Fellowship Guidance

Guidance for GPER Fellowship Nominations

The following are example activities and experiences through which an individual may be deemed competitive for APS Fellowship through GPER. The objective of the Topical Group on Physics Education Research (GPER) is the advancement and diffusion of knowledge concerning the learning and teaching of physics. The list of sample criteria, therefore, is divided into two sections: (1) advancement of knowledge and (2) diffusion of knowledge. The list aims to demonstrate a diversity of ways for GPER members to be competitive for nomination and a successful nomination need not address all items. Successful nominations should demonstrate strong evidence towards whichever areas represent particular strengths for the nominee.

  1. Advancement of knowledge

  • Conducted research in physics education

    • Notable research projects

    • Published research findings

    • Publications critiquing and providing new directions for the field

    • External research grants

    • Roles in multi-author or multi-PI products are clarified

  • Long term and sustained impact on the field

    • Publication record spans many years

    • Beyond early-career participation

  • Evidence of impactful research in physics education

    • Citations

    • Evidence of changed research directions driven by their work

    • Evidence of work bringing clarity or consensus to complex issues in the field

  • Recognition from the community

    • Invited talks at PER conferences

    • Invited talks at non-PER conferences (e.g., other DBER conferences, instructor-facing conferences)

    • Invited talks in physics departments

    • Invited talks in non-physics departments

    • Invited talks internationally

    • Letters of support from a diverse group of individuals (e.g., beyond close collaborators or PhD/postdoc advisors)

    • Other awards

  1. Diffusion of knowledge

  • Leadership and service in the community

    • Roles in PER organizations (such as APS GPER, AAPT PERLOC, AAPT RiPE, GiREP)

    • Editorial roles (e.g., editorial board member, guest editor positions for PER journals, books, or other science education or DBER journals or books)

    • Service as a reviewer (e.g., reviews for a range of PER, DBER, and science education journals and books, recognition for high-quality reviews)

    • Conference organization (e.g., organizer for PERC, session organizer for PERC or APS GPER sessions, volunteer moderator for APS GPER sessions)

    • Advisory board roles on research projects

  • Mentorship in the community

    • Official mentorship and advising roles to undergraduate, graduate, and/or postdoctoral researchers

    • Unofficial mentorship and advising roles to undergraduate, graduate, and/or postdoctoral researchers

    • Evidence of mentorship to peers and colleagues (such as in the letters)

  • Development, dissemination, and distribution of research-based instructional strategies and materials

    • Workshops for instructional audiences at any level

    • Websites, resource materials, or textbooks that share research-based instructional materials

    • Contribution to institutional or departmental teaching and learning committees

    • Contribution to external teaching and learning committees

    • Mentorship and advising to support others’ use of research-based instructional strategies

 

Some PER-related activities may present a stronger case for nomination through FEd or FDI. These indicators represent possible areas of overlap that, on their own, are not necessarily meritorious of fellowship. Nominators should reach out to those other units for more information.

 

  • FEd: Contributions to physics education

    • Evidence of use of research-based instructional strategies and materials in their own teaching

    • Advocates for the use of research-based instructional strategies and materials

    • Publications about the application of instructional strategies or other instructional publications that are not themselves research studies

    • Invited talks to present about teaching activities

    • Grants to reform instruction (without an explicit research component)

    • Advisory board roles on non-research physics education projects

  • FDI: Contributions to advancing diversity and inclusion in physics

    • Leadership in activities that have advanced diversity and inclusion in physics

    • Leadership in implementation of PER-based practices to support diversity and inclusion

    • Initiative in applying instructional and other strategies to support diversity and inclusion in the classroom, with evidence of effectiveness.

 

Additional information from the APS Fellowship webpage:

  • The membership of APS is diverse and global, and the nominees and recipients of APS Honors should reflect that diversity so that all are recognized for their impact on our community. Nominations of members belonging to groups traditionally underrepresented in physics, such as women, LGBT+ scientists, scientists who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), disabled scientists, scientists from institutions with limited resources, and scientists from outside the United States, are especially encouraged.

  • From the APS website: Nominees for and holders of APS Honors (prizes, awards, and fellowship) and official leadership positions are expected to meet standards of professional conduct and integrity as described in the APS Ethics Guidelines. Violations of these standards may disqualify people from consideration or lead to revocation of honors or removal from office.