Related papers: Retour d'exp{\'e}rience : Int{\'e}grer des applica…
At many physics departments a significant fraction of teaching is in support of engineers and scientists in other majors. These service courses are thus an automatic crucible of interdisciplinary interaction, and at times, strife. For…
In this article, we reflect upon our positive experiences incorporating or working on extra credit projects in algebra-based introductory physics that asked students to connect physics with humanities, social sciences, and everyday life. We…
I contrast the profound differences in the ways in which algebra and analysis are used in physics. In particular I discuss the fascinating phenomenon that theoretical physicists devote almost all their efforts to algebraic problems even…
In the present paper, we describe some experiences in using programming, commands and graphical interfaces based on computer algebra systems, as tools for learning Physics and Mathematics.
We discuss an inquiry-based curriculum that has been developed specifically for the introductory algebra-based physics course, taking into account the needs, backgrounds, learning styles and career goals of the students in that class. The…
Intended for mathematical physicists interested in applications of the division algebras to physics, this article highlights some of their more elegant properties with connections to the theories of Galois fields and quadratic residues.
We present some episodes from the history of interactions between geometry and physics over the past century.
Light Polarization has many technological applications and its discovery was crucial to reveal the transverse nature of the electromagnetic waves. However, despite its fundamental and practical importance, in high school this property of…
Energy is a complex idea that cuts across scientific disciplines. For life science students, an approach to energy that incorporates chemical bonds and chemical reactions is better equipped to meet the needs of life sciences students than a…
In this survey I should like to introduce some concepts of algebraic geometry and try to demonstrate the fruitful interaction between algebraic geometry and computer algebra and, more generally, between mathematics and computer science. One…
During recent collaboration with colleagues to revise our institution's general-education curriculum, I encountered many perceptions of what we mean by the Natural Sciences. I was surprised to find that perceptions of scientific pedagogy…
We discuss certain ternary algebraic structures appearing more or less naturally in various domains of theoretical and mathematical physics. Far from being exhaustive, this article is intended above all to draw attention to these algebras,…
A brief account of some recent controversies about the teaching and learning of physics is presented. A shorter version of this outcome was accepted by The Physics Teacher, but publication is still pending.
These notes form an introduction to Lie algebras and group theory. Most of the material can be found in many works by various authors given in the list of references. The reader is referred to such works for more detail.
In response to increasing calls for the reform of the undergraduate science curriculum for life science majors and pre-medical students (Bio2010, Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians, Vision & Change), an interdisciplinary team has…
This work examines how experiences in one disciplinary domain (biology) can impact the relationship a student builds with another domain (physics). We present a model for disciplinary relationships using the constructs of identity, affect,…
Mathematics is an essential element of physics problem solving, but experts often fail to appreciate exactly how they use it. Math may be the language of science, but math-in-physics is a distinct dialect of that language. Physicists tend…
The objective of this paper is to describe a development of an innovative approach to enable students studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to apply the concepts learned in physics and mathematics to engineering…
Physics education research has probed for the relevance of physics in students' everyday lives. Attitudinal and epistemological surveys have asked students if they think of or use physics in their daily lives. We have previously documented…
Cosmology and high energy physics are two closely connected areas. In this lecture I present an example of their rich interplay.