Dr. Kreider’s family: (standing) Tim Kreider ’00, an MIT and U.M.D.N.J./UPenn M.D./Ph.D. alum doing a psychiatry residency at NYU; Ted Kreider ’06, an M.D./Ph.D. student at UPenn; Emina Imsirovic Cardamone ’98, a Temple University Ph.D. who is a Senior Economist at IHS Inc.; Emina’s daughter Anesa; Molly’s husband John Viscardi; (seated) Tim’s wife Su-Jen Roberts; Emina’s daughter Iyla; Barb Kreider; Emina’s daughter Selma; Barb’s husband Bob Kreider; Molly Kreider Viscardi ’02, a UPenn B.S.N., NYU M.A., and UPenn Ph.D. who is a consultant at McKinsey & Company; and Molly and John’s son Jack.
Barbara Kreider Helped A Generation of MFS Students Connect with Science When Dr. Barb Kreider began as a Moorestown Friends School parent in 1992, little did she know the impact she would have on a generation of students. The former Assistant Professor of Biology at Rutgers University, Camden, was recruited to chair the Science Department by Head of School Alan Craig in 1998. She retired at the end of the 2015-16 school year, leaving a distinguished legacy. “I have never worked with anyone more determined to find new ways of helping students connect with science in general, and chemistry in particular,” said Science Teacher and incoming Chair Andrew Newman. “Barb was an inspiration to the teachers in our department, leading by example and encouraging us to be creative and motivate students with real-world challenges.” Dr. Kreider was named the 2007 New Jersey Nonpublic School Teacher of the Year by the New Jersey Council for American Private Education (NJ CAPE). She also received the 2009 Award for Excellence in Teaching Chemistry by the Philadelphia section of the American Chemical Society (ACS). An intangible lesson embedded in all of Barb’s courses and projects is that STEM is for everybody. “You love teaching science at a school like MFS,” she said. “It’s easy to teach here, because the culture embraces that truth is always being discovered. Science changes every day. It’s the nature of science.” There are numerous MFS alums currently enrolled in college, in graduate school, pursuing M.D.s and Ph.D.s, in post-doctoral programs, and in their early careers whom she inspired. 20
AMONG FRIENDS
In her time at MFS, she taught Chemistry, Biology, and Physics, along with electives such as Food Science, Neuroscience, Nutrition, Psychology, and more. Her first love is Chemistry. “I love teaching quantitative science,” said Kreider. “I love the applications of math. Chemistry is the foundational science.” She created the annual Science and Engineering Expo, and MFS science students participate in activities outside the classroom such as the New Jersey Science Olympiad, New Jersey Envirothon, National Science League, and the Deborah Heart Challenge and Art Competition, to name just a few. As a parent and veteran teacher, she has a unique perspective as she departs.“MFS was the village that raised our kids and we are so thankful for the great teachers here,” she said. “You only get great teachers if you get a great support structure in which they are operating. This a very, very special place. Many people have the shared purpose to prepare kids for complicated lives.” She expressed special gratitude to her entire department. ”I love my department and the people I taught with,” she said. “I am going to miss them.”She also noted three others who played a large role in her successful tenure as department chair: History Teacher Judy van Tijn, her faculty mentor during her first year (“Judy is a dear friend.”); Math Teacher and former Department Chair Michael Omilian (“The alignment of math and science curriculum has immeasurably strengthened this department.”); and Art Teacher Nicole Edmund (“She has helped me and my department immensely with visual displays of quantitative information. She’s a genius!”). Barb’s close-knit and accomplished family is a prime reason she is retiring. “I can’t wait to spend more time with my grandchildren,” she said. FALL 2016