Faculty & Staff Directory
Benjamin Dreyfus
- Associate Professor
Contact Info
- Name
- Dr. Benjamin W. Dreyfus
- Job Title
- Associate Professor
- Phone Number
- Office Number
- Exploratory Hall, Room 1406, MSN 3F3
Affiliations
Departments
- Physics & Astronomy Department (Instructional Faculty)
- 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 teaches physics, and coordinates the Learning Assistant Program across the College of Science.
Current Research
Prof. Dreyfus's research field is physics education research, and current projects include investigating the impact of the Learning Assistant (LA) program on LAs and on students in their courses, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. We welcome students who are interested in getting involved in research.
Teaching Focus
Prof. Dreyfus's introductory physics courses incorporate active and collaborative learning, both in the ALT (Active Learning with Technology) classroom and in the large lecture format. The Learning Assistant (LA) seminar is for all first-time LAs, to reflect on their teaching experiences and apply insights from education research.
Courses taught:
PHYS243: College Physics I
PHYS244: College Physics I Lab
PHYS245: College Physics II
PHYS326: independent study (physics education research)
UNIV391: COS Learning Assistant Seminar
Selected Publications
- 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). https://journals.aps.org/prper/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.13.020141
- 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). https://aapt.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1119/1.4891673
- 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). https://aapt.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1119/1.4870391
- 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). https://journals.aps.org/prper/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.10.010115
- 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). https://journals.aps.org/prper/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.10.020108
Awards
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
- Associate Professor
- Phone Number
- Office Number
- Exploratory Hall, Room 1406, MSN 3F3