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Congratulations 2025 APS Fellows through GPER!

By Ben M Zwickl posted 10-20-2025
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We are pleased to announce the 2025 APS Fellows through GPER: Melissa Dancy: “For foundational research on the adoption and implementation of curricular innovations in physics classrooms and groundbreaking work on how racial and gender inequalities are expressed and perpetuated in physics.” Eleanor Sayre: “For outstanding contributions to the physics education research community through mentoring and development of emerging scholars, extensive scholarship, impactful service, and encouraging critical discourse amongst community members.” The GPER executive committee would like to sincerely thank the Fellowship Committee as well as all the nominators ...
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Protect Science Funding: Contact Congress Now

By Madison Mincevich posted 05-14-2025
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Last Friday, President Trump proposed a devastating array of cuts to science, including a 52% cut to NSF, a 47% cut to NASA Science and a 28% cut to NIST. Students’ dreams and scientists’ careers of discovery, entrepreneurship, and social impact will be derailed if these cuts become reality. Right now, nothing is final - Congress decides what budget actually passes into law. The best thing we can do is make our community’s voice heard loud and clear: science is essential and these cuts are a terrible idea. You can write to your senators and representatives right now through APS’ official advocacy webpage. And, in a few weeks, there will ...
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Engage Scheduled Maintenance

By Madison Mincevich posted 03-25-2025
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Dear Members, Please be advised that the APS Engage platform will undergo scheduled maintenance on Saturday, March 29, beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET . The maintenance is expected to last approximately 15 minutes , during which access to the platform may be temporarily unavailable. Do I need to take any action? No action is required. Any posts or scheduled messages during the maintenance window will be automatically delayed and resume once maintenance is complete. Need assistance? If you experience any connectivity issues after the maintenance has concluded, please contact us at apsunits@aps.org for support. Thank you for your understanding ...
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Engage Scheduled Maintenance

By Madison Mincevich posted 03-21-2025
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Dear Members, Please be advised that the APS Engage platform will undergo scheduled maintenance on Saturday, March 22, beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET . The maintenance is expected to last approximately 15 minutes , during which access to the platform may be temporarily unavailable. Do I need to take any action? No action is required. Any posts or scheduled messages during the maintenance window will be automatically delayed and resume once maintenance is complete. Need assistance? If you experience any connectivity issues after the maintenance has concluded, please contact us at apsunits@aps.org for support. Thank you for ...
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FAQ about PER at Global Physics Summit

By Ben M Zwickl posted 03-13-2025
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Question : Is the GPER business meeting closed to the executive board or open to everyone? And should I go? Answer : The GPER Business Meeting is Tuesday March 18 from 6:15p - 7:15p and open to all! Please come by if you’re available and want to hear about what GPER has been working on, how to get involved, have suggestions for how we do things, or just to connect with the GPER community. Question : How do I find all the PER sessions? Answer : All of the GPER sessions will be tagged in the program with the GPER label, so one option is to filter the full Global Physics Summit schedule to find GPER sessions. See the image below on filtering talks ...
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PRPER searching for new Associate Editor

By Ben M Zwickl posted 01-17-2025
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Physical Review Physics Education Research is looking for a new part-time Associate Editor Physical Review Physics Education Research (PRPER) is looking for a new part-time Associate Editor with international scientific standing to join our editorial team consisting of the Chief Editor, other Associate Editors, Managing Editor, and Editorial Board. The new Associate Editor will become part of the stimulating academic endeavor to bring high-quality papers to our readership. The journal publishes important developments in the rapidly evolving areas of PER and relies on a mixture of staff and part-time academic editors. The primary responsibility ...
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Welcome newly elected 2025 PER Executive Committee Members

By Ben M Zwickl posted 10-28-2024
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Congratulations to our newly elected GPER officers who will start terms on January 1, 2025! Vice Chair: MacKenzie Stetzer, University of Maine Member-at-Large: Vashti Sawtelle, Michigan State University Early Career Member-at-Large: Megan Sundstrom, Drexel University We would like to thank all candidates for standing for election and for their willingness to serve, as well as thanking those executive committee members whose terms are ending for their dedication to GPER. #FeaturedNews
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Abstracts Due Oct. 25: Joint March Meeting and April Meeting

