2019 AAPT Halliday and Resnick Award Announced

2019 AAPT Halliday and Resnick Award Awardee

David JacksonFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

College Park, Maryland, United States, March 11, 2019 —The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) announced today that David Jackson will receive the 2019 David Halliday and Robert Resnick Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Physics Teaching. This award is given in recognition of contributions to undergraduate physics teaching and awardees are chosen for their extraordinary accomplishments in communicating the excitement of physics to their students. John Wiley & Sons is the principal source of funding for this award, through its donation to the AAPT.

Regarding his selection for this award, Jackson said, “I am deeply honored to be receiving this award. From the moment I first stepped into the classroom, I have enjoyed engaging with students about the beauty and subtleties of physics. And while I know there are still many ways for me to improve as an instructor, it is very gratifying to be recognized in this way.”

Jackson is Associate Professor of Physics, Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. A member of AAPT since 1994, he served as Editor of the American Journal of Physics (AJP) from September 2011 through August 2017, and currently serves as Video Abstracts Editor for the journal. His role as editor included service on the AAPT Board of Directors and the Publications Committee. From 2001 through 2004 he was a member of the AAPT Committee on Science Education for the Public.

Jackson's undergraduate work in Physics at the University of Washington was recognized as Magna Cum Laude with distinction in Physics. After receiving his Ph.D. in physics from Princeton University in 1994, he has held faculty positions at Santa Clara University and Dickinson College, including a term as Chair of the Dickinson Department of Physics and Astronomy from 2006-2009.

Jackson played a pivotal role, together with Priscilla Laws and Scott Franklin, in developing the Explorations in Physics course materials at Dickinson. His leadership and pedagogical insight combined in this endeavor to produce a vibrant course for non-majors that emphasizes exploration, inquiry, and the process of doing science while conveying to students that physics is fun. His efforts also resulted in a book published by Wiley and, most recently, in an article that appeared in Science.

In nominating him for this award his colleagues said, “Dr. Jackson has made notable contributions to undergraduate physics education as a teacher of a full range of undergraduate courses at Dickinson College, a developer of award winning curricular materials funded by highly competitive granting agencies, a speaker at many conferences, co-organizer of Gordon conferences undergraduate teaching, the Editor of AJP for over three years, and an author of over 40 outstanding journal publications on teaching and research. As a result of these efforts to improve teaching and learning for undergraduates in physics Jackson's influence has been exemplary and has had broad influence in our discipline.”

About the Award
The David Halliday and Robert Resnick Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Physics Teaching was established as the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award in 1993. It was renamed and substantially endowed in 2010 by John Wiley and Sons. Named for David Halliday and Robert Resnick, the award recognizes outstanding achievement in teaching undergraduate physics.

About AAPT
AAPT is an international organization for physics educators, physicists, and industrial scientists—with members worldwide. Dedicated to enhancing the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching, AAPT provides awards, publications, and programs that encourage practical application of physics principles, support continuing professional development, and reward excellence in physics education. AAPT was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in the American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland.

For more information: Contact David Wolfe, Director of Communications, dwolfe@aapt.org, (301)209-3322, (301)209-0845 (Fax)