2008 Candidates
David M. Cook—Vice PresidentR. Steven Turley—Vice PresidentRobert B. Teese—Treasurer
Paul W. Zitzewitz—TreasurerElizabeth Chesick—High School RepresentativeNina Morley Daye—High School Representative
Professor of Physics and Philetus E. Sawyer Professor of Science, Lawrence University, Dept. of Physics, Box 599, Appleton, WI 54912; david.m.cook@lawrence.edu
Education: BS in physics, Rensselaer (1959); AM in physics, Harvard (1960); and PhD in physics, Harvard (1965)
Professional Experience: Lawrence University, Appleton, WI (1965-present). Served on the Tenure Committee (several two-year terms), the Governance Committee (two two-year terms), and the most recent Presidential Search Committee. Also served several three- to five-year terms as department chair at Lawrence. He and his departmental colleague, John Brandenberger, have built a strong undergraduate department that now has five faculty members, graduates on average 10 physics majors each year, was a case-study department from a liberal arts college at the 1998 AAPT/APS/AIP revitalization conference, and was included among the exemplary departments reviewed in the SPIN-UP study.
Dr. Cook has taught nearly every undergraduate physics course. His focus, however, has been on computation in the upper-level curriculum. In 1975, Prentice-Hall published his computer-enriched, intermediate-level text in electromagnetic theory; Dover reprinted this book in 2003. Since 1985, with support totaling more than $1M from the NSF, Research Corporation, the Keck Foundation, and other sources, he has built the Computational Physics Laboratory at Lawrence and guided the design of the computational components of the Lawrence curriculum, which include statistical data analysis and curve fitting in the introductory laboratories, Computational Mechanics (a required sophomore course), Computational Physics (an elective junior/senior course), and numerous exercises for other physics courses. In 2003, he completed a flexible text titled Computation in the Undergraduate Physics Curriculum, details of which are available at www.lawrence.edu/dept/physics/ccli. He will retire from his position at Lawrence in June 2008.
Honors: Lawrence excellence in teaching award, 1990.
AAPT Activities: A member of AAPT for more than four decades, has attended meetings regularly for the past two decades, has served a term as a member of the Committee on Computers in Education, and has in other years attended meetings of that Committee as a friend.
Commentary: Both the future of the United States as a leader in science and technology and the strength of the U.S. economy are at risk because too few of our most able young people are preparing for careers in science and engineering. AAPT is already playing an important role in addressing this growing crisis. The current efforts, however, need to be expanded in both intensity and scope. One important component of an expanded effort would strive to increase the attention given to aspects of our programs beyond the introductory level. In particular, we need to assess whether the current structure and content of our offerings for prospective scientists are as strong as they can be to prepare students for productive 50-year careers in the 21st century and also whether they are as appealing as they must be to compete successfully with the students’ alternatives.
AAPT is also challenged to find creative ways to make meetings more appealing to all members and potential members, to find new and meaningful ways to connect with those members, and to make the activities of AAPT so valuable that those teaching physics or supporting its teaching view membership as essential. An expanded focus on the upper-level curriculum could provide an effective incentive, particularly for college and university teachers, too many of whom are not now members.
Success in increasing the number of students electing careers in the physical sciences will certainly be easier if the public perception of physics and physicists can be raised. To that end, another AAPT goal should be to expand its efforts to educate the general public about the nature, the excitement, and the objectives of science and about the critical importance not only of supporting science education at all levels but also of conducting basic and applied research aggressively.
Working alone, AAPT cannot address these and other challenges successfully. Through its Education Forum and elsewhere, the APS is beginning to echo many of AAPT’s concerns. Current cooperative efforts between AAPT and APS must be expanded as, together, we confront these challenges.
