Founder & Lead Educator — GrowthWithin STEAM
"Every child I've taught — from preschoolers in Bogotá to high schoolers in Red Rock — has reminded me that curiosity is universal. What isn't universal is access. That's what GrowthWithin STEAM is here to fix."
— Javier Nossa, Founder
The Story
Javier Nossa is a physicist, researcher, and educator whose career spans two continents, three school boards, and more than twenty years in classrooms ranging from preschool maker spaces in Bogotá to high school physics labs in Northern Ontario.
His academic path took him from a Bachelor's in Physics Education in Colombia, through a Master's at Universidad de los Andes, to a PhD at Lund University in Sweden — where he specialized in nanospintronics and molecular magnetism. He then continued as a Postdoctoral Associate at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, D.C.
But the research lab was only one chapter. Javier's true calling has always been the classroom — and the belief that every young person deserves to experience the joy of building, making, and understanding their world through STEAM.
Research Meets Classroom
Before becoming a classroom teacher, Javier published peer-reviewed research in journals including Physical Review B and Journal of Applied Physics, and presented at conferences from Chile to Italy to Texas. That scientific depth now lives inside every lesson he designs.
He has designed STEAM curriculum for preschoolers, elementary students, and high schoolers. He's built serious games in Unity, written instructional content for major educational publishers, and led teacher professional development across Canada and Colombia.
In Northern Ontario, he serves as a high school teacher with the Superior-Greenstone District School Board and holds the role of Equity, Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Officer with OSSTF District 6B.
Global — Local
Javier's teaching and research career spans four countries — bringing a genuinely international perspective to Northern Ontario communities.
Canada
SGDSB, Lakehead PSB, Canada Learning Code, GrowthWithin STEAM — Thunder Bay & Red Rock, ON
Colombia
Marymount School, Liceo de Colombia, CAS, Gimnasio la Montaña, Uniandes, Editorial Norma — Bogotá
Sweden
PhD & Graduate Research Assistant, Linnaeus University, Lund University — Lund & Kalmar
USA
Postdoctoral Associate, Carnegie Institution of Washington — Washington, D.C.
Experience
2024–2026
High School Teacher
Superior-Greenstone District School Board — Red Rock, ON
Teaching Science (SNC1L), Math (MAT2L, MEL3L), and Geography (CGC1W). OSSTF Equity, Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Officer, District 6B.
Summer 2025 — Present
Founder & Lead Educator — GrowthWithin STEAM
Red Rock Indian Band — Thunder Bay, ON
Developed and delivered the STEAM Discovery Camp for Red Rock Indian Band youth. After-school STEAM mentorship and community partnership programming.
2023–2024
Educational Support (SSP)
Lakehead Public School Board — Thunder Bay, ON
Student Support Program educational assistant; Canada Learning Code Chapter Coordinator and Instructor-Mentor.
2019–2023
STEAM Teacher, Head of Technology, Curriculum Designer
Colombo American School, Liceo de Colombia Bilingüe, OKA Consultores, Editorial Norma — Bogotá, Colombia
STEAM curriculum for K–12, Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science, STEAM instructional design for major educational publisher (TecPro SySTEAM), game development in Unity.
2015–2019
Head of Technology Department
Gimnasio la Montaña — Bogotá, Colombia
Curriculum development for computational thinking, electronics, and makerspace across all grade levels. IRIS research partnership. Academic Council member.
2014–2015
Postdoctoral Associate
Carnegie Institution of Washington — Washington, D.C., USA
First-principles calculations of ferroelectric properties. High-Performance Computing at DoD HPCMP.
2008–2013
Graduate Research Assistant — PhD
Linnaeus University / Lund University — Sweden
PhD: Nanospintronics with Molecular Magnets. Research in molecular magnetism, quantum transport, spin-electric coupling. Published in Physical Review B.
Skills & Tools
Selected Publications
A selection of Javier's academic publications — spanning nanospintronics, molecular magnetism, and computational thinking in education.
Electric control of spin states in frustrated triangular molecular magnets
Physical Review B 107, 245402
Can preschoolers represent their algorithmic thoughts through flowcharts?
Liceo de Colombia Bilingüe School Journal (pre-print)
Effects of manganese addition on the electronic structure of BaTiO3
Physical Review B 91, 214105
Cotunneling signatures of Spin-Electric coupling in frustrated triangular molecular magnets
Physical Review B 89, 235435
Electric control of a {Fe4} single-molecule magnet in a single-electron transistor
Physical Review B 88, 224423
First-principles studies of spin-orbit and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions in the Cu3 single-molecule magnet
Physical Review B 85, 085427
As Manager of Indigenous Education, I have witnessed Javier Nossa demonstrate what true allyship in education looks like. He brings strong STEAM expertise, yet always begins with listening, and ensuring that programming reflects community voices, priorities, and cultural values.
Javier works in genuine partnership with Indigenous communities, recognizing that meaningful education must be relational and responsive. His approach honours Indigenous ways of knowing while supporting student confidence and growth in STEAM fields.
He models allyship not just in words, but in action while always walking alongside communities in a good way and strengthening both educational opportunity and trust.
Shy-Anne Bartlett
Manager of Indigenous Education
Superior-Greenstone District School Board
Javier Nossa has been an incredible addition to our after-school and summer camp programming in the community of Lake Helen. Through his thoughtfully designed STEAM sessions, Javier has engaged our children and youth in hands-on, creative learning experiences that spark curiosity and build confidence.
He has taken the time to come into our community, connect with the students, and provide opportunities many of them might not otherwise have had. His sessions are not only educational but also fun and deeply meaningful for the children who participate.
Javier has developed strong, positive relationships with both our staff and the children, demonstrating genuine care, patience, and enthusiasm in every interaction. We are truly grateful for the dedication, energy, and generosity he has shown in sharing his knowledge and passion for STEAM with our community.
Kellie Wrigley
Education Director
Red Rock Indian Band
Reach out to start a conversation about what STEAM programming could look like for your school, community, or organization.
My name is Javier Nossa, and I come to live on this land from Bogotá, Colombia. I recognize that I live and work in the Robinson-Superior Treaty Area. In Thunder Bay, I acknowledge the land of Fort William First Nation, and in Red Rock, the traditional lands of Red Rock Indian Band.
I honour the past, present, and future custodians of the land and thank Indigenous Nations for their stewardship, teachings, and guidance toward a better future.
I acknowledge my responsibility to Call to Action 63 by bringing Indigenous knowledge into the curriculum through respectful collaboration with local communities. I work to ensure this knowledge is honoured, not appropriated.
I recognize the colonial impact on these lands and commit to helping students understand this history while integrating Indigenous perspectives into STEAM education.
Miigwech. Thank you. Merci. Gracias.