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. 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 five 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'm now principle investigator (PI) on a 2006-2009 funded National Science Foundation grant, which has the goal of developing and testing conceptually-based clicker question sequences sufficient to populate an entire year of calculus-based introductory physics. A first paper reporting on clicker use has 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). Another paper has been accepted by AJP and a third paper will be sent in soon. I'm PI on another recently-submitted NSF proposal which has the goal of creating a methodology for using clickers to improve problem solving skills as well as enhancing conceptual understanding. Clickers would then become the entire package. My PER presentations presently include several awareness sessions, colloquia, seminars, workshops and many presentations (one invited) at American Association of Physics Teachers and the associated Physics Education Research National Conferences.
Initially begun to simplify commuting from Manhattan KS to Fermilab (near Chicago), flying now plays a central role in my life. I'm a 1650-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 the United States, Canada and Alaska.
