Dr. Moshofsky travelled the world while completing his education. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from UC Santa Cruz and was the recipient of the Ellen Renard Chemistry Scholarship. After completing his undergraduate degree, he participated in an international exchange and did year of research in Germany at the University of Heidelberg by the Baden-Württemberg Stipendium. Dr. Moshofsky attended UC Berkeley and received a Master of Science degree in Chemistry in 2010 working on nanoparticle synthesis. While doing the coursework for his Ph.D., he helped build a new nanoscience lab in the brand new Ilse Katz Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Israel. He went on earn his Doctor of Philosophy in the same subject from Ben-Gurion University, also in Israel. Finally back stateside, Dr. Moshofsky received a Master of Science in Teaching from Montclair State University. As a Chemistry Subject Expert Teacher, Dr. Moshofsky’s goal is to give the students at BASIS Independent the highest quality science education that is possible. This will include exposure to labs and hands-on science and development of science-based skills such as modeling, reasoning, and data analysis. On top of this, he hopes to build community, both within his classroom and at the school itself, with the hope that students support each other while they grow to their full potential. Dr. Moshofsky was attracted to BASIS Independent Silicon Valley as wanted to join a program that has a track record of consistency and excellence when it comes to student performance. He continued, “I am excited to add to this legacy and see how I can inspire students to love science as I do.” Dr. Moshoksy’s teaching philosophy is that students will learn best when they are invested in a topic. For this reason he tries to ground all of his instructional units in real-world phenomena that help promote curiosity and attention to detail. He also likes to promote higher levels of critical thinking over memorization and recall. Dr. Moshofsky’s goal for any student who matriculates from his class is that they understand how science works, how to approach a problem in a scientific manner, and that they have solid mental models for how the world works as a launching pad for more interesting questions and investigations. He feels strongly that students learn best by doing. “If we can learn something by doing a lab that is the most authentic way to promote learning a topic in class. In chemistry, there are some topics for which a realistic lab is impossible but through the use of technology, simulations, or models students can also get a realistic feel for the topic. Lastly, students learn best in an environment that is collaborative and where challenges are sought out.” He enjoys doing labs, labettes (shorter versions of labs), teacher-led demonstrations, simulations, projects, and of course some problem-solving practice as well. One of Dr. Moshoksky’s favorite units that he did win the classroom was on homeopathic medicine. They analyze what the claims are of this branch of alternative medicine, examine the science behind these claims (mostly related to solutions, concentration, and dilutions for chemistry class) and then he asks his students to argue whether or not they would personally use this medicine or what they would tell a loved one who uses homeopathic medicine. It is an excellent example of the cross-sections of science content, philosophy, and real world dilemmas. When he is not in the classroom, he enjoys team sports like basketball and ultimate Frisbee, as well as some more individual sports such as rock climbing. Dr. Moshofsky also likes to cook and bake. He likes science fiction movies and novels and will almost always welcome a conversation about what the future of humanity might look like!​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌‌‌‍​‍​‌​‌​‌‍​‍‌‌‌‌‍‍​​‍‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍​‌‍‍‌​‍‍‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌​‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