Physics Education

The USU Physics department is engaged in developing a program area in Physics Education: the study of how to improve the teaching and learning of physics. The program currently emphasizes the introductory courses and involves development of hands-on, inquiry based curriculum for lecture and laboratory format, acquisition of laboratory equipment and development of new laboratory exercises, writing new physics texts, sponsorship of undergraduate research, and outreach to the pre-college community. A list of funded projects is given below. The program is always looking for undergraduate and graduate physics students with an aptitude for education and research.
 

Funded projects in physics education:

Principal Investigator Funding Agency/Program Amount
Jill Marshall College of Science/Curriculum Dev. $2,500
Jill Marshall USU Faculty Research Grant $14,000
Jill Marshall National Science Foundation/CCD $61,000
David Peak National Science Foundation/ILI $122,000
David Peak National Science Foundation/REU $144,000
J.R. Dennison/Jill Marshall US Dept. of Education/Eisenhower $22,000
J.R. Dennison/Mark Rife State of Utah Higher Ed. Tech. Init. $89,000
J.R. Dennison/Mark Rife McGraw-Hill/Schaums $3,000
David Peak/J.R. Dennison State of Utah Higher Ed. Tech. Init. $10,000
Mark Riffe/J.R. Dennison/David Peak National Science Foundation/CCLI $120,000

Textbooks under contract:

Gordon Lind, introductory calculus-based text, with Springer-Verlag, NY.

David Peak, introductory text for life science students, with Springer-Verlag, NY.