Upcoming Colloquium
Placing Calculus and Conservation Laws at the Center of Introductory Physics
Dr. Christopher J. Fischer, University of Kansas
February 24, 2020
11:15am in PH1-223
Refreshments in HSCI-224 from 10:45-11:05am
We have developed a new curriculum for introductory physics that shifts the initial focus of instruction away from forces and the associated vector mathematics, which are known to be problematic for students, to the scalar quantity energy, which is more closely aligned with their previously established intuition, and associated differential and integral calculus. I will present the results of a longitudinal study demonstrating that implementation of this calculus-enhanced "energy-first" curriculum improved performance in downstream engineering courses for students with lower ACT math scores. I will discuss separately how using a competency-based grading system can improve the performance of traditionally underrepresented groups in STEM, especially first generation students.
The Colloquium is a unique opportunity for students to learn about new developments in physics and what physicists do after they graduate. Hosted by the Department of Physics and Astronomy at California State University Long Beach, the weekly meetings invite guests from universities, research laboratories, and industry to present and discuss current topics in physics. All students are encouraged to attend for a well-rounded experience and training in physics.
Schedule
The Spring 2020 colloquia will start January 27.
| Date | Title | Speaker and Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| February 24, 2020 | Placing calculus and conservation laws at the center of introductory physics | Dr. Christopher Fischer, University of Kansas |
| March 2, 2020 | TBA | Dr. Jocelyn Read, CSU Fullerton |
| March 9, 2020 | TBA | Dr. Nathan Gabor, UC Riverside |
| March 16, 2020 | TBA | Dr. Huolin Xin, UC Irvine |
| April 6, 2020 | TBA | Dr. Hilke Schlichting, UCLA, MIT |
| April 13, 2020 | TBA | Dr. Vera Gluscevic, USC |
| April 20, 2020 | TBA | Dr. Sarah Marzen, Claremont Colleges |
| April 27, 2020 | Student Presentations | Students, CSU Long Beach |
| April 29, 2020 | Student Presentations | Students, CSU Long Beach |
| May 4, 2020 | TBA | Dr. Jonathan Feng, UC Irvine |
Previous Colloquia
The Colloquium Archive has the Colloquia from previous semesters.
| Date | Title | Speaker and Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| February 17, 2020 | Parasite Chainmail: a 2D polymer | Dr. Alex Klotz, CSU Long Beach |
| February 10, 2020 | Manipulating Light with Nanostructured Materials | Dr. Michelle Povinelli, USC |
| February 3, 2020 | Taming Turbulence in Magnetized Plasmas: From Plasmas for Fusion Energy to Black Hole Accretion Disks | Dr. Troy Carter, UCLA |
| January 27, 2020 | Mastering Quantum Mechanics | Dr. Zoltan Papp, CSU Long Beach |
Sponsors
We acknowledge with gratitude donations and support from the following present sponsors:
- H.E. and H.B. Miller and Family Endowment
- Benjamin Carter
- American Physical Society
- Anonymous
We also acknowledge with gratitude our past donors: The Forty-Niner Shops, Inc., The Northrop Grumman Foundation, Sandra Dana, Anonymous.
If you wish to support the Colloquium, please contact the colloquium coordinator or the department chair. Thank you!