Dr. Arlie Petters, we profiled him in May when he spoke about the Petter's Research Institute, a specialized math and science school located in Dangriga. Well things are in full swing and even the world acclaimed physicist has taken to the classroom, but not at the centers. We found him at the BDF camp, where he's teaching soldiers, not the art of war, but the mastery of math. Here's more.

Alfonso Noble Reporting,
Arlie Petters is back in the classroom but not at Duke University where he's a highly regarded professor of math and physics, he's here at Price Barracks teaching soldiers, BDF cadets 4th form level work, preparing them for the ACT and SAT.

Dr. Arlie Petters, Duke University Professor
"We're working very closely with the BDF in preparing a next generation of cadets to take advantage of scholarships in U.S. academies as well as opportunities throughout Central America for training in math, science, and engineering."

Major Sutherland, BDF
"This will certainly assist the caliber and quality of leadership that we will be seeing in the Belize Defense Force."

Felicia Mohabir, BDF Air Wing
"Getting a good score on the ACT would sort of guarantee me a slot at an American service academy and that is the goal of mine right now."

And the good part is, most of these cadets have no idea who Dr. Petters is nor do they have an approximation how big a deal his Brane World Theory is, and how much it has unsettled established doctrines of physics. To Felicia Mohabir, who's with the BDF Airwing, he's just a really good teacher.

Felicia Mohabir,
"I've briefly worked with him so far on algebra and I know he is an amazing instructor."

And for Adrey HB who's come with Petters from Duke University to assist with the teaching, it's maybe best that they not know who this pre-eminent scholar is.

Audrey HB,
"I think it is good at first so that they are not so intimidated by what he has been able to accomplish and I hope that that helps in fact so that they don't feel nervous about acting questions in order to understand the material. I think by the end of the program they will in fact understand who he is and what he does."

But for Petters none of the honorifics attached to his name matter when he's in this classroom, it's all about making a difference and keeping it real.

Dr. Arlie Petters,
"When you come to a setting like this, we all know it is trenches. This is for a nation, everyone knows that everybody has to chip in. No one person can improve the conditions for our society. I believe, so as not to get burnt out, you start small and do it with the highest quality possible. The system isn't as complicated, it is controllable. You are able to measure success, failure, and in the latter case you can make adjustments. I think it is when one gets two ambitious and tries to change the world overnight that you run into trouble, you get burnt out. I know a lot of Belizeans that try to give back and become discouraged within a year and in think I that if you do it in a manageable way and if you come in too with I'd say humility, because it's a partnership and you want folks that are in the trenches here to pull on their experiences, working closely with them, and doing it in a manageable way, in other words not too big, I am quite convinced that the probability of success are extremely high and for burnt out, almost zero."

And assuming there will be no burnout, the training session will run for three weeks.

This BDF Programme is being run to parallel a similar one in Dangriga and when they are done, both results will be compared.