippi anymore,” Gibbs said as she recounted the eerie feeling she was presented with when standing outside her apartment, on a street of downtown Jackson. She says that for the past few years, she has wanted to come to New Mexico. Of course, despite her excitement at being closer to her roots, there were still many things that surprised her. Gibbs claims that the size of our classes was a shock to her as “The school I taught at last year had [about] only 70 kids in a grade.”
Outside of science, Gibbs loves to participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking and backpacking. She also enjoys reading. Her goal for the past several years has been to read fifty books, and she believes that this year it might finally be in her reach if she can find the time to read eleven more books before December’s end. Another fun fact about her is that she was born the day the world’s population reached six billion, so she could very well be the six-billionth person.
If you have any questions, you should not hesitate to either contact Ms. Gibbs at [email protected] or visit her office in S131.
