April 2025: Arlinda Hill

About Arlinda

I first encountered physics in seventh grade, and that was certainly a trigger to get my interest piqued, but it really took off for me in high school. I could mostly point the finger at one brilliant teacher, Myfit Serani, for making physics relatable and enjoyable. He motivated me to take part in Physics Olympiads and pushed me to delve deeper into the subject. Part of the credit for my pursuit of physics also goes to my father, a civil engineer by profession. He was thrilled with my interest in science and always encouraged me to continue with it even when I doubted myself. Their combined support and guidance gave me the confidence to declare physics as my major of study.

Having earned a degree from a 4+1 physics program in my home country of Albania, I traveled to Arizona State University, where I pursued a master's degree in physics education research and, subsequently, a Ph.D. in condensed matter physics. My original plan was to be an industry researcher, but for personal reasons, I changed my career path to that of teaching. I am now an Associate Teaching Professor at Arizona State University, teaching lower and upper-division physics classes. Perhaps the best part of teaching physics is to guide students into seeing how powerful physics is as a way of thinking. The content itself prepares students to be critical thinkers, questioners of assumptions, and problem solvers— skills that benefit them far beyond the physics classroom. Helping students understand this strength of physics and watching them develop these skills makes it highly rewarding for me to teach the subject.

Joining AAPT, for me, was about connecting with other colleagues who were carrying out the same job and taking advantage of the many rich resources that AAPT has in physics teaching. Becoming part of this community has had a big impact on my career. I have picked up many of the teaching practices I use in my classroom today at AAPT meetings through publications like The Physics Teacher and Physics Today, and resources like ComPADRE and PhysPort. As time went on, I became more active with AAPT. I now help coordinate the local Arizona section meetings that gather educators of all levels to share ideas, network, and collaborate on physics teaching. At the national level, for AAPT, I represent the Arizona Section and serve on the Committee for Research in Physics Education and the Nominating Committee. I am also a member of the executive committee for APS Four Corners, supporting regional physics education and research. These experiences have made me a better educator, reinforced my passion for physics education, and inspired me to continually seek new ways to support my students and colleagues. I am grateful to be part of this dynamic group of physics educators, and I look forward to many more years of collaboration and professional development through my continued involvement with AAPT.