Hello! My name is Steven Pace and I am a teacher candidate at The University of British Columbia. I am specializing in teaching secondary sciences, with an emphasis in biology and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. I am very excited to begin teaching in the coming weeks, and look forward to growing as a professional!
Education:
After graduating with high honours from Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, I decided to travel north to Kingston, Ontario where I attended Queen’s University for four years. I developed a deep passion for biology, and in my final year I became interested in fisheries sciences. After completing my B.Sc. – Honours Biology, I decided to pack my bags and travel west to beautiful British Columbia. I was accepted to the Fisheries and Aquaculture Post-Degree Program offered by Vancouver Island University, and over the next year I immersed myself in the field. I had never lived in a location where the people seemed so connected and invested in protecting the environment, and was impressed by the passion of many west-coasters. It certainly rubbed off on me, as when my program completed I immediately began a M.Sc. program at The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, where I studied sablefish digestibility under different water temperatures and feeding frequencies. I learnt a great deal during my time at UBC, but began to feel that strictly research was not meant for me. I felt a little too isolated while doing the majority of my M.Sc., but didn’t want to leave the realm of academia. I began to seriously consider pursuing a teaching career at the same time I was working for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and decided to pull the trigger and apply for the BEd program offered by UBC. I was accepted into the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and Secondary School Biological Sciences option, and have been thoroughly pleased with the experience so far! I cannot wait to teach in a secondary school in a matter of weeks, and look forward to beginning the next chapter in my life.
Interesting Notes:
I have lived in Vancouver for seven years, which is very noteworthy for me because I have never lived in a single location for such a long period of time. Growing up, my family routinely moved and I was lucky enough to live in Puerto Rico, The United States, Germany, and Canada for various periods of time. Each of these countries has left a strong impression on my life, but also on my personality. I relish visiting new locations, and am anxiously anticipating travelling to Qingdao, China in April for my Community Field Experience. It’s been far too long since I have gone on such an adventure, and I have never been to China and look forward to visiting (and teaching in) that wonderful country!
I am deeply competitive, namely from growing up as the youngest of four in my family. Sports made up a large portion of my childhood, and I used to compete for soccer, basketball, track and field, and cross country. During my time at Queen’s, I picked up Ultimate Frisbee and this sport is my new passion. While I relish competition, I also enjoy the simpler things in life. Over the weekends you can find me backpacking, swimming in the ocean, cycling around town, or skiing in the mountains. I thoroughly enjoy watching the newest movies and playing some good games with my friends and family!