PION Research team

Dr. Jessica Rosenberg | Associate Professor | Principle Investigator (PI)

Bio

My name is Jessica Rosenberg and I am an Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy and the Director of Education for the Quantum Materials Center at George Mason University. My PhD training is as an astrophysicist with my work focusing on what we can learn about galaxy evolution from the gas and star formation properties of galaxies. Through graduate school, my postdoctoral experiences, and now as a faculty member I have been engaged with STEM education both in the classroom and as a researcher alongside my work as an astrophysicist. I have worked to improve STEM education with a focus on the education and retention of a diverse group of students in the STEM disciplines and to create new models for graduate student preparation. I have developed and implemented education programs that span K-20, researched improvements to STEM classroom education, and examined how scientific research projects can have a broader impact on society though research, education, and outreach. As PI for this NSF-funded project on Cultivating Physics Identity and Belonging for Women in Physics: Mentorship and Leadership Development through the Pion Program, I am looking forward to improving our understanding of the factors that impact female physics students’ sense of belonging and their self-identification as physicists.

Dr. Nancy Holincheck | Assistant Professor | Co-Investigator (Co-PI)

Bio

I'm Dr. Nancy Holincheck and I am an Assistant Professor of STEM Education at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. I teach and mentor doctoral students in the College of Education and Human Development's Ph.D. in Education program and teachers in Mason's Advanced Studies in Teaching and Learning program. I am a former high school physics teacher and currently a mentor to several FIRST Robotics teams. My research focuses on under-represented groups in STEM - especially women, integrated STEM teacher education, and fostering teacher reflection.

Dr. Ben Dreyfus | Associate Professor | Co-Investigator (Co-PI)

Bio

My name is Ben Dreyfus and I am faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and in the STEM Accelerator Program at George Mason University. I started out teaching high school physics, then went on to do my Ph.D. in physics education research. My research has used qualitative methods to analyze students' thinking about physics. At Mason, prior to this project, I have been involved with other activities that contribute to students' physics identity: I coordinate the undergraduate Learning Assistant program for the physics/astronomy department and across the College of Science, and I lead the physics component of the STEM Bridge Camp for incoming first-year students. I am excited about how this project will contribute to our understanding of the factors that influence physics identity and belonging for students everywhere.

Laura M Akesson | Doctoral Student | Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

Bio

Hello! I’m Laura McGlinchey Akesson (she/her). I’m a doctoral student in the Physics and Astronomy department at George Mason University with special interests in identity and belonging in Physics. I am an adopted identical twin (we were adopted together!), a first generation college grad, a curious introvert, and perpetual learner. I taught high school Physics, Math, and Biomedical Engineering/Design for 22 years, most recently serving in the US Department of Energy as an Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow ‘22-’23. My path has never felt “planned,” and I feel lucky my passion, curiosity, and grit have enabled many fortuitous experiences, including being invited to the TEDx stage, national presentations for the Department of Education, living and working in Switzerland, founding and leading a non-profit science education company, and conducting particle and solid state physics research. I enjoy analyzing the systemic nature of issues and believe joy is an underrated aspect of science.

Previous Graduate Students on Project

Kat Fernández | Doctoral Student | Founding Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

Bio

Hi everyone! My name is Kathryn, though most people call me Kat, and my pronouns are she/ella. My academic journey wasn’t conventional – I was homeschooled. I was introduced to physics in an introductory course while I was dual-enrolling at a college in my hometown. After graduating, I joined the honors college and got involved in lots of STEM extracurricular and mentoring activities. When the time came for me to transfer to a university to finish my bachelors, I was hesitant to pursue physics full-time – it seemed like a man’s world and I didn’t know how a Latina like me would fit in, if at all. I decided to go for it, got involved with physics student clubs, and developed further materials and structured a multifaceted mentorship program. During my senior year, I conducted physics education research on how the mentorship program helped prepare students for their careers. Currently, I'm a 3rd year doctoral student and my research focuses on (1) the holistic preparation of undergraduate physics students through various active learning techniques; (2) how mentorship and professional development programs affect women physics students’ identity, sense of belonging, leadership identity, and career choices; and (3) how to change the culture of physics departments into a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment.

Fardousa Wardere | Doctoral Candidate | Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

Bio

My name is Fardousa Wardere and I am a third year doctoral student at the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. I have previously taught high school Biology and worked as a graduate assistant with the Office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning. I was also on the GMU Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) committee and writing team where the QEP topic was Anti-racist Community Engagement. My primary specialization is in Education Leadership and my secondary specialization is in Science and Multicultural Education Research. My research interests include equity pedagogy, school culture and climate, content integration, and overall, the experience of diverse students and teachers in the current education setting.

Stephanie Stehle | Doctoral Candidate | Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

Bio

My name is Stephanie Stehle and I am a doctoral student in science education research at George Mason University. Prior to starting my graduate program, I taught for over a decade as a high school physics teacher. My area of focus is physics education. My dissertation research was a mixed methods study that investigated how high school physics students use metacognition while solving physics problems. Additionally, as part of my graduate program I did an independent study on the gender gap in STEM, particularly focusing on physics. I am excited to work on this project knowing personally the importance of a physics identity as my physics identity has evolved as I grew from a high school physics student, to a physics major, to a physics teacher, and now to a physics education researcher.

Tiffany Butler | Doctoral Student | Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

Bio

Tiffany Butler is a doctoral student in Mason’s Ph.D. in Education program with specializations in Science Education Research and Teaching and Teacher Education. She is currently a high school Biology teacher and previously served as the Laboratory Coordinator for the Human Science Department at Georgetown University. Tiffany’s research interests include women in STEM, the Black American experience in science education, and developing cultural competency in teachers.

Rebecca Brusseau | Doctoral Candidate | Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

Bio

My name is Rebecca Brusseau and I am a doctoral candidate in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. I worked as an elementary school teacher for twelve years before beginning my PhD studies. My doctoral studies focused on teaching and teacher education, primarily the professional learning of in-service teachers around issues of culturally sustaining/revitalizing pedagogies. My research has focused on how educators use everyday conversations, stories, and experiences to learn, especially about equity and critical pedagogy. Prior professional and research experiences include work in qualitative design, professional development, participatory action research, as well as serving as the site coordinator for Project ExCEL, a Javits grant funded project.

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