Why have a Physics LA Program?
Learning Assistants provide near-peer role models and serve as a bridge between the instructor and the students in the course. LAs help to implement an active learning classroom, whether or not you flip your course. LAs serve as coaches and champions of the students, providing them guidance and confidence. LAs do not grade and never see the student’s grades,
Who is a UF Physics LA?
Physics LAs are undergraduates who have been selected into the program to facilitate student learning in several courses. All new LAs must participate in a 1-credit pedagogy-cum-prep course and practice in the introductory physics courses (1 & 2) as facilitators of the small group problem solving sessions. After the successful completion of the first semester a LA may be placed in other physics courses based on Instructor’s need and on the interest of the LA. Most LAs choose to stay on for several semesters until they graduate from UF. Some have volunteered even after that! So it’s a family.
What happens in the pedagogy-cum-prep course?
This course, currently called Phy 4905-LA, runs in the Spring and Fall semesters. It is a 1-credit course and is 1 semester in length. Each week we go over some topics and discussion about teaching and learning such as how is facilitation different from tutoring, how to observe group dynamics, how to help ALL types of students make progress and learn from where they are, what kind of help can an LA provide outside of class time such as LA Office hours, How to be mindful of equity and inclusion in the class, Listening and wait times, Questioning skills, Facilitation skills, some intro to Physics Education Research, etc.. LAs often get a chance to start or join a Special Project. They can suggest what they would like to see and make it happen if it is an idea that promotes the learning of physics. (see Special Projects below)
If you wish to learn more about the LA model we implement please go hear: Learning Assistant Alliance website.
Why do I need Prep when I already know physics?
That’s a good question! No matter how brilliant you might be, teaching it to someone else is a slightly different skill. If you have struggled and then mastered a topic you are often better at being able to teach it than someone who had no struggle at all.
Which Physics courses at UF have LAs?
Phy 2004 and Phy 2005. Experienced LAs can also work in Phy 2048, Phy 2049, Phy2054, and Phy 2053.
What do LAs have to say about the Program?
Video recordings of former or current LAs:
Chadrick Schwipper, (A Physics major who has been with the Physics LA program for several semesters)
Emma Scott, (A Biology major who graduated from the Physics LA program after working in a variety of courses)
Elean Negrin. (A pre-med student who has in his final semester with the LA program in Spring 2022)
Spring 2022 LA Final Presentations after working in Phy 2049 (Alexandra Vicini), Phy 2054 (Grace Cheng), Phy 2004 (sorry, audio missing), Phy 2005,,
What are the characteristics of a Physics LA?
The physics LA program accepts a diverse set of students as Physics LA to serve as role models, near-peer mentors, and instructional team members. Students have come from a variety of backgrounds: physics majors, non-majors such as pre-med, economics, environmental science, psychology, biology, APK, geology, etc.. The main thing is you must be interested in physics and want to teach it and have completed the course you hope to practice in, or an equivalent course. You need not have done this physics course at UF. I am keen to have a representative group of LAs for the students in the courses to relate to, so I will look for gender balance and diversity when recruiting students. Come talk to me! Contact details below.
What are some of the Special Projects under the Physics La program?
We have completed 3 types of special projects and are open to new ideas or building further on these:
- International Virtual Exchange with Zambia – We have help Chengelo School in Zambia get started with their own Physics LA program using our materials and guidance. 5 LAs were involved in this virtual exchange – Juliet Hassan, Drew Latta, Nicole Krogman, Chloe Wilson and Tushar Shenoy.. This was a very enjoyable cultural exchange at both ends, we only wish we could have had more meetings.
- Mentoring Program: LAs that graduate from UF are invited to serve as potential mentors to other LAs and/or students in the physics courses. They are match with suitable mentees from time to time when a LA or student wishes to progress along a similar career path. This has been a huge success in all matched cases so far. Its a great way to give back to UF while staying in touch!
- Outreach: We have gone out to Alachua county and Levy county high schools or middle schools to give demonstrations/talks to excite the students about physics. We are particularly keen on offering this outreach activity to students who normally would not get physics in high school or have limited lab possibilities at their school..
How do I apply to be a Physics LA?
Each semester a due date is published for Applications for the next cohort.
Applications for Fall 2024 are now open
The current deadline for Fall 2024 is:
Application Form (Due May 10, 2024)
Who do I contact for more information?
Please contact:
| Dr. Sujata Krishna Physics LA Program Coordinator via email SujataKrishna@ufl.edu NPB 2249 |
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Physics LAs
| Gator | Major | Photograph |
|---|---|---|
| Carlton Smith | Physics, graduating Spring 2022 (Fall 2022: Yale grad school) |
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| Shane Clarke | Biology + Anthoropology, Premed Graduating Sprign 2022 |
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| Eleaan Negrin | Premed Graduating Spring 2022 |
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| Abdullah Durrani Spring 2022 |
Physics major Graduating Spring 22 Applying to med school |
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| Chloe Wilson (Spring 2022 -) |
Health Science major |  |
| Tushar Shenoy | Pre-med, Microbiology Yale Summer undergraduate research (Spring 22) Zambia Virtual Exchange |
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| Matthew Hansen Spring 2022 |
Physics Graduating Spring 22, going to physics grad school |
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| Nicole Krogman Spring 22 – |
Biochem + French |  |
| Julia Best Spring 2022 |
Environmental Science Graduating: Spring 22 Going into grad school Env. Engineering |
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| Drew Latta | Mechanical + Aerospace Zambia Virtual Exchange |
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| Dylan Hoffman | Physics |  |
| Alejandro Busto | Physics Graduated Fall 2021 Headed to Cal.Tech |
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| Emma Scott | Biology |  |
| Jeffrey Feldman Spring 2019 – 2020 |
Economics, grad students at NIH LA Mentor Presenation |
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| Juliet Hassan | Biology graduating spring 2022Headed to Nova for Optometry Headed Zambia virtual Exchange |
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| Kerry Lambert Fall 2019 – Spring 2021 |
Biology, graduated Spring 21 Grad school in Health professions with Navy. |
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| Michael Evans | Math/CS |  |
| Chadrick Schwipper | Physics, graduating spring 2022 Headed to grad school in Medical Physics |
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| Robin Aybar Fall 2019 – Spring 2021 |
Microbiology |  |
| Andrea Vironis |  |
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| Carlos Pimentel Spring 2019 – Fall 2019 |
Chemistry |  |
| Juliena Pena Lopez Spring 2019 – Spring 2021 |
Microbiology + Disabilities in Society |  |
| Shivani S. Patel Spring 2019 – Spring 2021 |
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| Alejandro Pereira Fall 2020 |
Biology & Psychology Headed to grad school at Univ. of Georgia |
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| Alvaro Abodero |  |
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| Dhruv Patel Spring 2021 |
Biology + premed |  |
| Jason Liu Spring 2020 – Spring 2022 |
Statistics |  |
| Laila Arzouni Spring 2020 – Spring 2022 |
Psychology major Headed: LA Mentoring Graduating Spring 2022 |
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| Matya Kaye | Biology, Visual Art, Premed |  |
| Shayaan Ahmed | Psychology |  |
| Shivani J. Patel | APK |  |
| Una Milovanovic Spring 2019 – Spring 21 |
Biology + premed Presentation |
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| Grace Cheng Spring 2022 |
Biomed Engg + Physics minor | |
| Sara Osmanovic Spring 2022 |
Computer Science + Math Minor | |
| Alexandra Vicini Spring 2022 |
Biology major Graduating: Spring 2022 |
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| Lorenzo Quiceno Spring 2022 – |