By Madison Mincevich posted 10-10-2024
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The call for abstracts is open for the Joint March Meeting and April Meeting, called the APS Global Physics Summit. Share your March Meeting and April Meeting research at the APS Global Physics Summit. All abstracts are due Oct. 25. Become a presenter today ! #FeaturedNews
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Stephanie Chasteen and Vashti Sawtelle recognized as APS GPER Fellows

By Ben M Zwickl posted 10-04-2024
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The APS Topical Group on Physics Education Research would like to congratulate our two newly elected 2024 APS fellows: Stephanie Viola Chasteen and Vashti Sawtelle . Stephanie Chasteen was recognized for significant contributions to physics education research, including groundbreaking work on departmental change, teaching upper-division courses, evaluating and supporting numerous research projects and dissemination programs, and outstanding service to the APS Topical Group on Physics Education Research. Vashti Sawtelle was recognized for foundational research on self-efficacy, introductory physics for life sciences, and community college student persistence; ...
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PRPER searching for a new Chief Editor

By Ben M Zwickl posted 07-29-2024
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APS is conducting an international search for a new Chief Editor of Physical Review Physics Education Research (PRPER). The Chief Editor will be key in shaping the journal and its content, growing it within the community, and assuming responsibility for the journal’s daily operation. The Chief Editor must be visionary and strategic, actively collaborating with APS Publications Leadership and Management to develop the journal’s scope and direction. The full list of role duties, as well as the necessary qualifications for the role, can be found at the online job posting . Applicants from all over the world are invited to reply; location in the US is not a ...
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Announcing Physical Review PER Focused Collection on Quantum Education

By Ben M Zwickl posted 12-06-2023
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In the year 2025, we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the formulation and development of quantum theory. The United Nations is working toward a declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQST). In the spring of 2025, Physical Review Physics Education Research (PRPER) will join the celebration by rolling out a special issue of the journal focused on Investigating and Improving Quantum Education through Research . Guest editors W. Brian Lane Marisa Michelini Chandralekha Singh Key dates Interested authors should submit a 500-word proposal for a full paper by January 15, 2024 Complete ...
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GPER Congratulates the Newly Elected Members of the Executive Committee for 2024!

By Ben M Zwickl posted 11-27-2023
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The election has now closed and we are happy to share the results. We congratulate newly elected officers: Vice Chair : Michael Loverude, California State University Fullerton Member-at-Large : Homeyra Sadaghiani, California State Polytechnic University Student Member-at-Large : Anthony Pina, University of Maine Officers will take office January 1, 2024. We would like to thank all candidates for standing for election and for their willingness to serve, as well as those executive committee members whose terms are ending for their dedication to the unit. Thank you to all GPER members for your participation in this election and your continued ...
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John Thompson named APS Fellow

By Ben M Zwickl posted 11-09-2023
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The APS Topical Group on Physics Education Research would like to congratulate John Thompson, chair of the University of Maine Department of Physics and Astronomy, for being named a 2023 Fellow of the American Physical Society. Citation: "For performing seminal research on student use of mathematics in physics and the learning and teaching of thermal physics, for leading interdisciplinary collaborations and conferences, and for leadership in the physics education research community." You can see the full list of APS Fellows on the APS Fellow Archive . #FeaturedNews
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Online PER Journal Club, Thursday Mar 30, Physics Inventory of Quantitative Literacy

By Ben M Zwickl posted 03-24-2023
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Physical Review Physics Education Research (PRPER) and the Topical Group on Physics Education Research (GPER) are hosting our third online journal club event focused on recent, high-impact physics education research. Thursday, March 30 , 11 AM Eastern: " Physics Inventory of Quantitative Literacy: A tool for assessing mathematical reasoning in introductory physics " by Suzanne White Brahmia, Alexis Olsho, Trevor I. Smith, Andrew Boudreaux, Philip Eaton, and Charlotte Zimmerman. Moderator: John Thompson ( Register Here ) See the Journal Club tab on the GPER website for more details and future dates. #FeaturedNews
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2022 GPER Mini-grant Recipients

