Rebecca W. Keller
Rebecca W. Keller, Ph.D., incorporated Gravitas Publications Inc in 2003 to develop and publish core sciences curriculum under the Real Science-4-Kids imprint. She has authored and published Real Science-4-Kids student texts, teacher manuals, and student laboratory workbooks in chemistry, biology and physics to serve kindergarten through ninth grade, available through mainstream and home school book distributors. Education. 1985 BS Chemistry, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM 1992 PhD Biophysical Chemistry, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 1994–1998 Post-Doc Molecular Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 1998–1999 Post-Doc Molecular Biology , University of California Berkeley, Berkeley CA Career. A former research assistant professor at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, Dr. Rebecca W. Keller worked in the molecular biology field. Her background in biophysics, molecular biology and neuroscience led her to prepare labs and curriculum for her children and neighbors. As a homeschool mom, she developed Real Science-4-Kids to be a comprehensive science curriculum that taught solid science concepts in a manner understandable for youngsters. In 2001, she began to develop a formalized training program to equip non-science teachers (usually other moms) to feel comfortable with the material . Today Real Science-4-Kids is being taught by homeschoolers in 50 states as well as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe, India, Japan and Korea. Keller's team continues to develop and test new products. The Real Science-4-Kids curriculum line has now grown to service private and public school systems as well as the homeschool community. Gravitas textbooks are used as homeschool texts in all 50 states and in six foreign countries, winning a 2020 Readers award from Practical Homeschooling magazine in the category of science-middle school. Gravitas also received the 2019 Best Homeschool and Curriculum Resources Award from  How to Homeschool. They are also a Well-Trained Mind Top Recommendation recipient. Dr. Keller's scientific and educational philosophy can be summarized in her in her own words as follows: "If we can teach kids how to think critically and evaluate data and viewpoints and philosophies from all directions, they can learn how to tell the difference between a valid and scientifically sound argument and an invalid and scientifically flawed argument. I will always be an advocate of opposing viewpoints: opposing data, opposing perspectives, opposing philosophies, etc. Not because I think all viewpoints are true or valid, but because  without the exercise of evaluating all viewpoints, we don’t understand why something is true or false. For science specifically, if we can help kids learn how to evaluate data then we don’t have to censor or worry about what information or false information crosses their path." Was invited by Senator Mike Fair to testify before the Education Oversight Committee in favor of language to allow students to “critically evaluate” all scientific data. Member of the Framework Committee and Writing Team for revision of the 2003 New Mexico Science Standards. Presented before Education Department in favor of the revised  New Mexico State Science Standards. Judge and Chairman, Junior Microbiology Division, New Mexico State Science Fair