Are There Opportunities in Physics Education Research in Los Angeles?

[Cluelessluke]

Hello all!

I'm a fourth year grade student in physics (specifically theoretical cosmology).

Over the years I've become more and more interested in education. I even applied and was accepted as a STEM instructor for a local high school...which probably takes up more of my time than my adviser would like ;)

I'm playing around with the idea of maybe getting into physics education research but I admittedly know little about this field.

Do postdoc positions...or grants...or really anything exist for people who get a PhD and want to go into this field?

 

[Cluelessluke]

*grad

 

[Cluelessluke]

After doing some research, I'm learning about PER. It's hard for me to find postdoc options for such groups. Do these not exist?

 

[jesse73]

I imagine that you are likely going to need a phd in physics education research if you want to do research in physics education similar to needing a phd in physics to do physics research.

You could apply to a program like UC Boulders.

 

[lisab]

I know some universities have physics education groups - this one, for example:

https://sharepoint.washington.edu/phys/research/Pages/Physics-Education.aspx

Perhaps "physics education research" might fit better in an education department than a physics department. Have you checked out any science education PhD programs?

 

[Ben Espen]

Here are the webpages of two professors I have known personally who work in physics education. Both of them are based in university physics departments, but they often collaborate with the education school or department at their universities.

http://www.physics.nau.edu/~james/
http://physicsed.buffalostate.edu/danowner/

 

[Choppy]

In my experience, the people who get into physics education research are often lecturers who's primary duties are teaching and don't have other ongoing research projects. A number of community college instructors come to mind. That's NOT to say that they do it because they can't do something else. I think it's more that physics education questions naturally arise more frequently for those in teaching positions.

Also, I suspect funding for larger education projects would be relatively small compared to other physics research projects. I'm under the impression a lot of physics education research is done by individuals or small group collaborations and those projects generally don't require a dedicated post-doctoral researcher. You might see a summer position for an undergrad student to help develop a new lab experiment now and then, but you won't see too many post-doctoral positions for physics education research.

 

[robphy]

Possibly useful:

http://perjobs.blogspot.com/
[/PLAIN]
http://www.compadre.org/per/pertg/[/URL]

http://www.compadre.org/per/pertg/http://www.per-central.org/

 

[MLab67]

Anyone knows about PER opportunties in Los Angeles area ?
I am even looking for volunteer opportunities