By Ben M Zwickl posted 03-08-2023
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GPER received 8 applications for Conference Support from the GPER community in November 2022. We appreciate the hard work that the mini-grants sub-committee put into reviewing these applications and making difficult decisions about who to support. We are pleased to share that we were able to award 5 members a total of $3,358, which they will use to attend and present at the 2023 APS April Meeting (4 members) and the 2023 APS March Meeting (1 member). Congratulations to our 2022 recipients! John Kelly, Tennessee State University Camila Manni Amaral, University of Utah Alia Hamdan, University of Arizona Liam McDermott, Rutgers University Jessica ...
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Nominate a colleague to be an APS Fellow through GPER

By Ben M Zwickl posted 03-08-2023
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As a topical group, GPER is able to nominate 1-3 members annually (number determined annually by APS) to be elected APS Fellows . We would like to collect nominations from the community for potential GPER fellows. The criterion for election to fellowship is “exceptional contributions to the physics enterprise.” Fellowship is a distinct honor signifying recognition by one's professional peers. More information can be found on the APS Fellows webpage . Please submit your nominations using the APS Fellowship Nomination online system prior to June 1, 2023 . Notes : Nominees must be APS members. A nomination needs ...
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Online PER Journal Club, Monday Feb 27

By Ben M Zwickl posted 02-22-2023
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Physical Review Physics Education Research (PRPER) and the Topical Group on Physics Education Research (GPER) are hosting their second online journal club event focused on recent, high-impact physics education research. Monday, February 27 , 11 AM Eastern: Skills-focused lab instruction improves critical thinking skills and experimentation views for all students by Cole Walsh, H. J. Lewandowski, and N. G. Holmes ( Register Here ) See the Journal Club tab on the GPER website for more details and future dates. #FeaturedNews
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New online PER journal club starting Feb 3

By Ben M Zwickl posted 01-24-2023
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Physical Review Physics Education Research (PRPER) and the Topical Group on Physics Education Research (GPER) are collaborating to launch an online journal club focused on recent, high-impact physics education research. The first meeting kicks off on Friday, February 3. Friday, February 3 at 11:00 AM - 12:00 Eastern with “Equitable Approach to Introductory Physics” by Eric Burkholder, Shima Salehi, Sarah Sackeyfio, Nicel Mohamed-Hinds, and Carl Wieman. Learn more and register for the online event: Physical Review Journal Club: Equitable Approach to Introductory Physics See the Journal Club tab on the GPER website for more details and ...
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GPER Mini Grant applications open until November 15

By Stephanie Chasteen posted 10-06-2022
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The American Physical Society Physics Education Research Topical Group (GPER) is committed to supporting APS members who advance and enrich research in physics education. To support APS GPER members, we offer mini-grants. The Mini-Grants are divided into three strands: Conference Support (Strand 1) . Conference Support mini-grants provide support for GPER members to share physics education research findings with the physics community (e.g., travel, registration costs, workshop costs, poster printing, etc.). Awards average $1000/recipient. Applications are due 11:59 PM Pacific time on November 15, 2022. Funding decisions will be shared ...
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Careers in PER resource page (new!)

By Stephanie Chasteen posted 09-17-2022
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Check out our new web resource, Careers in PER . It includes information on common career paths, resources and articles, links to profiles of people in PER, and relevant job postings. Please share with those who might find it useful! This is part of an effort on the part of the GPER EC to better support graduate students and early career members of GPER. We are also working with APS Careers to ensure PER is well-represented in their career information online, including profiles of physicists with PER backgrounds. If you have any feedback or suggestions for this page or other GPER career work, or want to help out in any way, please contact GPER Secretary/Treasurer ...
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