Paul Black

King's College, London

Emeritus Professor of Science Education

Paul Black took his first degree in physics, and subsequently obtained his PhD in crystallography at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge in l954. Between 1956 and 1976 he was a faculty member in the Department of Physics in the University of Birmingham (England), but his interests gradually moved from research in physics to research and development in science education. Dr. Black left Birmingham in 1976 to become professor of science education and director of the Centre for Science and Mathematics Education, at Chelsea College in London, and when Chelsea College merged with King's in 1985 he became the head of the King's Centre for Educational Studies, King's College London (KQC). He retired in 1995. Dr. Black has been a visiting professor of Education at Stanford University, California. For many years he was involved closely with curriculum development work with the Nuffield foundation in science and in design and technology, at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. He was chair of the government's task group on assessment and testing in 1987-88, and deputy chairman of the national curriculum council from 1989 to 1991. Dr. Black has served on three committees on the USA national research council.