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 R. Steven Turley—Vice President
Brigham Young University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Provo, UT 84602; turley@byu.edu
Education: BS Physics (1978), Brigham Young University; PhD Physics (1984), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Professional Experience: Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education (2003-present), Chair, Department of Physics and Astronomy (2000-2003), Professor of Physics (2001-present), Associate Professor of Physics (1995-2001), Brigham Young University; Senior Research Staff Physicist, Hughes Research Laboratories (1984-1995); UCLA Extension Lecturer (1996-1997); Hughes Advanced Technology Education Program Instructor (1993)
Honors: Alcuin Fellow (Brigham Young University Teaching Fellowship), Hughes Doctoral Fellow, University Scholar (Brigham Young University), Best Paper of the Year (Hughes Research Laboratories), Silver Beaver (Boy Scouts of America)
AAPT Activities: Committee on Physics in Undergraduate Education (2001-2005, Chair 2002-2004), Committee on Graduate Education in Physics (2006-present), Chair of AJP Review Committee (2004-5)
Other Activities: Advisory Committee, New Faculty Workshop (2006-present); Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters (President 2007-present, Chair of Division of Physics Sciences, 2001-2005); Associate Affiliate Director, Rocky Mountain Space Grant Consortium (2005-present); Director of BYU REU/RET Program (1998-present); Associates Program, BYU Center for the Improvement of Teacher Education and Schooling (2006-2007); American Physical Society (1983-present); American Association of Higher Education; Acting Chair, Four Corners Section Meeting, American Physical Society( 1998-present), Chair 2nd International Conference on Soft X Rays in the 21st Century (1997), National Executive Committee Society of Physics Students (First Student Member, 1977).
Commentary: AAPT has a rich membership covering physics education from primary schools to graduate studies. With a personal interest in education at each of these levels, I’m anxious to promote a variety of activities and initiatives that are interesting and valuable to all of our members. I am particularly interested in increasing the appeal of AAPT to secondary teachers and faculty members from research universities. These groups seem to have a smaller fraction of their members involved in AAPT than physics teachers in other categories. I also see complementary strengths in AAPT’s section activities and national programs. Many physics teachers are involved in section activities without receiving benefits of membership in the national organization. Likewise, our national committees could better share resources and experiences with teachers who are primarily interested in local or regional involvement. AAPT should continue to provide services to each of our members through outstanding national and local meetings, helpful and thoughtful publications, physics education initiatives, and valuable teaching resources. By providing opportunities to share our best ideas from physics education research and our own creative experiences, we can continue to improve the understanding of physics for all our students, particularly those from groups who are not well-represented currently in our discipline. AAPT has been a tremendous aid to me in my professional development as a physics educator. I would like to contribute to its continued evolution to help each of us in the challenges we will face in coming years.
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 Robert B. Teese—Treasurer
Professor, Department of Physics, Rochester Institute of Technology, 54 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623; rbtsps@rit.edu
Education: BS in Physics, North Carolina State University (1968); MA in Experimental Physics, University of Texas at Austin (1973); PhD in Theoretical Physics, University of Texas at Austin (1977).
Professional Experience: Professor, Department of Physics, Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY, 2002-present); Professor, Department of Physics, Muskingum College (New Concord, Ohio, 1996-2002); Associate Professor (1987-1996); Assistant Professor (1983-1987); Visiting Professor, Center for Science and Mathematics Teaching, Tufts University (Medford, Massachusetts, 1990-1991 and 1997-98); Research/Teaching Associate, Institute for Physics, University of Mainz (Mainz, Germany, 1979-1983); Research Associate, Max Planck Institute for Physics (Munich, Germany, 1977-1979).
Memberships: AAPT and APS; APS Forum on Education.
Honors: Outstanding Educator Award (Phi Delta Kappa, Zanesville Ohio Chapter,1989). William Rainey Harper Award for Outstanding Scholarship (Muskingum College, 1993).
AAPT Activities: Member of the Educational Technologies Committee (2004-2006);Treasurer, Southern Ohio Section of AAPT (1984-1994); Organizer, Falls Conference of the Southern Ohio Section of AAPT (1986).
