Department of Physics
- The Department began membership in national Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC) in 2003. PhysTEC is a National Science Foundation-funded effort, managed by the American Institute of Physics, to improve the quality of teacher preparation for teachers of science at all levels. Members of the collaborative are recognized leaders in physics teacher preparation. PhysTEC also provides assistance in the publication of the Journal of Physics Teacher Education Online, edited and published by Carl Wenning.
- In 2003-04, Dr. Rainer Grobe was named an Illinois State Distinguished Professor and Dr. Q. Charles Su won the Illinois State Outstanding University Researcher Award.
- In 2003-04, Department faculty were awarded $509,900 in external grants, including Dr. Daniel Holland (NASA), Dr. Rainer Grobe (National Science Foundation), Dr. Q. Charles Su (Research Corporation), Dr. Khondkar Karim (Center for Math, Science, and Technology/National Science Foundation), Dr. David Marx (Southern Illinois University Center for Advanced Friction Studies), Carl Wenning (Illinois Board of Higher Education Eishenhower and American Association of Physics Teachers Physics Teaching Resource Agents Program).
- The Department prides itself on faculty research with undergraduates. In 2003-04, there were 23 student coauthored presentations. Undergraduate Matthew Narter won the American Physics Society Student Presentation Award in 2004, which included an invited presentation at the American Physics Society national conference.
