December 2024: Ann Schmiedekamp

About Ann

I joined AAPT in my first year as a tenure-track assistant professor at Penn State. I was located at a “branch campus” which only educated students in their first two years of the university. My assignment then and now was mostly introductory physics for science and engineering majors. Through the years, the teaching opportunities widened to include courses for nonscience majors, which are now described as “general education,” and included courses in introductory astronomy. General education courses are a magnificent opportunity to educate students who may not aspire to be scientists or engineers but who we are privileged to show some of the amazing realities of our universe. Currently, I am vice-chair of the AAPT Committee on Space Science and Astronomy, and it has been my pleasure to promote programming at AAPT to bring topics in astronomy and astronomy education to physics educators.

One of the other directions of my teaching career has been the development of a course in medical physics at the upper division level, which was attractive to some of our life science majors who aspired to enter the medical profession. We were ideally placed at our local campus to be within walking distance of a major hospital, which collaborated with me in giving tours of the imaging departments to our students in that course. Again, AAPT provided numerous workshops on topics that enhanced the development of that course.

As a part of a research university, I have always included students in research experiences. AAPT has also provided a lively and supportive opportunity for discussing ideas at the poster sessions.

My membership in AAPT has been the one that has continued my professional membership for my career. It has been available to assist at all stages of my career: the new instructor epoch, during the trajectory of new curriculum development, and the continual enrichment of cutting-edge scientific topics needed to keep my teaching relevant. AAPT has provided many opportunities for me at different stages of my career. I hope it will continue to thrive and offer various opportunities for others in our shared passion for physics education.