Beth Ann Thacker joins us as an Assistant Professor. Her expertise is in physics education research. This relatively new area involves research into how students learn physics, what techniques could be used to teach them better, what the conceptual difficulties are, and what techniques can be used to overcome these difficulties.

Dr. Thacker was most recently (1994-99) an Assistant Professor at Grand Valley State U. in Allendale, MI. From 1992-94, she was a postdoctoral fellow in physics education research at Ohio State U. Her research interests are in student understanding of concepts in modern physics and quantum mechanics, in comparing the understanding of students taught traditionally to those taught using methods based on physics education research, and in developing innovative approaches to physics education research. She has considerable course and curriculum development experience at the graduate, undergraduate, and pre-college levels. She also has been involved in a range of activities dealing with science outreach to the public schools. She has national visibility in physics education research, has strong external funding and publication records, and has served on physics education research committees of the national American Association of Physics Teachers.

Before entering physics education research, Dr. Thacker worked in theoretical particle physics. She was a high energy theory post-doc at Ohio State U. from 1990-92. She has a 1990 PhD and a 1986 MS from Cornell. Her PhD dissertation concerned heavy quark bound states in quantum chromodynamics. Her 1980 BS is from Davidson College.

Dr. Thacker's expertise in physics education research, modern pedagogical techniques, and curriculum development will prove invaluable to the department. In addition, her interest in science outreach will nicely complement the current departmental activities being carried out in this area.

This page was last modified on December 21, 1999