MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Christopher Emdin, an author and associate professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology at Teachers College, Columbia University, will discuss his New York Times bestselling book, “For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood ... And the Rest of Y'All Too,” from 5-7 p.m. Sept. 9 in Penn State Harrisburg’s Student Enrichment Center theater. This event is free and open to the public.
Edmin’s book focuses on urban education and his reality pedagogy, a teaching and learning approach that focuses on the understanding of students by the teacher.
Emdin is director of science education at the Center for Health Equity and Urban Science Education at Columbia University, as well as associate director of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He is an alumni fellow at the Hutchins Center at Harvard University, and currently serves as minorities in energy ambassador for the U.S. Department of Energy and the STEAM ambassador for the U.S. Department of State.
Emdin is also a social critic, public intellectual and science advocate whose commentary on issues of race, culture, inequality and education have appeared in dozens of influential periodicals including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post. He provides regular commentary on Al Jazeera and the Huffington Post, where he writes the Emdin 5 series.
He holds a doctorate in urban education with a concentration in mathematics, science, and technology; master’s degrees in both natural sciences and education administration; and bachelor’s degrees in physical anthropology, biology and chemistry.
He is the creator of the #HipHopEd social media movement and a public speaker on a number of topics, including hip-hop education, STEM education, politics, race, class, diversity and youth empowerment.
Hip-hop artist and Penn State Harrisburg alumnus Clifton Johnson, of Harlem, New York, known as “The 80s Baby,” will also perform a hip-hop session at the event.
Johnson graduated from Penn State Harrisburg in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in business management. He creates music that is entertaining and educational and has performed throughout the United States and internationally, opening for such artists as Common, Bobby Valentino, Jasmine Sullivan and Theophilus London.
Johnson said he gains inspiration from the early stages of hip-hop “when music was centered on providing a voice for those whom few would listen to.”
This event is the first in the Technology of Music concert and lecture series, which highlights the Office of Student Affairs' 2016-17 technology theme.