At a recent board meeting, Lew Turnquist, president of Opryx, was appointed MindFuel’s new chair of the board. Lew’s has over 25 years of operational and transactional experience in technology companies and has been on the MindFuel board since October 2013.
We asked Lew a few questions, see what he had to say.
Q. What was the “aha moment” that sparked your interest in technology?
A. When I was a secondary student, I had a natural aptitude and interest in science and mathematics. I loved physics, chemistry and calculus; and, in a way, they loved me too. I remember in those summers becoming the number one salesperson of golf equipment at the pro shop after studying the science behind groove patterns, golf ball materials engineering and shaft dynamics. Afterward, my undergraduate degree was a purposeful effort in getting an education for its own sake, the unique experience of a BSc at the University of King’s College which allowed me to bridge that STEM aptitude with equal parts Classics, Philosophy and Literature. When it came time to make career choices, I naturally gravitated to the technology industry where my academic aptitudes intersected with my entrepreneurism.
Q. Why is it important for non-traditional STEM learning resources, like MindFuel’s, to be part of education?
A. I was always fortunate as a student to possess a learning style suited for the traditional “textbook and chalkboard” methods of instruction. Not all students learn that way, however. And, not all students learn at the pace that a classroom meters out the information either. MindFuel’s resources offer kids the opportunity to learn in different ways, at their own direction and pacing. This is one of the keys ways that twenty-first century learning has improved on its precedents.
Q. What do you think everyone should know about MindFuel?
A. Many Albertans don’t know that MindFuel has been enriching the learning experience of STEM students for over 25 years — evolving from Science in a Crate pre-Internet to the web-enriched resources in Wonderville, and the hands-on learning in Edacity and Ignition Packs today. Those outside of Alberta are getting to know Wonderville for the first time now, as its digital assets are opened up for them to experience and use. It’s an exciting time to be involved with MindFuel, as we take a giant evolutionary leap forward.
