The Physics Education Research Topical Group (PERTG) is a Topical Group within the American Association of Physics Teachers, formed for those with a special interest in research on the teaching and learning of physics.

The Physics Education Research Leadership and Organizing Council (PERLOC) is elected by PERTG to serve as the representative body for community decision-making.

Click on links in the tabs at the top or the sidebar to the right to find more information about PERLOC, upcoming events, and more.

PERTG Membership within AAPT

For AAPT members to be part of the PERTG, they may self-identify and pay an annual fee of $40 (free for students). The fee is paid at the time of renewing AAPT membership and will be deposited in a special account to fund PERLOC activities/functions/programs. Click here to apply.

Funds will be used for:

• costs related to the annual Physics Education Research Conference (PERC), such as funds for invited speakers from outside PER and publication costs for the PERC Proceedings,
• financial support for PER-Central, the online clearinghouse containing links to PER-based materials, research results and publications, and discussion fora
• general support for PER activities within AAPT.

PERLOC Members, Roles and Responsibilities

• Rebecca Lindell (2024-2027); Chair
• Eugenia Etkina (2023-2026); GPER Liaison
• Beth Thacker (2023-2026) PER-Central Liaison
  Beth is a Professor of Physics at Texas Tech University. She has developed a laboratory-based, inquiry-based curriculum (INQ) taught using Socratic questioning pedagogy and has done significant work investigating students' qualitative and quantitative understanding of physics concepts in courses taught by traditional and non-traditional methods. She is presently working on assessing pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of Learning Assistants (LAs) in an inquiry-based physics class, assessing students' thinking skills across pedagogies,  graduate students' understanding of symmetry and conservation laws in classical mechanics, students' understanding of Quantum Computing (QC) at the undergraduate level, Educational Augmented Reality and Physics Identity. She is very excited about research in QC and the development and assessment of an upper level undergraduate QC course.
• Anne Leak (2024-2027); RiPE Representative
• DJ Wagner (2025-2028); Treasurer
  DJ is a Professor of Physics at Grove City College.  She has investigated student concepts about fluid statics and is part of a collaboration developing a standardized research-based assessment covering both fluid statics and fluid dynamics.  DJ is committed to including undergraduates in research and has served on the national council for the Society of Physics Students.
• Liam McDermott (2025-2028); Secretary, PER-Central Liaison, Community Conversations Co-Chair
  Liam (he/him) is a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Connecticut - Avery Point, working with Dr. Erin Scanlon. His work focuses on investigating neurodivergent student learning and performance and developing neuroinclusive pedagogies. He is presently investigating how neurodivergent students solve introductory physics problems with the goal of developing intro curriculum which empowers all students. Outside academia, he enjoys embroidery, gardening, foraging, hanging with his cats, and listening to punk music.
  
  
• Idris Malik (2025-2026); PERCoGs Representative, Mini-Grants Co-chair, Community Conversations Co-Chair
  Idris Malik (he/him) is a Ph.D. student in the Physics and Discipline-Based Education Research program at NDSU. He received his BS in Physics at The Ohio State University, where he did quantitative work with Dr. Andrew Heckler. Idris now works on qualitative research with Dr. Warren Christensen at the boundary of Math and Physics. Current projects include investigating how students think and talk about Calculus topics in Calc-Based Intro-Physics courses, and designing modular curricular materials for middle-division math topics used in upper-division physics. He is also involved in collaborative projects in the NDSU DBER community. Outside academia, Idris enjoys discovering new music, going to local concerts, volunteering at a community art space, playing the Clarinet / Drum set / Bass Guitar, Disc Golfing, Trivia, Dungeons & Dragons, watching comedies / anime, and presenting at PowerPoint nights.
  




For contact information click on the relevant link in the membership list at right.