Other Activities: Director of the LivePhoto Physics Project (2000-present); led or co-led 15 workshops for college and high-school teachers on video analysis(2000-2007) and two workshops on rotary encoders (1995); director or co-director of 12 curricular materials development and teacher-training projects funded by NSF, Eisenhower and other foundation grants; created the Science Discovery Camps for high school and middle school students(New Concord, OH, 1989); Chair of Muskingum College Physics Department(1991-1997; 1998-2002); reviewed proposals for the NSF-CCLI program(1990, 1993 and 1999).
Commentary: AAPT is the primary professional organization that unites physics teachers at both the college and high school levels, so maintaining the health of the organization is very important to all of us. I have been a member since I started teaching physics full-time, and membership in the AAPT has played a significant role in many of my professional activities. In the coming years, AAPT will continue to face challenges in membership, journal subscriptions, and providing member services. As treasurer, I would work at the direction of the Executive Board and with the AAPT Executive Office staff to coordinate the financial activities of the organization. I believe this association is and will remain a valuable resource for physics teachers.
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 Paul W. Zitzewitz—Treasurer
Department of Natural Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn,Dearborn MI 48128; pwz@umich.edu
Education: AB Physics, Carleton College; AM, PhD Physics, Harvard University (1970) Professional Experience: University of Michigan-Dearborn Professor of Physics (1984-present). Professor of Science Education, School of Education (2004-present). Chair, Department of Natural Sciences (1999-2005), Associate Dean, College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (1988-1993), Associate Professor (1978-1984), Assistant Professor (1973-1978). Senior Scientist, Corning Glass Works (1972-1973); Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Western Ontario (1970-1972). Memberships: AAPT, Michigan Section AAPT, APS, NSTA, Sigma Xi. Honors: Distinguished Service Award, Michigan Section, AAPT; Fellow, American Physical Society; Distinguished Faculty Research,Distinguished Service, Distinguished Teaching awards, University of Michigan-Dearborn; Alexander von Humboldt fellowship. AAPT Activities: Physics in Pre-High Schools Area Committee Chair (2005-2007), member (2003-2007); AAPT representative on APS Committee on Informing the Public (2007-);USA/Japan/China conference on physics education (1993); Michigan Section executive committee (1994-2001), including president (1996-1997); Detroit Metropolitan Area Physics Teachers local alliance (1984-present). Other Activities: Principal or sole author, Physics: Principles and Problems (1984-present); co-author of four integrated science textbooks for grades 6-9; member of Michigan State Systemic Initiative, teacher education strand, 1992-1995; NSF-ILI grant (1997-2000); MI Eisenhower grant to host Modeling Workshop (2000); co-PI of FIPSE grant for developing a capstone course for elementary science education (2000-2004); research on low-energy positrons and positronium (1974-2005). Commentary: AAPT has created a supportive community of high school,community college, and college/university educators that is unique in the sciences. Because my professional activities have included reforming introductory calculus-based courses using PER results, creating and teaching almost 300future and present elementary teachers, supporting high school physics teachers, and restructuring and teaching electronics and advanced laboratory courses for junior and senior physics majors, I have had productive relationships with an extremely wide range of AAPT members. Very important, I believe, are AAPT’s new efforts to increase its presence in our large universities and make faculty members for whom research is their primary responsibility aware of the strengths of the organization and to enrich AAPT with the teaching contributions of this group of physicists. Despite the incredible financial successes achieved by Chuck Robertson in his six years as treasurer, I know that the impressive list of new initiatives that the Executive Officer and Board have begun will put strains on the budget, and if elected, I would have to employ all my experience in handling the budget of our large university department. Back to top.
 Elizabeth Chesick—High School Representative
Baldwin School, Dept. of Science, 701 Montgomery Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010; echesick@aol.com
Education: BA Physics, Wellesley College; MA Physics, Tufts University; Pennsylvania Teaching Certificate Physics, Villanova University; 20 Hours in Computer, U Southern California.
