Katherine Perkins

Office Hours: Tuesday 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. • PHYS-BA Mentoring Zoom Link • PHYS-BA Mentoring Form •

Research Interests:

Kathy is Director of the PhET Interactive Simulations Project and Director of CU’s Science Education Initiative. She is also an Associate Professor Attendant Rank in Physics, specializing in PER. Her work in science education research has focused on: pedagogically-effective design and use of interactive simulations; sustainable course reform; students' beliefs about science; and institutional change. Before arriving at CU, she was trained as an experimental physicist and atmospheric scientist at Harvard University, and transitioned to physics education research in January 2003 as a post-doctoral researcher with Carl Wieman.

Selected Publications:

1. "Developing and Researching PhET simulations for Teaching Quantum Mechanics." Sam McKagan, Kathy Perkins, Wendy Adams, Michael Dubson, Chris Malley, Sam Reid, Ron LeMaster, Carl Wieman. Gordon Research Conference on Physics Education Research and AAPT National Meeting 2008. slides
2. "Techniques and Tools for Teaching the Photoelectric Effect." S. B. McKagan, W. Handley, K. K. Perkins, and C. E. Wieman. Contributed talk, AAPT National Meeting Winter 2007. slides
3. "Should we teach the Bohr Model?" S. B. McKagan, K. K. Perkins, and C. E. Wieman. Contributed talk, AAPT National Meeting Summer 2007. slides
4. "A deeper look at student learning of quantum mechanics: the case of tunneling," S. B. McKagan, K. K. Perkins, and C. E. Wieman. Contributed poster, AAPT National Meeting Summer 2007. poster
5. "PER-based Techniques in a Large Lecture Modern Physics Course for Engineers." Sam McKagan, Katherine Perkins, and Carl Wieman. Physics Education Research Conference 2006. poster
6. "Teaching Quantum Mechanics with PhET Simulations." Sam McKagan, Katherine Perkins, Wendy Adams, Danielle Harlow