GPER APS Fellows
The GPER Executive Committee is pleased to announce our 2015 American Physical Society Fellows: Steven Pollock, Richard Steinberg, and Michael Wittmann

Steven Pollock is a professor of Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder. His PhD is in theoretical Nuclear Physics from Stanford University. He is a Pew/Carnegie teaching scholar, a University of Colorado president's teaching scholar, and the 2013 Carnegie US Professor of the year. His current research is in the field of PER (Physics Education), investigating student learning in large and small scale physics classes, and the constraints and opportunities involved in replicating "proven" curricular practice, as well as extending educational models to the upper-division. He has implemented and studied "Tutorials in Introductory Physics" at CU, along with supporting and investigating Teaching and Learning Assistants' pedagogical development. He has been described by his students as a human electron. Steve was recognized by the APS for pioneering efforts in upper-division physics education research by applying interactive engagement teaching methods and by performing measures of their effectiveness.

Richard Steinberg is Professor in the School of Education and the Department of Physics and Program Director of Science Education at City College of New York. He received a Ph.D. in applied physics and a high school science teaching certificate from Yale University. For 25 years his activities have included physics education research, innovative instruction, teacher education, outreach to local schools, and a sabbatical year as a full time physics teacher in a public high school in New York City. He has been awarded the CCNY Teacher of the Year, the CCNY Provost’s Prize for Pedagogical and Curricular Innovation, and a Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship. Richard was recognized by the APS for contributions to understanding the teaching and learning of physics ranging from elementary school science to quantum mechanics and for using physics education research to improve K-16 instruction.

Michael Wittmann received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Maryland in 1998, working with Edward F. “Joe” Redish in physics education research, with newly named APS Fellow Richard Steinberg as post doc mentor. On Jan 1, 2001, he began as assistant professor at the University of Maine. Michael has helped develop the Activity-Based Tutorials in classical and quantum physics, the Intermediate Mechanics Tutorials, and a course in Intuitive Quantum Physics. In his research, he has advanced our understanding of the resources framework, the role of embodied cognition in physics, mathematics, and chemistry, and the use of mathematics in advanced physics. In 2005, he co-founded (with Paula Heron and Rachel Scherr) the biennial conference on the Foundations and Frontiers of Physics Education Research. Since 2010, he has played a leading role in the Maine Physical Science Partnership, an NSF-funded Math and Science Partnership project that has helped create a teacher community to improve the teaching and learning of physical science in grades 6 to 9, focusing on understanding student ideas about the science in greater detail. He was promoted to full professor in 2013 and became chair of the UMaine Department of Physics and Astronomy in 2014. Michael was recognized by the APS for foundational research into student learning of physics, pioneering work in K-12 teacher development, and leadership in building community for physics education researchers.
The GPER Executive Committee would like to commend Steve, Richard, and Michael for their admirable contributions to the field of physics education research. We also wish to thank those members of GPER who supplied support materials for each of the selected fellows. We look forward to the opportunity to recognize others in the physics education research community in the coming years.