Participant in: Institutes for Teachers: PTRA, VMI, Fermi Lab, Patterns in Nature, Lab Net-TERC , Woodrow Wilson Institute in Physics, Modeling (U. of Maryland), and Engineering Concepts (Dartmouth).
Awards: Sophie Dallas and Agnes Irwin Study Scholarship 1980, Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Math Teaching for Pennsylvania, 1988; Tandy Technology Scholar, 1992; Rosamond Cross Chair for Excellence in Teaching, Baldwin School, 1997, Plaque in Recognition of Service to Southeastern Pennsylvania Section, 2005.
Professional Activity: Currently retired after more than 40 years of high school physics teaching at The Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, PA (Science Department Head 36 years) and Day Prospect Hill School, new Haven, CT.
Instructor in Summer programs for Middle School students at Haverford College and Univ. of Pennsylvania, and for Middle School Physical Science teachers at Haverford College and University of Pennsylvania (Merck).and for High School Physics Teachers at Drexel and University of Pennsylvania.
Member of many school evaluation teams for Middle States and Papas (PA)
Writer for Operation Physics, Member Woodrow-Wilson Outreach Team 1-A,
Instructor-Leader in numerous In- Service Workshops for Physics/Physical Science Teachers.
Subject Area Specialist for Physics /Chemistry Student Teachers at Haverford/Bryn Mawr for four years.
Presenter at AAPT meetings, NSTA meetings, and local meetings of AAPT sections.
AAPT Activities: President, Vice President, Section Rep, Member At Large for the Southeastern PA (SEPS) section of AAPT. Chairman of AAPT Committees for International Education and Professional Concerns, Member of AAPT Committees: Nominations, Member Benefits, Science for the Public, Minorities, and Rewrite of “The Role, Education, and Qualifications of the Physics Teacher.”
AAPT Delegate to U.S./Japan/China Conferences for U.S., Japan, and China meetings, Representative to The InterAmerican Conference in Physics Education in Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, and Costa Rica.
Commentary: One of the main issues facing AAPT is the need for improvement and enhancement of secondary school physics education in the United States. At present, the United States falls behind too many other countries. Inadequate student preparation in physics will inevitably lead to a competitive disadvantage in the global economy. Two problem areas require our immediate consideration.
1) The number of students taking physics in secondary schools must be increased. Administrators in secondary schools need to be convinced of the overwhelming advantage of changing the science sequence. Environmental Science requires insights furnished by biology, chemistry, and physics. Modern biology has extensive areas involving detailed chemistry knowledge as well as some in physics. Chemistry concepts make use of basic physics principles. To minimize unnecessary memorization, logic suggests that physics be followed by chemistry, then biology, and finally environmental science. It is more likely that students will take a full program of sciences when physics is taught first rather than last. Administrators must be persuaded that physics can be taught on a basic conceptual level without advanced mathematics and that such a physics course, being intuitive, will be well suited to the younger high school student.
2) The number of well-prepared teachers who teach physics on a secondary-school level must be increased. Increasing the number of students taking physics at the high school level requires the availability of more physics teachers. College physics departments should be encouraged to become much more involved and to take a leading role specific to the preparation of teachers of pre-college physics. It is also necessary to raise the awareness of the value and worth of teaching on the pre-college level as a lifetime career. Furthermore, it is important to recognize the need for adequate numbers of inservice programs and post-graduate courses to stimulate and engage the interest of teachers in the field.
AAPT should be actively involved in initiatives to address both these goals.
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 Nina Morley Daye—High School Representative
Science Department, Orange High School, Hillsborough NC, nina.daye@orange.k12.nc.us
Education: BST. Biology, Appalachian State University (1979); MAT. Science Education (physics concentration), North Carolina State University (1997).
