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

• Rachel Henderson (2021-2024) Chair
  Rachel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the CREATE for STEM Institute at Michigan State University. Her research focuses on developing and implementing inclusive and equitable assessment tools that can be used to improve learning for all students within the physics classroom. She currently lives in Lansing, MI with her partner and French Bulldog, JuJu.
  
• Rebecca Rosenblatt (2021-2024) Treasurer
• Raymond Zich (2022-2025) Vice-Chair & PERC Liaison
• Eugenia Etkina (2023-2026) GPER Liaison
• Lauren Barth-Cohen (2022-2025) PERTG MiniGrants
  Lauren is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Utah. She also holds an Adjunct Assistant Professor position in the Department of Physics & Astronomy. Her research focuses on student and teacher conceptual learning in the physical sciences. She teaches elementary science methods courses for pre-service teachers and graduate courses in education. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her wife and their young child.
  
• Nekeisha Johnson (2023-2025) PERCoGS Rep, PERTG MiniGrants
  Nekeisha (she/her) is a graduate student at North Dakota State University pursuing a PhD in Physics and DBER. She is a lab teaching assistant, and is proud to represent the many graduate students pursuing PER work both in PERLOC and in PERCoGS.
• Sujata Krishna (2023-2026) PERC Liaison  
  Sujata is an Assistant Instructional Professor at the University of Florida. She has lived and worked in India, UK and USA, and actively supports diversity and inclusion by diversifying her physics LA program.
• Alice Churukian (2022-2023) Ex-officio/RiPE Chair
Alice will be starting a new position as Senior Instructor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of South Carolina in August.  She will be coordinating the conversion of their intro courses to the Lecture/Studio format and is in line to become the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the department next year.

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