Strive for a 5: Preparing for the AP® Physics 1 Course

Gay Stewart

Gay Stewart received her PhD in physics from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1994. She accepted a faculty position at University of Arkansas in 1994, where she focused on three interrelated issues: improving the introductory sequence to better prepare students to succeed in science and engineering degrees, improving the preparation of physics majors for the variety of career options open to physicists, and the preparation of future faculty, for both high school and professoriate. The undergraduate program saw dramatic improvement, with a 10-fold increase in number of graduates. She led UA’s efforts as one of the first six primary program institutions in the Physics Teacher Education Coalition, PhysTEC, which now has over 300 members. UA produces approximately one percent of the high school physics teachers with physics degrees nationally. Gay first received NSF support for her work in 1995. As a teaching assistant mentor, she developed a preparation program that grew into one of four sites for the NSF/AAPT “Shaping the Preparation of Future Science Faculty.” She was co-PI of an NSF GK-12 project that placed fellows in middle school mathematics and science classrooms. The results were so favorable that helping math and science teachers to work together was a component of the $7.3M NSF-MSP. Through the Noyce program she received $1,050,000 for support of students and master physics teachers. She chaired the College Board’s Science Academic Advisory Committee, co-chaired the Advanced Placement Physics Redesign commission, responsible for AP Physics 1 and 2, and the AP Physics 2 Development Committee. In 2014, Gay transitioned to WVU, where she is Eberly Professor of STEM Education and the founding director of the WVU Center for Excellence in STEM Education. The transdisciplinary Center works with faculty across STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and related disciplines at WVU, partner programs, and the WV Department of Education to enhance STEM education and STEM education opportunities in West Virginia, grades K-20. She is former president of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and former member of the board of directors, council of representatives and the Committee on Education of the American Physical Society (APS). She is a Fellow of both the AAPT and the APS.

Roger Freedman

Todd Ruskell

As a Teaching Professor of Physics at the Colorado School of Mines, Todd G. Ruskell focuses on teaching at the introductory level, and continually develops more effective ways to help students learn. One method used in large enrollment introductory courses is Studio Physics. This collaborative, hands-on environment helps students develop better intuition about, and conceptual models of, physical phenomena through an active learning approach. Dr. Ruskell brings his experience in improving students’ conceptual understanding to the text, as well as a strong liberal arts perspective. Dr. Ruskell’s love of physics began with a B.A. in physics from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. He went on to receive an M.S. and Ph.D. in optical sciences from the University of Arizona. He has received awards for teaching excellence, including Colorado School of Mines’ Alumni Teaching Award. Dr. Ruskell currently serves on the physics panel and advisory board for the NANSLO (North American Network of Science Labs Online) project.

Philip R. Kesten