Faculty & Staff Directory
Benjamin Dreyfus
- Professor
Contact Info
- Name
- Dr. Benjamin W. Dreyfus
- Job Title
- Professor
- Phone Number
- Office Number
- Exploratory Hall, Room 1406, MSN 3F3
Affiliations
Departments
- Physics & Astronomy Department (Faculty)
Research Areas
- Physics
- Science Education
Education
PhD, physics, University of Maryland College Park, 2014
MA, science education, City College of New York, 2004
AB, physics, Harvard University, 2001
About
Ben Dreyfus has a joint appointment in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the STEM Accelerator Program, and has been at GMU since 2016. He teaches physics courses and coordinates the Learning Assistant Program for the College of Science. Dr. Dreyfus began his career as a high school physics teacher, then pursued a PhD in physics at the University of Maryland Physics Education Research Group, where he helped develop and teach an introductory physics course for life sciences students with an interdisciplinary focus. At Mason, he works on incorporating active learning methods into various formats of introductory physics courses and preparing students to be educators.
Current Research
Dr. Dreyfus's research field is physics education research. Current projects include investigating the longitudinal development of Learning Assistants (through the STEM Accelerator Program), pathways into physics teaching (with support from PhysTEC), and the development of quantum curriculum for K-12 (through the Quantum Science and Engineering Center).
Teaching Focus
Dr. Dreyfus's introductory physics courses incorporate active and collaborative learning, both in the ALT (Active Learning with Technology) classroom and in the lecture/recitation format. The Learning Assistant (LA) seminar is for all first-time LAs, to reflect on their teaching experiences and apply insights from education research. The GTA seminar is for first-time physics/astronomy GTAs to reflect on their teaching experiences, develop skills, and integrate teaching into the rest of their graduate education.
Courses taught:
- PHYS160: University Physics I
- PHYS243: College Physics I
- PHYS244: College Physics I Lab
- PHYS245: College Physics II
- PHYS326: independent study (physics education research)
- PHYS670: Physics Teaching Seminar
- COS390 (formerly UNIV390): Learning Assistant Seminar
Selected Publications
- B.W. Dreyfus*, J.R. Hoehn*, A. Elby, N.D. Finkelstein, A. Gupta, “Splits in students’ attitudes toward classical and quantum physics,” Int. J. STEM Educ., 6, 31 (2019)..
- B.W. Dreyfus*, A. Elby*, A. Gupta, E.R. Sohr, “Mathematical sense-making in quantum mechanics: An initial peek,” Phys. Rev. PER, 13, 020141 (2017).
- B.W. Dreyfus*, A. Gupta*, E.F. Redish, “Applying conceptual blending to model coordinated use of multiple ontological metaphors,” Int. J. Sci. Ed., 37(5–6), 812–838 (2015).
- B.W. Dreyfus*, B.D. Geller*, D.E. Meltzer, V. Sawtelle, “Resource Letter TTSM-1: Teaching thermodynamics and statistical mechanics in introductory physics, chemistry, and biology,” Am. J. Phys., 83(1), 5–21 (2015).
- B.W. Dreyfus, J. Gouvea, B.D. Geller, V. Sawtelle, C. Turpen, E.F. Redish, “Chemical energy in an introductory physics course for the life sciences,” Am. J. Phys., 82(5), 403–411 (2014).
- B.W. Dreyfus, V. Sawtelle, C. Turpen, J. Gouvea, E.F. Redish, “Students’ reasoning about ‘high-energy bonds’ and ATP: A vision of interdisciplinary education,” Phys. Rev. ST—Phys. Educ. Res., 10, 010115 (2014).
- B.W. Dreyfus, B.D. Geller, J. Gouvea, V. Sawtelle, C. Turpen, E.F. Redish, “Ontological metaphors for negative energy in an interdisciplinary context,” Phys. Rev. ST—Phys. Educ. Res., 10, 020108 (2014).
Awards
2020 Teaching Excellence Award (General Education)
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, 2011–2014
AAMC MedEd Portal Curriculum Award, Top submission in biochemistry for “Chemical Energy Instructional Thread for an Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences Class,” 2013
Contact Info
- Name
- Dr. Benjamin W. Dreyfus
- Job Title
- Professor
- Phone Number
- Office Number
- Exploratory Hall, Room 1406, MSN 3F3