Curriculum Vitae 

Teaching Philosophy

My primary goal is for every single one of my students to succeed in learning physics and developing transferable skills. To achieve this goal, I organize and lead my classes based on evidence of what helps students learn. Here are some principles (in no particular order):

• Active learning: Students will not learn much by passively listening and taking notes during a traditional lecture. Students will learn physics by doing physics and testing their understanding continuously. I provide opportunities for students to discuss their ideas and work with others in both lecture and lab.

• Steady progress: I have many small graded activities as opposed to a few massive assignments. I use weekly quizzes instead of a midterm. I have a small amount of homework due most days.

• Challenge: Doing difficult things is an opportunity for growth. Just as lifting a few light weights or going on a short, slow jog generally doesn't lead to significant gains in physical fitness, solving easy problems alone does not lead to significant gains in physics fitness.

• Prompt feedback: I provide solutions to homework immediately after due dates. I respond to email quickly. I generally correct and return all work by the next day.

• Academic honesty: I design assignments that make cheating difficult. I check student work against what I find on cheating websites and officially report any violations. I normally require proctors for my online students.

• Thrift: I strive to keep costs down while maintaining or improving quality.

  • I encourage use of inexpensive ($5) older editions of textbooks. I provide free copies in the library.

  • I post free lab instructions online.

  • I use  an open-source online homework system.

  • My lab kits for online students are sold to the bookstore for $10 for GS104 and $40/term for the PH201 series.

• Inclusiveness and accessibility: My classes continue to include large numbers of women (even a majority in some cases) in a field historically dominated by men. I strive to have good relationships with Chemeketa's Accessibility Services, Chemeketa's college access programs, and the students who use their services. I have 10-15 office hours per week. And I log in to our online learning management system multiple times per weekday.

• Physics is fun: Attitude is infectious. So I strive to maintain a positive attitude towards the students, the subject, and my job.

Work Experience

Physics Instructor, 2001-present

Chemeketa Community College, Salem, OR, USA

     Teaching

• Lab courses for 200-level physics (PH214 to PH216): 2023- present

• General Science: Physics (GS104), 2022-present

• General Science: Astronomy labs  (GS107) , 2017-2022

• Algebra-based physics sequence online (PH201 to PH203), 2005-2023

• Algebra-based physics sequence, campus-based (PH201 to PH203), 2001-2020 and 2022-present

• Calculus-based physics sequence (PH211 to PH213), 2001-2016

• Hydroelectric and Geothermal Energy Systems (RNW140), 2011, 2013

• Technical physics (PH111), 2004-2009

• Physics, math, and astronomy for Upward Bound (high school), 2001-2005

     Committees

• Academic Standards proctoring subcommittee, 2022-2023

• Life and physical science return to campus task force, spring 2021

• Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee, 2020-2022

  • Canvas implementation subcommittee member

  • Chair of funding subcommittee

• Diversity Faculty Hiring Initiative Task Force , 2020

• Online Education Committee, 2020

• Learning Management System Committee, 2019

  • Evaluated RFPs

• Health Insurance Task Force, 2011-2016

  • Helped develop Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and HSA-eligible health plans for employees

• Diversity Advisory Council, 2010-2013

  • Affirmed the right of employees to speak a language of their choice

  • Began work on a policy for trans inclusive and gender neutral bathrooms

• Textbook Advisory Committee 2009-2010

  • Collected and publicized strategies for reducing textbook costs for students

• Employee Wellness Committee, 2002-2007

  • Helped with activities such as the employee wellness fair and the pedometer challenge

• Academic Standards Committee, 2002-2006

  • Helped develop the Associate of Science degree

• Physical Science Hiring Committees, 2005, 2008, 2014, and 2016

  • Evaluated written applications and conducted extensive interviews for two chemistry and two physics positions

     Student and Staff Activities

• Board game/D&D student club adviser, 2017-2018

• Student versus Staff Basketball organizer and player, 2005-2017

• Chemeketa Hood to Coast running team, 2002-present

• CHAMPION Mentorship Program 2009-2010

• High Five trivia game student adviser, 2006-2007

• College Bowl trivia game student adviser, 2002-2003

     Other Duties

• Maintained physics website, 2020-present

• Chemeketa science fair, 2023-present

• Co-manager of a TV in the hallway for the science programs, 2022-present

• Vice president for the Oregon section of the American Association of Physics Teachers (serving for the academic years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025)

• Host for Central Western Oregon Science Expo (high school science fair), March 2024

• Reformed curriculum for PH207, PH208, and PH209 (astronomy), February 2024

• Reformed curriculum for GS104 (General Science: Physics), December 2023

• Reviewed a manuscript (TPT23-AR-00603 and TPT23-AR-00603R) for The Physics Teacher, 2023-2024

• Started a petition to name the unit for momentum for Emmy Noether, 2023

• Developed a separate lab sequence (PH214, PH215, and PH216) to split off from the lectures for PH201-PH203 and PH211-PH213 so as to better accommodate student schedules, 2022-2023

• Presenter at the Chemeketa Tech Fair, 2019 and 2022

• Developed open source online homework for GS104, PH201, PH202, and PH203 using MyOpenMath, 2021-2022

• Developed $10/term lab kits for GS104, 2021

• Developed $40/term lab kits for algebra and calculus-based physics sequences (PH201-203 and PH211-213), 2020

• Production of "lightboard" videos, 2019-present

• Physical science program review presenter, 2019

• Wrote part of physical science program review, 2005 and 2018-2019

• Principal Investigator for National Science Foundation grant Distance Learning Labs for Introductory Physics (award number 1505086), 2015-2018

