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Tanya Phillips

Biography

Determined to become an astronomer, and after 2 years at Vallejo J.C., I went to UC Berkeley, where I was told by my “advisor” and first astronomy prof.: “girls don’t belong in college; you should be home changing diapers.” I flunked out (OK, OK; I was simultaneously discovering a social life and didn’t pay attention to the writing on the wall; but it’s hard to do well in a hostile environment). Sometimes karma works: he was the one who chose the “wrong” mirror for the Hubble Space Telescope! Of course, after it was retro-fitted, we got a better instrument, and he still gets to work with NASA; oh well. However, being stubborn, I didn’t admit that I wasn’t enamored with astronomy, but with the space sciences, which hadn’t been invented yet! The 60’s were an amazing time, and I was there when the Space Sciences lab was built and a new field was born!

So, I had been working in the Radio Astronomy Lab at Berkeley as a “draftsman” while taking classes in ’63-‘64, and the job expanded to full time. I married in ’69 and went back to school that fall and finally graduated with a degree in biology (emphasis in ecology). Of course, no one was hiring biologists in those days, so I did what other women who were locked out of many professions did: I became a teacher!

I started teaching at Piedmont Jr. High (a small affluent town nestled in the lower Oakland Hills) in '72. I taught 7-8 grade science for 5 years. Then my husband and I agreed to a divorce and I went off to the Peace Corps for 2 years in Honduras, working in agricultural pest control. I discovered, once again, that I don’t really like research, but I do love to teach science to kids! After my service, I returned to the newly configured Piedmont Middle School, still teaching 8th grade science. However, something was missing, and I couldn't figure out what. Peace Corps changed my life! More on that later.

In January '82 the chemistry teacher at the high school left and I applied and to everyone's astonishment I got the job. It was like lightning struck; I realized I was born to teach chemistry; the older kids could challenge me with high-level questions and they made me think. I primarily taught chemistry until I retired in June, 2005.

One of my students had come here from Iran. We connected the day we met, and a year later, in ’87, I became his legal guardian. He recently married, and life is good. This is one of the most unexpected and wonderful events of my life.

I retired in '05, and have been traveling like a mad woman. I’ve gone to 30 countries so far and have been chasing total solar eclipses in combination with cultural travel. I expect to see my 3rd in the summer of 2010, near the Marquesas (near Tahiti).

During my teaching career, I was involved with many science groups and had taken dozens of workshops and institutes in our country. I also loved presenting at workshops and conferences. After retiring, I participated in the Teacher Institute at the Exploratorium as a coach for new science teachers. I have coached close to 20 “newbies” visiting them in their classes, and helping them out any way I could. I also ran an informal science teacher group called FEAST (Fun Exchanges of Activities for Science Teachers), which still meets monthly at the Chabot Space and Science Center in the Oakland hills. Working with new teachers is what I love.

I moved to Salem, OR, in 2009, but only survived there a year. It's too dark up there; my favorite color is sky blue, not green!

In May of 2011, I married Manzar, a wonderful new immigrant from London. Life is good!

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