Paul G. Hewitt
Encyclopedia
Paul G. Hewitt is an American
physicist
, former boxer
, uranium
prospector
, author
, and cartoonist
born in Saugus, Massachusetts
in 1930. Hewitt lives in both Hilo, Hawaii and St. Petersburg, Florida
with his wife.
. In 1980 he began teaching evening courses for the general public at the Exploratorium
in San Francisco. Hewitt left both the Berkeley
and Santa Cruz
campuses of the University of California
, choosing instead to move to Hawaii to teach at the University of Hawaii
at their Hilo and Manoa campuses.
During Hewitt's teaching career he began taping his lectures.
In 1987, Hewitt began writing a high-school version of conceptual physics
, which was published by Addison–Wesley. Hewitt taught classes on his return to the City College of San Francisco that were videotaped and distributed in a 12-lecture set. Conceptual Physics at the high-school level is now on its third edition and has transferred its publication to Prentice Hall
. Conceptual Physics at the college level is now on its tenth edition and is still published by Addison-Wesley. (In 2007 Addison-Wesley and Prentice Hall merged; all Hewitt textbooks are now published by Pearson Education
.)
Prior to Conceptual Physics, Hewitt co-authored Thinking Physics with Lewis Carroll Epstein
, another book using cartoons to illustrate scientific concepts
Hewitt also co-authored Conceptual Physical Science with his daughter Leslie Hewitt, a geologist
, and his nephew, John Suchocki, a former chemistry
instructor who taught at the Leeward Community College
in Oahu, Hawaii and Lee, a former favorite student. Hewitt only released one trade book: Touch This! Conceptual Physics for Everyone. He is now a regular columnist for the magazine The Physics Teacher
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
, former boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
prospector
Prospecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
born in Saugus, Massachusetts
Saugus, Massachusetts
Saugus is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. The population was 26,628 at the 2010 census.-History:Saugus was first settled in 1629. Saugus is an Indian name believed to mean "great" or "extended"...
in 1930. Hewitt lives in both Hilo, Hawaii and St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
with his wife.
Conceptual physics
In 1964, Hewitt began his teaching career at the City College of San FranciscoCity College of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco, or CCSF, is a two-year community college in San Francisco, California. The Ocean Avenue campus, in the Ingleside neighborhood, is the college's primary location...
. In 1980 he began teaching evening courses for the general public at the Exploratorium
Exploratorium
The Exploratorium is a museum in San Francisco with over 475 participatory exhibits, all of them made onsite, that mix science and art. It also aims to promote museums as informal education centers....
in San Francisco. Hewitt left both the Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
and Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
campuses of the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, choosing instead to move to Hawaii to teach at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
at their Hilo and Manoa campuses.
During Hewitt's teaching career he began taping his lectures.
In 1987, Hewitt began writing a high-school version of conceptual physics
Conceptual physics
Conceptual physics is a non-mathematical approach to studying physics, which was popularized by Paul G. Hewitt. It is believed that with a strong conceptual foundation in physics, students are better equipped to understand the equations and formulas of physics, and to make connections between the...
, which was published by Addison–Wesley. Hewitt taught classes on his return to the City College of San Francisco that were videotaped and distributed in a 12-lecture set. Conceptual Physics at the high-school level is now on its third edition and has transferred its publication to Prentice Hall
Prentice Hall
Prentice Hall is a major educational publisher. It is an imprint of Pearson Education, Inc., based in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA. Prentice Hall publishes print and digital content for the 6-12 and higher-education market. Prentice Hall distributes its technical titles through the Safari...
. Conceptual Physics at the college level is now on its tenth edition and is still published by Addison-Wesley. (In 2007 Addison-Wesley and Prentice Hall merged; all Hewitt textbooks are now published by Pearson Education
Pearson Education
Pearson Education is an international educational publishing and technology company providing textbooks and other educational material, such as multimedia learning tools...
.)
Prior to Conceptual Physics, Hewitt co-authored Thinking Physics with Lewis Carroll Epstein
Lewis Carroll Epstein
Lewis Carroll Epstein is the author of layman's books on physics that use an idiosyncratic mix of cartoons and single-page brain teasers to pull the reader into advanced concepts in classical mechanics, quantum theory, and relativity....
, another book using cartoons to illustrate scientific concepts
Hewitt also co-authored Conceptual Physical Science with his daughter Leslie Hewitt, a geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
, and his nephew, John Suchocki, a former chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
instructor who taught at the Leeward Community College
Leeward Community College
Leeward Community College is a public, commuter community college adjacent to the in the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. The main campus also houses the temporary campus of the University of Hawaii-West Oahu...
in Oahu, Hawaii and Lee, a former favorite student. Hewitt only released one trade book: Touch This! Conceptual Physics for Everyone. He is now a regular columnist for the magazine The Physics Teacher
The Physics Teacher
The Physics Teacher is a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Association of Physics Teachers and includes papers on physics research, papers on the history and philosophy of physics, papers on applied physics, papers curriculum developments, papers on pedagogy, papers on instructional...
.
Achievements
- First Prize for Science - American Education Film Festival (1977)
- American Association of Physics Teachers, Millikan Award (1982)
- Honoree of Paul G. Hewitt Scholarships for Future High School Physics Teachers (Founded in 2002)