We regret to inform that NCNAAPT member Scott Chan and his daughter were among those who lost their lives in the recent scuba boat fire tragedy. His longtime friend Dan Burns shared the thoughts below with us.
ingThe physics teaching community suffered a great loss this weekend. Scott Chan was aboard the dive boat Conception with his 26-year-old daughter Kendra. The dive boat caught fire early Monday morning and sunk while anchored off Santa Cruz Island. Other than the 5 crew members who jumped into the water, all aboard perished. My heart goes out to Scott’s wife Vickie and son Kevin and all of their family and friends. Scott’s students and colleagues at American High School in Fremont, California will surely be devastated when they learn about this tragedy.
Scott was a frequent contributor to the College Board’s APTC discussion group and our local PTSOS email list. He always had something useful and helpful to say. A quick search of the archives will show how generous he was with his time and expertise. Scott also attended many PTSOS physics workshops where he freely shared his ideas, adding to the workshop experience for all who attended. He can be seen in the viral “Gravity Visualized” Youtube video filmed during a PTSOS workshop. He is the fourth teacher on my right. He enjoyed the minor celebrity status he got when his students recognized him in the video..
Scott was a computer engineer for Juniper Networks when I first met him. He left and cashed out his stock options just before the dot-com bust, allowing him to do whatever he liked. After seeing how much fun I was having teaching physics, he decided to give it a try. He took some college physics classes to brush up on the basics and earned his physics teaching credential. I have enjoyed getting to talk shop with him at our family get-togethers and at our local NCNAAPT meetings. Of all the engineers I have helped with this transition, Scott was the most successful. He was very versatile, teaching every AP Physics class as well as conceptual and regular physics. He also taught an engineering class. Scott had the ability to connect with all levels of students and knew how to meet their needs. He made his class engaging with examples of novel physics applications related to his hobbies of skiing, cycling, diving, and auto racing. He had a quick wit and great sense of humor that made his students look forward to his class every day.
I have known Scott ever since our kids went to elementary school together. His son and daughter were the same ages as my son and daughter. Together we went through Cub Scouts, PTA meetings, marching band contests, skiing trips, and many other of life’s events that you take for granted as they happen, but later mean so much. My family is heartsick and we are having trouble coming to grips with this terrible news. I wish I could take comfort knowing that Scott and Kendra were together doing what they loved but the reality of what happened to them is too terrible to imagine. Please give your family members an extra hug today for Scott and Kendra and all those with loved ones who won’t be coming back from this Labor Day weekend.
Dan
