In Memoriam: William C. Ritz

Published February 6, 2020

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William C. Ritz

The College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics mourns the loss of Dr. William C. Ritz, founder of the CSULB Department of Science Education, beloved science educator, and emeritus of the College.

Memorial Service will be held 2:00pm on Saturday February 22, 2020 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church (3352 Katella Ave., Los Alamitos, CA).

During his Cal State Long Beach tenure and into retirement, Dr. Ritz founded the National Center for Science in Early Childhood. In 1997, he developed the A Head Start on Science (HSOS) curriculum and professional development for teachers of young children. Hundreds of HSOS workshops have been conducted worldwide, training thousands of preschool and primary grade teachers to "encourage a sense of wonder" and provide meaningful science experiences to young learners.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Bethlehem Lutheran Church for the sound system. Bill was very hard of hearing by the end of his life and his family thinks this is an appropriate place for donations in his memory.