SPS National Office
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Contact Information
Society of Physics Students
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse
College Park, MD 20740
Tel: 301.209.3007
Fax: 301.209.0839
Email: sps@aip.org |
The AIP Education Division administers the Society of Physics Students (SPS), the professional society for physics students and their mentors; Sigma Pi Sigma, the national physics honor society; the AIP Corporate Associates programs, and other education programs in conjunction with AIP and it's ten Member Societies.
The Education Division is housed within the Physics Resource Center of AIP, which is led by Vice President James H. Stith.
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| Introducing
the AIP Education Division & SPS National Office Staff |
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Jack G. Hehn
Director, Education, AIP
Phone: 301-209-3010
Fax: 301-209-0839
E-mail: jhehn@aip.org
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Jack
G. Hehn has a wide range of experience in physics and science
education, having taught students in elementary school through
graduate school. He received a BS in Physics from the University
of Texas at Austin (1971), an MS in Physics from Texas A&M
University (1976), and a PhD (1990) from the University of
North Texas, with a dissertation involving the professional
development of teaching assistants within a multimedia freshman
physics instructional laboratory. Hehn taught four years at
Lamar High School in Arlington, TX, 13 years at the University
of North Texas in Denton, TX, and nine years at Tarrant County
Junior College in Ft. Worth, TX. He has served in administrative
and faculty roles within physics departments for 17 years
and has spent much time developing and teaching the freshman
physical science course for pre-service teachers, developing
mentoring and training programs for teaching assistants, and
developing instructional laboratory programs using multimedia
and interactive computer technologies. He has concentrated
more on science and science education policy during the past
eight years. In 1992, Hehn joined the American Association of Physics Teachers
(AAPT) as the Associate Executive Officer. His responsibilities
included creating an information technology base for the core
business of AAPT, developing an array of World Wide Web based
electronic member and publishing services, and working with
AAPT educational programs and liaison programs with other
societies. Two of the projects involved the creation of a
high school-level textbook, Active Physics; and a college-level
physical science course for pre-service teachers, Powerful
Ideas in Physical Science. He was also active in the effort
to create national science standards and in the development
of a large-scale networking project for two-year colleges,
The Two-Year College in the Twenty First Century, TYC21.
While
on leave from AAPT, Hehn served three years (1996-1999) as
a program consultant and program officer with the Division
of Undergraduate Education (DUE) for the National Science
Foundation (NSF). At NSF he worked with the Advanced Technology
Education (ATE) program, counseled NSF staff on efforts involving
two-year colleges, contributed to teacher preparation and
project evaluation efforts, and worked with discipline-based
physics proposals. In August 1999, Hehn joined the American
Institute of Physics (AIP) as the Manager of the Education
Division. He has been, and continues to be, active in proposing
and directing large scale educational programs, including
science policy review and commentary, curriculum development,
and technology and multimedia program development. Much of
his current effort is directed toward encouraging and supporting
collaborations between learned societies and among affinity
groups within the Physics, Astronomy, Earth Systems, and Allied
Science Community.
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Gary White
Director
SPS & Sigma Pi Sigma
Phone: 301-209-3013
Fax: 301-209-0839
E-mail: gwhite@aip.org |
Gary White grew up in rural Sterlington, Louisiana, earning a BS in physics in 1982 at Northeast La. University (now University of La.---Monroe). He received his Ph.D. in nuclear theory at Texas A & M University (TAMU) in 1986, later worked in the theory division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and eventually became interested in ion beams and lithography during a postdoctoral appointment in 1991. Recently, his interests have broadened to include physics pedagogy, especially the use of research as a teaching tool, as well as some quirkier areas such as the physics of Spandex and rolling unfair dice. As engaging as these research topics might sound to some, teaching and mentorship are his primary interests. Over the past 20 years, in addition to short stints teaching mathematics at TAMU and modern physics for non-majors at The George Washington University, he earned most of his teaching stripes in physics and astronomy classrooms at Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU), being awarded Outstanding Teacher by the NSU Alumni Association in 1996. As Society of Physics Student (SPS) advisor at NSU, he guided the chapter to a significant increase in activity, including the development of many science outreach projects for school classrooms, and several SPS Undergraduate Research Awards. In 1998, he was elected SPS Zone 10 Councilor and eventually, President of the National SPS Council.
White has published articles in Physical Review, Annals of Physics, The American Journal of Physics, The Physics Teacher, and The College Mathematics Journal. He has served as a reviewer for the National Science Foundation, and in 1999 was appointed to the nine-member national Advisory Committee on Physics Education for the American Institute of Physics (AIP). In June 2001, White joined AIP as Director of SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society, and Assistant Director of Education. |
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Stephanie
Campbell produces and handles the layout and design of all
Society of Physics Students and Sigma Pi Sigma publications,
including the SPS Observer, The Physics Department Reveille,
and Radiations magazine. She serves as the assistant editor
for the publications as well. She coordinates all paperwork
and outside vendors necessary in the production of the print
publications.
Stephanie
assists the SPS Supervisor on special projects as they arise.