Professional Experience: Orange High School-Hillsborough, NC-Science Teacher (AP Physics, Honors Physics, Physics, Honors Physical Science, Physical Science, Biology, Earth/Environmental Science, FIRST Robotics Team 587 Coach) (1981-Present), Science Department Chair (1988-1991). Tryon High School-Tryon, NC-Science Teacher (Biology, Earth/Environmental Science, Algebra I, General Mathematics) (1979-1981)
Memberships: AAPT, North Carolina Section AAPT, National Science Teachers Association, NC Science Teachers Association, Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society, Phi Delta Kappa Educational Honor Society, Delta Kappa Gamma, NEA, APAST
Honors: North Carolina Winner of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Secondary Science Teaching (1997), Tandy Technology Teacher Scholar (1999), Woodrow Wilson Fellow in Physics Teaching (1988), VMI Physics Honors Workshop (1986)
AAPT Activities: Physics Teaching Resource Agent-PTRA, (1986-present), Lead PTRA for S.C. Rural Institute (2000-2005), Instructional Media Committee Chair (1995-1997), member (1993-1997, 1999-2002); Chair of Exam Review Committee (1998-1999), APS Centennial High School Teacher Honoree from North Carolina (1999), helped to establish the local alliance for the RTP area of North Carolina.
Other Activities: National Board Certified Teacher in Physics, (2006-present). Served on the N.C. Department of Public Instruction review committee for physics (2000) and for physical science (1999). Member of Orange County Schools Curriculum Review Committee (various years). Co-author of a state-level Eisenhower grant on constructivist pedagogy (1993).
Commentary: This is an exceptional time in the physics community. We as individuals, and as an organization, must support the best in physics education research. We must strive to reach a wider community and continue to work to develop an understanding of physics in all areas of the population of the world. We must lead by example, and it is important that our words are backed by our actions. Just as we see everyday objects as tools to build student understanding of physics, we must creatively continue to build the diversity of the physics education community. As individuals and as a group, it is crucial for AAPT to continue to provide leadership in the reform of education, especially physics education.
We must remember that our focus must continue to remain on our students. It is a joy to introduce other people to the habits of mind and to new ways of thinking that are developed through the study of physics. The wonder of discovering how things work and the excitement of exploration should not be lost even in this age of high-stakes testing. Individually and collectively we must continue to work within the current climate in education to ensure that our quest for excellence continues to provide more students with the opportunity to study physics.
I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work within the physics community to strengthen our ties with each other. AAPT has been the source of my personal and professional development as a teacher. I have gained so much through my work as a Physics Teacher Resource Agent, a member and chair of the Instructional Media Committee, and through attending and presenting at local, section and national meetings. I am thankful for all of the people who have guided my development as a physics teacher. The membership of AAPT is where I look to get encouragement as a physics teacher, to strengthen my understanding of physics, and to receive information from cutting edge research. The meetings of our organization continue to be a showcase for new technological advances in educational media.
We have many things to celebrate as an organization and many strengths that allow us to move confidently into the future. However, it is essential that we continue to build bridges within our community and to expand our horizons in new directions. As a teacher whose undergraduate degree is in biology, I believe I will bring a unique viewpoint to the executive board. This is the ideal time to think outside the box as we work to reach more people at every level of physical science and physics education. We must actively recruit new members and provide opportunities for others to experience AAPT. I am convinced that if we allow educators at all levels to experience the benefits of membership in AAPT, these individuals will recognize the great value they receive with their membership. Our membership outreach to potential members in other countries and at all levels should continue.
I will work hard as the high school representative on the Executive Board to lead this organization as we work together to meet the challenges posed by an aging membership, a harsher economic reality, and the ongoing debate of the quality of education offered at all levels. My passion for learning and enthusiasm for putting theories and ideas to work are some of the skills that I offer in my service to this organization. It will take hard work, perseverance, good humor, creativity and cooperation for this organization to continue to lead the way in physics education. I am excited about helping to meet this challenge. This is a challenging time, but I remain hopeful that we will meet the challenges ahead of us.
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