August 2026: Amy K. Bylsma Engebretson

About Amy

My entry into physics was not the standard entry. I chose not to take physics in high school. I did not see myself as that "geeky". Rather, I took a second year of chemistry and continued to take as much math as possible. When it was time to think of possible careers, I realized that while I enjoyed teaching/tutoring my peers and younger brother, I did not want to deal with discipline. Thus, with the hubris of youth, I decided that I wanted to teach at the college level. However, I had no idea which subject would be intriguing enough for me to pursue a Ph.D. in it. I chose Carleton College for my undergraduate studies for its rigor and because it was a liberal arts college with many different areas of study. In my first year at Carleton, I sampled many courses as I searched for a major. In the final term of my first year, I took Calculus 3. I was not excited by the math theory and sat in the back row. One day, the professor outlined the rocket problem. The rocket was taking off into space, losing mass as it burned fuel. I learned that using calculus, you could describe the rocket’s motion. The professor said, “But this is physics,” and went on with his lecture. I was riveted by the problem, and looked up the requirements for a physics major. I took my first physics class as a sophomore in college and enjoyed it immensely. I became a physics major.

Since I planned to become a physics professor, I joined the AAPT in 1995 while a graduate student at Michigan State University. My path from graduate school to teaching was not direct. I defended my Ph.D. thesis while pregnant with my second child and took some time off from physics. I eventually began teaching part-time at Minnesota State University Moorhead. When my family relocated to Sioux Falls, SD, I began teaching at Augustana University. What first drew me to physics was the chance to apply math – I have always loved story problems. However, as I have taught, I have discovered that what I enjoy most about teaching physics is showing students how they can explain everyday phenomena with their physics knowledge. Much of my teaching inspiration has come from The Physics Teacher. Almost every issue has given me an idea for an adjustment to my lectures, the basis for a new lab, or a demonstration. For example, during the second semester of Physics for Life Science, I assign students to take a picture or video, create a physics problem based on their photo/video, solve the problem, and discuss the reasonableness of their solution. This assignment was inspired by a 2016 article in The Physics Teacher written by Judith Beck and James Perkins about their Finding Physics Project as well as by the AAPT High School Photo contest.

I have attended AAPT meetings and have always left them energized with new ideas. I participated in an ALPhA immersion a few years ago. I enjoyed reacquainting myself with high Tc superconductivity, and I brought a new lab activity back for our senior-level lab course. I purchased equipment for the new activity with funding assistance from the Jonathon F. Reichert Foundation. I also appreciate the PhysPort site. I contribute my courses’ conceptual pre- and post-test scores and value the feedback from the site and the PER discussions. Membership in AAPT has helped my teaching evolve and improve. I have just received my 20-year plaque for teaching at Augustana, and I am still learning.