Foundations and Frontiers of Physics Education Research: Puget Sound 2018

June 16, 2018 - June 19, 2018 in Diablo, Washington at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center

The fourth Foundations and Frontiers of Physics Education Research: Puget Sound  (FFPERPS) conference was held June 16-19, 2018, at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, about 60 miles east of Burlington, WA (as you make your travel plans, don't confuse the desired destination of the Environmental Learning Center, located on Diablo Lake in Whatcom County, approximately 140 miles and a 3.5 hour drive from SeaTac International Airport, with North Cascades Institute main office in Sedro-Woolley.)

FFPERPS is intended as a biannual conference that provides a venue for rich dialogue among physics education researchers in the Cascadia region and beyond. It is designed to enhance communication and collaboration and to increase the visibility of work that is of high quality but not well known. The conference provides a forum for examining and articulating the current state of the field, exploring future directions, and discussing ways to pursue promising avenues of research. The structure of the conference, based on that of the FFPER conference held in Bar Harbor, Maine, includes plenary talks, targeted sessions, contributed poster sessions, and substantial free time for informal interactions.

The 2018 conference featured plenary speakers engaged in a wide variety of exciting research and scholarship around the learning and teaching of physics, including:

Joel Corbo, Center for Stem Learning, University of Colorado Boulder
Leslie Atkins Elliott, Depts. of CIFS and Physics, Boise State University
Elizabeth Gire, Dept. of Physics, Oregon State University
Enrique Suarez, ISME, College of Education, University of Washington, Seattle
Ben Van Dusen, Dept. of Science Education, California State University, Chico


In addition, the conference offered contributed poster sessions, as well as the following series of targeted sessions/workshops.

• Regina Barber-DeGraaff, and Robin Kodner, Western Washington University, "Cultural awareness of self in STEM"
• James Day, University of British Columbia, Paula Heron, University of Washington, and Jayson Nissen, California State University Chico, "Using data to create, implement and assess evidence-based pedagogies"
• Jared Stang and Joss Ives, University of British Columbia, "Four-way high-fives during exams: Adding a group phase to provide immediate feedback and increase enjoyment"

Registration includes 3 nights lodging, 8 meals (dinner Saturday; breakfast, lunch, and dinner Sunday & Monday; breakfast Tuesday), coffee service Sunday and Monday, an evening campfire complete with 'smores, in a beautiful location with amazing company and great learning. You may register to bring guests, who can enjoy the attractions of the conference venue while you participate in the formal conference activities.


The registration deadline was May 11, 2018. (A $25 late fee applied after this date.) Fees were as follows:

Regular registration (includes meals, lodgings, and conference sessions): $525
Guest (includes meals and lodging but not sessions): $425
Guest children 2 - 17 years old (includes meals and lodging but not sessions): $300
Guest infant under 2 years old: free

Questions?  Contact one of the conference organizers:

Krishna Chowdary, The Evergreen State College
Andrew Boudreaux, Western Washington University
Abigail Daane, South Seattle College
Joss Ives, University of British Columbia