Mary Mogge 2012 Election Bio

Mary E. Mogge

Mary E. Mogge, 2012 Candidate for AAPT PresidentDepartment of Physics and Astronomy
California State Polytechnic University (Cal Poly Pomona)
Pomona, CA 91768
memogge@csupomona.edu

Education
B.A. Physics, Carleton College
M.A. Physics, State University of New York at Stony Brook
Ph.D. Theoretical Particle Physics, The Florida State University

Teaching Experience
Participant Cal Poly Pomona’s Faculty Early Retirement Program (teaching full time Fall Term) (2010 – Present)
Professor Emerita, Cal Poly Pomona (awarded June 2010)
Faculty member Cal Poly Pomona (1982 - 2009) Rising to rank of Full Professor.
Department Chairperson Cal Poly Pomona (2001- 2007) 
Lecturer at four state universities (Long Beach, Northridge, Fullerton, and Cal Poly Pomona) and at three two-year colleges (Cypress, Cerritos, and Long Beach City) from 1975 to 1982

National AAPT Activities
Executive Board (January 2007 – January 2011)
Chair of the Section Representatives (January 2009 – January 2011)
Vice Chair of the Section Representatives (January 2007 – January 2009)
US Physics Team:  Academic Director (1999 – 2005); Senior Coach (1997 – 1998): Coach (1995 – 1996)
Examination Editorial Board:  Exam Editor (1992 – 1998); Member (1990 – 1992)
Awarded AAPT Distinguished Service Citation 2000
Local Host for the workshops of the AAPT 2012 Winter Meeting
Honored with a plaque for support in organizing the AAPT 2012 Winter Meeting (February 2012)
Executive Officer Search Committee (member 2010)
Mini Section Reps/Area Chairs Retreat (co-organizer and co-leader February 2010)
Membership and Benefits Committee (member January 2007 – January 2009, chair January 2009 – January 2011)
Audit Committee (member January 2007 – January 2009, chair January 2009 – January 2011)
Awards Committee (member January 2009 – January 2011)
Publications Committee (member 1992 – 1998, secretary 2007 - 2009)
Council (2004 – Present)
Fund Raising Advisory Committee (member 2006 – 2008)
Committee on Governance and Structure (COGS) (member 2007 – 2011)
Section Reps/Area Chairs Retreat (co-leader May 2007)
Women in Physics Committee (member 1997 – 2000)
Investment Advisory Committee (member 2004 – 2012)

Southern California Section of AAPT Activities
Section officer continuously since 1993 – serving as Editor (1993 – 1997), Vice President (1997 – 1999),
President (1999 – 2001), Past President (2001 – 2003), Treasurer (2003 – 2005),
and Section Representative (2004 – Present)
Local host for Fall 2008 section meeting at Cal Poly

Other Professional Activities
Advanced Placement Physics C Development Committee (member 2009 – Present, Co-Chair 2011 – Present)
Special consultant to the Saudi Arabian Physics Team for the International Physics Olympiad (February 2011)
Member of Committee of Examiners for the GRE Subject Test in Physics (2000-2006).
AP Table Leader (1991 – 1996); AP Reader (1988 – 1990, 2000, 2011, 2012)
Member APS

Commentary
If you are reading this, you care about the future of AAPT — so do I. I have been active in AAPT for most of my professional life and have greatly benefited from my involvement. I want to give something back. My experience has prepared me to make significant contributions as I advance through the presidential chain.
As a past member of the Executive Board, I have seen how it works and I know what will be expected of me. The responsibilities vary over the four-year presidential chain. The cycle includes program chair for the national meetings, chairing meetings of the board, leading the organization, planning and managing budgets. As a former chair of a mid-sized department (~15 tenure stream and ~15 adjunct faculty) who scheduled approximately 100 sections of lecture and lab classes each quarter and had to deal with worsening California budgets, I have significant experience and proven leadership skills.  I have also led important AAPT programs, serving as the US Physics Team’s Academic Director and heading the Exam Editorial Board, which edited three exams and organized the Physics Bowl. I have taught a wide range of courses with a variety of students; a number of them have gone on to teach at some level. My teaching has included the Cal Poly physics course that’s intended primarily for pre-service elementary teachers. Student learning has always been a very important focus for me.
I have served on several committees instrumental in developing the current AAPT strategic plan.  I was a co-organizer and a co-leader of the Section Reps and Area Chairs mini-retreat held at the 2010 Winter Meeting. The work done at this retreat led to the plan’s adoption. The plan presents seven goals, with objectives and strategies for their implementation. Recently, the financial goals and objectives have been paramount. Now that major economies have been instituted and the organization’s finances are headed in the right direction, there are several other objectives that I would like to concentrate on:

  • Utilizing the Area Committees more fully to advise the Board on policy, beyond proposing and planning sessions.
  • Continuing and increasing the interaction between national and the sections. The sections are a training ground for national members and leaders.
  • Diversifying and increasing membership through expanded opportunities for participation at the section level, attracting members who find it difficult or expensive to travel.
  • Finding no-cost and low-cost strategies for AAPT programs, and developing additional sources of revenue.

On a purely personal note, as a member of the search committee that recommended hiring Dr. Cunningham, I’d like to work with her to lead AAPT into the future.