Center for Physics Education Research
Department of Physics, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO
The United States Air Force Academy Center for Physics Education
Research (CPER) is looking for two education scholars to fill a
Distinguished Visiting Professor and a Post-Doctoral position.
The Center for Physics Education Research (CPER) was founded in 1994 to
build a USAFA center of gravity providing impetus, opportunities, and
tools for physics faculty nationwide as well as engage in and apply
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning-like (SoTL) research activities
within the Department of Physics. The CPER is a nationally recognized
program that maintains extensive ties and collaborations with similar
research programs nationwide.
The primary goals of the CPER are to:
1. Engage in research initiatives that quantify gains in student
understanding and appreciation of physics
2. Develop and share tools for enhancing teaching and student
learning in physics
3. Maintain a connection between course and curriculum development
(content, assessment methods, pedagogical approach) and physics
education research. CPER is actively and intimately involved with
several national level efforts to engage in collaborative education
research and bring the research results into the classrooms, both
nationally and USAFA, as soon as warranted by the assessment results.
The positions advertised will support the development of pedagogical
techniques and supporting tools for the Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT)
initiative, the signature CPER effort. This effort includes the
extension of JiTT to develop student self explanations under a Worked
Example model of instruction. Additional support efforts include
development of robust assessment techniques and tutorials (to include
computer simulations) for both beginning and intermediate physics
students.
The two positions, with starting dates either January 2010 or July 2010
are described below.
1. Distinguished Visiting Professor
This position requires that the candidate:
● is currently an active full-time members at a higher education
institute (college, university)
● has an established a record of excellence in
teaching/scholarship
● holds the rank of professor at the current facility
● can be temporarily absent from home institute
● will return to home institute duties ore equivalent duties upon
completion of USAFA assignment
The salary will be paid by the home institute (USAFA reimburses the
home institute)
The objectives for a USAFA DVP position are:
● to enrich/expose USAFA faculty to the member’s institute of
higher education
● to provide channels of communications to other institutes
● to increase/enhance awareness of USAFA toward other institutes
The United States Air Force may pay for moving expenses to and from
USAFA depending on the assignment contract. The candidate may qualify
for on-base house depending on availability (at a rental price).
Depending on the manning situation in the department the DVP visitor
may be assigned to teach one or two sections of a physics course. This
position is renewable for an additional year.
2. Post-doctoral position requires the candidate to
This position requires that the candidate:
● have a Ph.D. in physics, physics education or education
● have an established a record of scholarship in physics
education
No teaching duties are associated with the post doctoral position.
This position has the possibility of being renewable for a second year.
If interested, please send a resume to:
Robert Lee, Maj, USAF
Director of Center for Physics Education Research
Associate Professor of Physics
United States Air Force Academy
Mailing address:
USAF Academy
Dept. of Physics
2354 Fairchild Dr. STE 2A31
USAF Academy CO 80840-6299
For electronic submission:
Robert.Lee3@usafa.edu
Phone: (719) 333-3411