She also assists wherever theres a need for an extra
set of hands within the Education Division; whether its
to help stuff envelopes or to write a letter to accompany
a mailing, or even to put together numerous Sigma Pi Sigma
induction boxes. She has worked at AIP for 12 years, and still
enjoys her work. Stephanie is a member of the newly-formed
Education Division Communications Team, along with Lydia Quijada
and Tracy Schwab. |
Stephanie
Campbell
Desktop
Publisher
Phone: 301-209-3259
Fax: 301-209-0839
E-mail: scampbel@aip.org
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Liz
Caron received her B.A. from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia,
PA. Her concentrations of study were international relations
and politics. Her career in nonprofit organizations began
with an 18-month volunteer assignment in rural Honduras with
an international organization, Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos
(Our Little Brothers and Sister). While there, she gained
experience in teaching, curriculum development and grant writing.
She spent 3 years working for The Society of St. Vincent de
Paul, a national community outreach organization, and then
worked for the Red Cross, before coming to AIP.
Liz
manages the AIP Corporate Associates program and orchestrates
the annual Industrial Physics Forum. She also plans committee
meetings and conferences for the Education Division, Society
of Physics Students, and Sigma Pi Sigma. She administers special
projects of the Education Division as needed |
Liz
Dart Caron
Project
Administrator
Phone: 301-209-3034
Fax: 301-209-0839
E-mail: lcaron@aip.org
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Doug
Dalton handles Education Division photocopying and mailings,
and maintains inventory & supplies for the Society of Physics
Students, Sigma Pi Sigma and the AIP Corporate Associates Program.
He also serves as the SPS Clerk, and keeps the supply room &
office organized and functional. He also sets up and maintains
division displays at meetings and conferences at the American
Center for Physics, home to AIP and three other Member Societies. |
Doug
Dalton
SPS
Clerk
Phone: 301-209-3164
Fax: 301-209-0839
E-mail: ddalton@aip.org
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Sonja
Lopez has worked for AIP as the SPS Supervisor since 1989.
She understands the intricate workings of SPS and Sigma Pi
Sigma, and is a valuable resource during national and inter-office
meetings. In addition to supervising the SPS staff, she handles
Sigma Pi Sigma inductions, sales, and other miscellaneous
matters.
Sonja
is the mother of four children, and in her spare time she
operates Kidshots, a children's photography studio. |
Sonja
Lopez
SPS
Supervisor
Phone: 301-209-3009
Fax: 301-209-0839
E-mail: slopez@aip.org
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Dr.
Dwight E. Neunschwander, Professor of Physics at Southern
Nazarene University in Bethany, OK, is former Director, Education
at the American Institute of Physics, and former Director
of SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma.
Dr.
Neunschwander writes for and handles editing of the SPS
Observer (formerly the SPS Newsletter), The Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics (JURP), Radiations,
the official publication of Sigma Pi Sigma, and other
publications. He is also the At-Large member of the SPS Executive
Committee. |
Dwight
E. Neunschwander
Editor,
SPS Publications
Southern Nazarene Univ.
Department of Physics
6729 NW 39th Expy
Bethany, OK 73008
Phone: 405-491-6361
Fax: 405-491-6381
E-mail: DNeuensc@snu.edu
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Sacha
Purnell, the SPS Secretary, handles SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma
customer service, and is responsible for sending out induction
materials and other SPS/Sigma Pi Sigma-related products. She
is also handles all other secretarial duties for the student
societies and Education Division. |
Sacha
Purnell
SPS
Secretary
Phone: 301-209-3011
Fax: 301-209-0839
E-mail: spurnell@aip.org
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Lydia
Quijada coordinates SPS Zone Meeting planning and funding in the SPS national office, maintains Sigma Pi Sigma membership information and
the Sigma Pi Sigma database, and staffs AIP's traveling exhibit
booth at science & education conferences around the United
States. She is also a member of the Education Division Communications
Team, assisting with web development and printed materials. |
Lydia
Quijada
Database
Coordinator & Exhibitor
Phone: 301-209-3008
Fax: 301-209-0839
E-mail: lydia@aip.org
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Kendra Rand
Program
Coordinator
Phone: 301-209-3047
Fax: 301-209-0839
E-mail: krand@aip.org
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A Midwesterner to the core, Kendra Rand received her BA in physics from Carthage College in Kenosha, WI and her MS in Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Before coming to SPS she worked in public outreach for the American Physical Society and freelanced for the Materials Research Society Bulletin. Kendra is the program coordinator of the Society of Physics Students.
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Tracy M. Schwab
Communications
Coordinator & Webmaster
Phone: 301-209-3255
Fax: 301-209-0839
E-mail: tschwab@aip.org |
Tracy
M. Schwab, originally from Star Valley, WY, graduated
from Utah State University in 1993 with a BA in Liberal
Arts & Sciences. He completed three core areas of study within
his major: Science and Society, Theories of Beauty, and
Ethics in Science. He also received a certificate in International
Relations and minored in both German and Political Science.
Tracy was honored as the Outstanding Scholar from the College
of Liberal Arts & Sciences upon Graduation, and was a
member of the Gold Key Honor Society; Pi Sigma Alpha, the
Political Science Honor Society; and the Mortar Board Honor
Society. He worked
in the AIP Education Division from 1993-1997 as an Editor,
Desktop Publishing Specialist and Meeting Exhibitor.
After
a 4-year stint as a web designer and account manager in the
"dot.com" world, Tracy returned to the AIP Education
Division in 2001 as Communications Coordinator. In this
position he serves as webmaster for the Education
Division, the Society
of Physics Students, and Sigma
Pi Sigma. He leads the Education Division Communications
Team, supervises SPS interns as needed, and provides graphic design, photography and desktop publishing services for the Education Division and other AIP divisions.
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