Interests

I love my jobs as Director of Instructional Labs because it combines two of my enduring passions, teaching and tinkering.

Teaching

Since I started teaching college-level science, I have been trying to use the best research-based pedagogy. Early in my career I attended several workshops put on the AAPT (American Association of Physics Teachers). However the most influential workshop was when I attended one week of a three week workshop by the American Modeling Teachers Association. In their words It applies structured inquiry techniques to the teaching of basic skills and practices in mathematical modeling, proportional reasoning, quantitative estimation and technology-enabled data collection and analysis. Another influence is the research curriculum development of Eugenia Etkina and her colleagues at Rutgers University. Their ISLE (Investigative Science Learning Environment) curriculum strongly emphasizes developing scientific thinking. As Etkina wrote in one posting Physics is a way of thinking - a physics mind-set is experiment-based and inherently challenge-oriented. . . . Experiments in physics serve as a source and a test of knowledge - not just application. And when students do not see them this way they are deprived of the essence of physics.

My goal in the labs is to create a scientific atmosphere in miniature with the same type of thinking processes going on that scientists practice in their jobs or research. My labs are never any kind of fill in the blank labs, instead the students learn to plan and carry out measurements, to analyze the data, then reach a conclusion. Finally, if necessary, repeat the cycle. The dialog between me and my students and between students is also a critical part of my methodology. I often respond to question by asking questions or telling the student to find out what another student is doing.

Tinkering

My dad was an engineer and he always had interesting government surplus equipment in the garage, so I was always taking things apart and (sometimes) back together. Experimental Physics was an easy choice for me because it involved designing and building at a high level. My job of being in charge of labs is a dream job of designing and building. I get to try making new things all of the time!

One of my first purchases at Duquesne was a 3D printer, a MakerBot Replicator 2X. It took probably six months to learn how to use it well. Currently I use it almost every day to make equipment for one of the labs.

My current workflow is to design with OpenSCAD saving the object in a stl file, Then I use MakerBot Desktop, the software that comes with the printer, to slice the file to x3g format for the printer. I save that file on a SD card, insert it in the printer and go.

I have printed with both ABS and PLA plastics. I am coming to prefer PLA because it has less shrinkage as it prints resulting in better builds.

Arduinos, etc

I have also adapted some of decades old equipment to interface with laptops using Arduinos. The students I have pick up the Arduino wiring and programming very quickly. I also have some Raspberry Pi's and Particle Photon's around for future use.