Office: JILA A806
As the Director for Education and Workforce Development at the Q-SEnSE NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute, Mike works to oversee the development and implementation of quantum science education initiatives at a variety of levels. Some of the projects Mike is involved with include: the Quantum Forge, a capstone course and workforce development program for upper-division undergraduates interested in continuing directly into the quantum workforce; the Quantum Research Exchange, an internship program connecting students from underserved populations to front-range quantum industry giants; and a small-scale research study investigating the attitudes and beliefs about students toward the quantum tech industry.
Prior to this position, Mike served as the JILA NSF Physics Frontier Center's Director for Educational Outreach and Research, managing JILA's public engagement efforts and engaging in research on informal physics learning. Mike is highly involved in the informal physics education community and serves on leadership teams for both the American Physical Society Committee for Public Engagement and the Joint Network for Informal Physics Education and Research (JNIPER).
Mike obtained his PhD in nuclear physics from Michigan State University in 2016. Now that humanity can emerge from our protective cocoons post-COVID, Mike enjoys performing karaoke and visiting local distilleries.