Born and raised in Los Angeles, I received my Ph.D. in experimental nuclear physics from the University of Minnesota and then expanded into high energy physics while at the University of Rochester. Starting as an OSU assistant prof, I built a group at OSU that completed many experiments before we moved to Kansas State University. As a University Distinguished Prof at K-State, I was able to create a new high-energy physics program that was made even better by my departure in Summer, 2002.
Working at universities and national laboratories included making
presentations to scientists, community organizations and even delivering a
commencement address. Satisfaction came from creating new ideas for research
and technology, from developing strategies for achieving funding, from creating
and managing international teams of scientists, and from interacting with
leaders from business, government and university life.
Teaching students has now become my highest priority, and the possibility of improving student's learning experiences by joining the OSU Physics Education Research Group was a serendipitous opportunity too exciting to be missed. During my seven most recent years at OSU I've taught The World of Energy, Freshman Engineering Honors and traditional introductory physics, both calculus and algebra-based. My physics education research (PER) has consisted of studying student group structures, developing new forms of VPython-based laboratories and developing new methodologies for using clickers in lectures. Designing and assessing research-based clicker question sequences led to an OSU-funded pilot study during academic 2005-2006, in which we demonstrated that students really enjoy using clickers and exhibit associated learning gains.I've recently completed a larger National Science Foundation grant for developing and testing conceptually-based clicker question sequences sufficient in number to populate an entire year of calculus-based introductory physics.
Two papers reporting on clicker use have appeared in the American Journal of Physics: N. W. Reay, L. Bao, P. Li and G. Baugh, Toward the effective use of voting machines in physics lectures, Am. J. Phys. 73, 554 (2005), and N.. Reay, Pengfei Li and Lei Bao, Testing a new voting machine question methodology, Am. J. Phys. 76, 171 (2008). A companion paper discussing conceptual testing also has been published: Lin Ding, Neville W. Reay, Albert Lee and Lei Bao, Effects of testing conditions on conceptual survey results, Phys. Rev. ST - Phys. Educ. Res. 4, 010112 (2008). A paper on validation of question sequences also is published: Lin Ding, Neville W. Reay, Albert Lee and Lei Bao, Are we asking the right questions? Validating clicker question sequences by student interviews, Am. J. Phys. 77, 643 (2009). Four additional papers were submitted recently in Summer, 2009.
The clicker work is finished, so I'm working to distribute resulting materials in this country and abroad. I'm also PI on another NSF proposal which has the goal of creating a new methodology for improving problem solving skills as well as enhancing conceptual understanding. It will be submitted in January, 2010, and I'll keep my fingers crossed. My PER presentations presently include several awareness sessions, colloquia, seminars, workshops and many talks (one invited) at the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the associated Physics Education Research National Conferences. I've also given invited talks at U.S.-China conferences in both countries. I'm Chair of the AAPT Professional Concerns Committee, and have just finished organizing crackerbarrels, invited sessions and a clicker workshop at the 2009 AAPT national meeting in Ann Arbor. I'll repeat these activities at the 2010 AAPT national meeting in Portland.
Initially begun to simplify commuting from Manhattan KS to Fermilab (near Chicago), flying now plays a central role in my life. I'm a 17300-hour single/multi-engine commercial pilot and Certificated Flight Instructor, Instruments (CFII). During my Manhattan, Kansas period I owned a B55 twin-engine Beechcraft Baron. After it was sold in 2001, I began to really miss having a plane. So,in spring 2003 I purchased a Grumman Tiger with serious IFR capability. After many repairs and upgrades, it has become a reliable and wonderful airplane. Tigers are fun to fly, comparing favorably with the Citabria's and Decathlons that I used for spin training. N28537 is shown below. I now fly to cities throughout North America. My goal during 2010 is to acquire an Airline Transport Pilot rating.
