George Emil Hehn (1909-2000) spent much of his life in service to country and community.  His career as a Civil Service started at 19 years old in the depression when his salary was feeding an entire block of families in San Antonio, Texas. George worked more than 43 years as a federal employee.  He was nominated for a regional civil service award and received the award from Lyndon Johnston as Vice-President.  In Texarkana, George served in the governing council of the Methodist Church and coached in several youth sports leagues. He was active in public school and Boy Scouts of America activities.  George was very adept in all mechanical arts, automobile, woodworking, immaculate lawn and yard, and home.  George was a distinguished Mason.  He was fond of saying: “You have to use your eyes …” meaning that keen observation was a critical life skill.

Vivian Irene (Baxter) Hehn (1917-2001) was part of a large family in Mason, Texas.  She had a career in the depression and World War II and then served her family and community at home in Texarkana and Austin, Texas.  Vivian work in health care and as a civil servant with Red River Arsenal.  She was always engaged in the activities of her family, church, parental organizations in school and community.  In Austin, Texas Vivian routinely looked after neighbors and friends in North Austin. Vivian was an excellent housekeeper and cook.  She constantly looked after her neighborhood. In her 70’s Vivian worked in an elementary school cafeteria looking after the students.  She organized her fellow employees, and they all passed the GED (Certified High School Equivalence) in English and Spanish.

Vivian and George were married in 1943.  They lived in the Beverly neighborhood of Texarkana until 1969.  They lived out their lives in a home in north Austin, Texas.  

Jack Gordon Hehn (1948-present) was reared in Texarkana, Texas.  He was encouraged and supported from an early age to participate in several sports and concentrate his academic efforts in science, mathematics, and engineering.  He graduated as a salutatorian from Texas High School (1967) of Texarkana, Texas and studied physics at Texarkana College, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A & M University, and the University of North Texas. He received his Ph.D. (1990) from the University of North Texas.  

Jack G. Hehn has a wide range of experience in physics and science education having taught and worked with students in elementary school through graduate school and served in leadership roles in several learned and professional societies and institutions of higher education.  Hehn retired in 2014 and served as the AAPT Senior Fellow (America Association of Physics Teachers), providing consulting services in learned society organization and administration, and working with physics departments in efforts to improve instruction. He has served on the Board of the American Center for Physics, the Board of the Triangle Coalition, and numerous advisory and financial committees of associations and federal agencies.

He served in administrative staff and instructional faculty roles within physics departments for 19 years, and he has served 22 years in the DC area as an officer, director, and editor in science and education associations and the National Science Foundation.  He has been active in directing and advising large-scale educational programs including science policy review and commentary, curriculum development, and technology and multi-media program development.  Hehn has served as a reviewer, advisor, and consultant to many physics departments and large-scale projects, and he has developed and implemented leadership workshops for Association CEOs, STEM faculty members and teachers, and principal investigators in STEM education and research projects.  Hehn serves in advisory capacity for many two-year college efforts.  Hehn is recognized as a national advocate for science, science policy, and science education.

Hehn is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Physical Society (APS), the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), and The Texas Society of Natural Philosophy.  He is a member of Sigma Pi Sigma, and a recipient of the AAPT Melba Phillips Medal.