Research and Scholarship
I have always taught my classes with a reflective turn of mind. And so early on I became aware of the questions that invariably
occur in the teaching/learning environment. Questions of student learning, classroom community, and faculty development. I found that I could pursue
these questions with the same passion, discipline and rigor of my physics scholarship and I was drawn to the scholarship of
teaching and learning(SOTL). The rapidly maturing discipline of Physics Education Research added to my ability to pursue questions of
pedagogical theory and curricular design. My present focus is on the application of play theory to pedagogical design (particularly textbooks) and to the rethinking
of the course on introductory physics for life sciences (IPLS). In addition, I am pursuing a long-standing research program in using astronomy
to allow non-science majors to experience the critical inquiry and analysis used in the development of a scientific discipline.
More background can be found on my PER/SOTL page.
My physics research interests are varied but center
around atomic physics and astronomy. My masters thesis at the
University of Texas at Arlington was based on positron-atom
scattering and my doctorial work at Texas A&M was studying
how rapidly hydrogen molecules photodissociated into their
component atoms. My interest in the role of molecular physics to the interstellar medium has grown and I hope to reignite my research with molecular hydrogen.
More background is on my Molecular Theory page.
I enjoy working with students on projects. Sometimes we
will work on some of my interests, either in computational molecular physics or in physics pedagogy and curriculum development. But there are other time we will work
in areas where I have little experience but the student has a great deal of enthusiasm for the project such as building a robot or studying general relativity.
Why go into physics?
Passion and wonder.
The universe is filled with beauty, mystery and unexpected delights. From
the puzzling quantum world of the very small to the majestic motion of
galaxies; from the wonderland world of the very fast to the almost
motionless world of the very cold; from a single atom trapped in a well to
the uncountable number of stars in the universe; from the beginning of
time to the unfathomable future -- all of the physical universe is the
realm of physicists.
Many people think of physicists as formal, stiff and overly-analytical. But what drives us is our passion to understand the universe and our delight in the wonder we see.
Organizations
I think of myself as a physcist and as an educator. Most
of my work in organizations has been with the
American Association of Physics
Teachers and I am presently Book Editor for the AAPT.
I am also the Education Officer for the National Society of Hispanic Physicists.
I have represented AAPT or NSHP on several task
forces studying issues of diversity, policies of tenure and reappointment,
and guidelines for the undergraduate curriculum.
I belong to several other physics and astronomy organizations, including
SACNAS and APS, but my lack of time usually permits me only to pay dues.
Last updated 27 August 2015
