July 26–30, 2014
Monday morning
55
Ceremonial Session: Welcome; 2014 AAPT Teaching Awards;
2014 Homer L. Dodge Citations for Distinguished Service
Location: Northrop Auditorium
Date: Monday, July 28
Time: 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
Presider: Mary Mogge Presenter: Gay Stewart
David Halliday and Robert Resnick Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Physics Teach-
ing, 2014 – Ruth Chabay and Bruce Sherwood
Ruth Chabay and Bruce Sherwood, Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, emeritus, Raleigh, NC 27607;
;
Inviting Students Into the 21st Century
In the early 1900s it was not unreasonable to assume that most students who took physics in college were going to
go out and maintain pumps and build bridges. In 2014 that’s no longer a reasonable assumption. The interesting
problems of the 21st century are difficult and complex, and typically involve the intersection of several disciplines.
Our students will work on climate change and sustainability, on medicine and cellular biology and ecology, on
information security, on the design of wearable computer hardware, on energy production and storage, and on
problems we haven’t yet thought of. The introductory physics course can support these students by inviting them
into the 21st century, building on the insights and paradigm shifts of 20th century physics. The structure of matter
and macro-micro connections, the primacy of a small number of fundamental principles, the process of construct-
ing, testing, and extending physical models, and computational modeling that allows students to see how complex
behavior can emerge from simple physical rules, should all be central in 21st century introductory physics.
Paul W. Zitzewitz Award for Excellence in Pre-College Physics Teaching, 2014 –
Bradford K. Hill
Bradford K. Hill,
Southridge High School, Beaverton, OR 97008;
Citizen Science: Harnessing Physics to Advance Science and Mathematical Literacy
Cultivating an understanding of physics is an important profession. Being part of young peoples’ lives as they come
to discover the beauty of physics is compelling. Nurturing the habits of mind of a scientist is consistently energiz-
ing and meaningful. Our youth need experiences with critical thinking across the curriculum, but for me it is a joy
to achieve part of this through physics. Especially, as in my mind, high school level physics is in a unique position
to bring students from a place of wild guessing to evidence-based argumentation in 90 minutes or less numerous
times a semester. Physics, especially with an engineering and mathematical focus, has both “quantity and quality”
opportunities to have students make data-driven decisions and to experience science. I first invite my students in
with the question: “How do we find and use patterns in nature to predict the future and understand the past?” and
then the search for patterns begins.
Homer L. Dodge Citations for Distinguished Service to AAPT
Ruth Chabay
Bradford Hill
Dyan Jones
Assistant Professor
of Physics,
Mercyhurst
University,
Erie, PA
Paul J. (Joe) Heafner
Physics and Astronomy
Instructor,
Catawba Valley
Community College,
Hickory, NC
Bruce Sherwood
Martha Lietz
Science Teacher
Niles West High School,
Skokie, IL
Evelyn Restivo
144 Creekview Circle,
Maypearl, TX
