The Department of Physics and Astronomy recruited Dr. John Thompson to join the faculty beginning August 15, 2002 as an assistant professor, strengthening the Department’s physics education research group.
Dr. John Thompson, assistant professor of physics and cooperating assistant professor of education, was awarded a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Sc.M. and Ph.D in Physics from Brown University, specializing in surface science. He then became a postdoctoral research associate in Professor Lillian McDermott’s physics education research group at the University of Washington, one of the top groups in this field. Prior to joining the faculty at The University of Maine, John was an assistant professor of physics at Grand Valley State University. John’s research interests include research-based approaches for effective K-12 teacher preparation, application of physics education research techniques to understand and improve student learning in upper level laboratories, and student learning of concepts related to sound. We are very please to have attracted him to our department.