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George Mason Professors Launch New Program to Support Undergraduates Exploring Education Careers

Elizabeth Grisham

Physics and Astronomy Professors Benjamin Dreyfus and Jessica Rosenberg, along with Erin Peters-Burton of the College of Education and Human Development, are leading a new initiative under the Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC) Network Cohorts project. This effort aims to streamline pathways for undergraduates in physics and related fields to pursue careers in physics teaching.

The project will recruit a cohort of students, primarily learning assistants, who will receive funding to take the first course in the science education sequence. This course includes a field experience in middle and high schools and is designed to support students as they explore the possibility of continuing toward teacher certification.

The program will be evaluated through interviews with participating students. Additional insights will be gathered from former learning assistants who have graduated and entered physics teaching careers.

PhysTEC is a national network of institutions dedicated to improving the preparation of physics and physical science teachers.

Dreyfus received a $15,000 sub-award from the American Physical Society, funded by the National Science Foundation. The grant period runs from January 2025 through December 2026.

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