  • Co-PIs Dr. Erik Bodegom and Dr. David Sokoloff

• Consultant for National Science Foundation grant Optics and Photonics Training for Inquisitive eXperimentalists (OPTIX) (award number 1505919), 2015-2018

• Helped develop brochure for Chemeketa physical science program, 2013

• USDA STEM Teacher Seminar on Hydro and Wave Energy, 2013

• Consultant for NSF grant Science and Engineering in the Lives of Students headed by Dr. Lawrence Flick, Oregon State University, 2008-2010

• Reviewed the textbook College Physics, A Strategic Approach, 1st edition, Knight, Jones, and Field

• Reviewed the textbook Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 6th edition, Tipler and Mosca

• Developed curriculum for three fully online algebra-based physics courses (including custom lab kits for use at home), 2004-2005

• Built and maintained physical science program website, 2002-2017

• Developed curriculum for Upward Bound math, 2000

Physics Teacher, 2007-2008 (sabbatical)

Reed's School, Cobham, Surrey, UK

• Taught GCSE and A level physics

• Developed demonstrations using PASCO electronic sensors

• Coached basketball

Teaching Assistant, 1999-2001

Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA

• Taught introductory astronomy labs for Dr. Griffiths, 2000-2001

• Worked on a team under Dr. Rubin Landau that developed a computational physics major, 2000-2001

• Assisted Dr. Kenneth Krane with revision of the textbook Physics, Halliday, Resnick, and Krane, 2000

• Taught algebra-based physics labs and recitations for Dr. Kenneth Krane, 1999-2000

Work-Study Position 1998-1999

Assistant to Dr. Erik Bodegom, physics department chair, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA

• Revised and maintained department website

• Provided technical support in student computer lab

Other Work

Server, painter, hotel front desk, pizza deliverer, farm laborer, dishwasher, and newspaper deliverer

Education 

Master of Science in Physics, August 2003

Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

This was a non-thesis master's degree earned through coursework and the PhD qualifying exam.

Bachelor of Science in Physics, June 1999

Portland State University, Portland, OR

Recognition 

Member spotlight for the American Association of Physics Teachers, 2024

Quality Matters recognition of PH201 online, 2011

Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need fellowship at Oregon State University, 1999-2000

Undergraduate physics student of the year at Portland State University, 1998-1999

Presentations and Papers

Distance-Learning Labs for Introductory Physics (invited talk) for the Partnership for Integration of Computation into Undergraduate Physics virtual conference , June 2020

Review of Designing Laboratories for Online Instruction using the iOLab Device  for The Physics Teacher, February 2020

Adapting RealTime Physics for Distance Learning with the IOLab (paper with David Sokoloff and Erik Bodegom), August 2019 issue of The Physics Teacher

Technology for Active Learning of Mechanics: IOLab vs. Vernier and PASCO (contributed talk with David Sokoloff and Erik Bodegom) presented to joint meeting of Pacific Northwest Association of Physics Teachers and Oregon Chapter of the American Association of Physics Teachers, March 2019

Research-Validated Distance-Learning Labs for Introductory Physics Using IOLab (invited poster with David Sokoloff and Erik Bodegom) presented to American Association of Physics Teachers national meeting, July 2017

Research-Validated Distance-Learning Labs for Introductory Physics Using IOLab (invited talk with David Sokoloff and Erik Bodegom) presented to Oregon State University Department of Physics, April 2017

Research-Validated Distance-Learning Labs for Introductory Physics Using IOLab (contributed talk with David Sokoloff and Erik Bodegom) presented to American Association of Physics Teachers national meeting, July 2016

Research-Validated Distance-Learning Labs for Introductory Physics Using IOLab (contributed talk with David Sokoloff and Erik Bodegom) presented to Oregon Chapter of the American Association of Physics Teachers, March 2016

Research-Validated Distance-Learning Labs for Introductory Physics Using IOLab (contributed talk with David Sokoloff and Erik Bodegom) presented to the Instructional Technology Council's conference eLearn 2016, February 2016

Force Concept Inventory for a Fully Online Physics Class (contributed talk) presented to the Oregon Chapter of the American Association of Physics Teachers, March 2013

Force Concept Inventory for a Fully Online Physics Class (poster) at American Association of Physics Teachers national meeting, January 2013

Physics with Online Labs (invited talk) at American Association of Physics Teachers national meeting, July 2011

Online Physics Recruitment, Retention, and Success (contributed talk) presented to the Oregon Chapter of the American Association of Physics Teachers, March 2009

Online Physics (invited talk) presented to the Open University affiliated Physics Innovation Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, January 2008

Professional Memberships 

American Association of Physics Teachers

Oregon Chapter of the American  Association of Physics Teachers

Skills 

Computer: Blackboard, Canvas, spreadsheets

Languages: American English, intermediate German, basic Spanish, basic Russian

Sports: running, soccer, and weightlifting

Volunteer Work and Charity

CFC Atletico (Salem U23 Soccer) board member, 2021-present

Donor to Chemeketa Foundation (Patron's Circle) for Chemeketa Athletics and Montez Bailey Scholarship 2004-present

Head basketball coach at Skyball, 2019-2020

Head basketball coach at Salem YMCA, 2006-2007, 2009-2015, 2023

Assistant soccer coach for Keizer Soccer Club, 2008, 2010-2011

Assistant swimming coach for CYO swim club 2009-2010

Physical education after school program at Grant Elementary, 2006-2010

Child care at Salem YMCA, 2005-2006