Topical Symposium
















The 133rd Topical Symposium of the New York State Section of the APS will be held at the University at Albany, SUNY, on Saturday, April 18, 2026. This one-day symposium, Advances in Physics Education Research, will bring together physicists from across the region to share new developments and strengthen collaboration in physics education research.

A student poster session will provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to present work in any area of physics. Poster presenters will receive free registration, and awards will be given at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The symposium will conclude with a dinner and awards reception, encouraging networking and informal discussion among participants.

Register Here

Meeting Information and Agenda

Meeting Agenda & Schedule

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM                  Reception/Badge Pickup

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM                  Welcoming Remarks

9:15 AM – 9:55 AM                  Teaching the Culture and Civic Role of Physics: A PER-Informed Physics and Society Course
                                                    Evan Halstead, Skidmore College

9:55 AM – 10:35 AM                Quantum Party! An educational board game with quantum mechanics!
                                                    Matthew Bellis, Siena University

10:35 AM – 10:50 AM               Break

10:50 AM – 11:30 AM               Helping Students Become Critical and Ethical Users of Generative AI in Physics
                                                    Colleen Countryman, Ithaca College

11:30 AM – 12:10 PM              Understanding and Transforming Departmental Culture in Physics Graduate Programs
                                                   Diana Sachmpazidi, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)

12:10 PM – 1:10 PM                Lunch

1:10 PM – 1:50 PM                  Searching for a CURE: Students’ perceptions of authenticity and experimental physics during a course-based undergraduate research experience
                                                  Alexandra Werth, Cornell University

1:50 PM – 2:30 PM                  Calculus(-Ideas) based physics: Reasoning without the formalism
                                                   Charlotte Zimmerman, Cornell University

2:30 PM – 2:45 PM                   Break

2:45 PM – 3:25 PM                  Student perceptions of authenticity in introductory physics labs
                                                   Mike Verostek, Cornell University

3:25 PM – 4:05 PM                  Integrating Experiment and Computation in the Beyond-First Year Laboratory
                                                   Jerome Fung, Ithaca College

4:05 PM – 5:15 PM                  Poster Session

5:15 PM – 6:00 PM                  Banquet

6:00 PM – 6:45 PM                  Geometric Visualizations of Quantum States
                                                   Paul Cadden-Zimansky, Bard College

6:45 PM – 7:00 PM                  Award Presentations

Directions & Accommodations:

View the Map

The ETEC building is in the Harriman State Office Complex, which is adjacent to the University at Albany campus.  The address of the ETEC building is ETEC, 1220 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12226.  It is important that you include “ETEC” in your search if you are using a mapping program; otherwise, the search may send you to the state police barracks.

From UAlbany Campus:
There is no direct street access to the ETEC building from the UAlbany campus.  You must first drive to either Washington Avenue or Western Avenue and go east towards downtown Albany.  Just after passing the UAlbany campus, there will be an entrance to the Harriman State Office Complex.  If entering Campus Access Road from Washington Avenue, you will see the ETEC building on your left.  After passing the building, you will take a U-turn to access the side of Campus Access Road that passes in front of the ETEC building.  The parking lot is on the north side of the building.  If entering Campus Access Road from Western Avenue, you will also need to take a U-turn so that you are driving towards the ETEC building, not away from it.  Again, the parking lot is on the north side of the ETEC building.

From the North:
Take the Northway (I-87) south to Exit 1E.  Merge onto I-90 east (toward Albany/Boston).  Then take Exit 3 (State Office Buildings), which will put you on Campus Access Road.  After passing the ETEC building, you will take a U-turn to access the side of Campus Access Road that passes in front of the ETEC building.

From the South:
Take the Thruway (I-87) north to Exit 24.  Merge onto I-90 east (toward Albany/Boston). Then take Exit 3 (State Office Buildings), which will put you on Campus Access Road.  After passing the ETEC building, you will take a U-turn to access the side of Campus Access Road that passes in front of the ETEC building.

From the West:
Take the Thruway (I-90) east to Exit 24.  Merge onto I-90 east (toward Albany/Boston). Then take Exit 3 (State Office Buildings), which will put you on Campus Access Road.  After passing the ETEC building, you will take a U-turn to access the side of Campus Access Road that passes in front of the ETEC building. 

From the East:
Take the I-90 west to Exit 3 (State Office Buildings), which will put you on Campus Access Road.  After passing the ETEC building, you will take a U-turn to access the side of Campus Access Road that passes in front of the ETEC building.

Hotels

There are hotels on both the Western Avenue (south side) and Washington Avenue (north side) of the University at Albany campus.  The hotels on Western Avenue have restaurants and pubs within walking distance. 

Western Avenue Hotels:

Days Inn by Wyndham Albany SUNY
1230 Western Avenue, Albany, New York 12203
Phone: 518-234-8518

 

Hampton Inn Albany-Western Ave/University Area
1442 Western Avenue, Albany, New York 12203
Phone: 518-438-0001

 

Washington Avenue Hotels:

Courtyard by Marriott Albany Thruway
1455 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12206
Phone: 518-435-1600

 

Hilton Garden Inn Albany/SUNY Area
1389 Washington Ave. Albany, New York 12206
Phone: 518-453-1300

Student Travel Grants

The NYSS provides travel awards to students to help with expenses related to travel and hotel accommodations. The awards are a maximum of $150 per student with submission of the appropriate receipts. Students who are studying Physics or a related field within the State of New York, or its contiguous states and provinces, are eligible to apply for travel grants to attend the symposium.

The applicant should send an email with a brief paragraph that specifies the requested grant amount and how the funds will be spent to Prof. Carl A. Ventrice, Jr. at cventrice@albany.edu for approval. Travel support requests for the Spring 2026 symposium must be received by Friday, April 10, 2026. Further details about the Student Travel Grant application process are given here.

Local Organizing Committee:

Susan DiFranzo, Hudson Valley Community College – s.difranzo@hvcc.edu

Carl Ventrice, University at Albany – cventrice@albany.edu