Assessing and Disseminating a New Model for Undergraduate Physics Education at Large Research Universities
D. K. Campbell,* G. E. Gladding,* T. J. Stelzer
National Science Foundation, NSF 97-52539

The pedagogical content and instructional methods for the new introductory four-course calculus-based physics sequence (Physics 111, 112, 113, and 114), under development since 1994, are being evaluated to determine their validity and effectiveness. The project addresses widely documented problems in contemporary physics education by adapting best-practice methods developed elsewhere for smaller, specialized classes and incorporating them into an integrated curriculum effective for the large classes typical of a research university. The courseware and a supporting World Wide Web-based interactive learning environment are being tested and standardized in order to disseminate them to peer institutions.

Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN)
D. K. Campbell,* J. P. Wolfe
U.S. Department of Education, P200A80724

The Department of Physics participates in the U.S. Department of Education's GAANN program to enhance the nation's capacity to prepare outstanding students, representative of our whole society, to assume roles as teachers and researchers in physics. Ten graduate student fellowships are provided that are allowing us to: (1) develop a new paradigm for graduate physics education by integrating formal scholarship and research training; (2) provide supervised teaching experiences for graduate students to broaden their intellectual range and improve their communications and presentation skills; (3) implement focused, aggressive recruiting efforts to bring more women, minorities, and persons with disabilities into our department.

Research Experience for Undergraduates in Nonlinear Science and Physics
D. K. Campbell,* G. E. Gladding,* R. W. Giannetta,* M. B. Weissman,* V. R. Pandharipande,* L. H. Greene,* S. L. Shapiro,* S. M. Errede,* G. D. Gollin*
National Science Foundation, NSF PHY96-05096

During the summer of 1999, the Department of Physics hosted its sixth annual Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), a 10-week residential research program. Twelve students-many from small colleges and universities-worked with 8 faculty members on hands-on research projects ranging from developing algorithms for interpreting the inversion of coherent x-ray diffraction patterns to manipulating biopolymers 'in silico.' Since 1994, 66 students-nearly 25% of them women or minorities-have participated in this program. For many of these students, the REU experience was decisive to their continuing in physics and to their selection of topical areas for their graduate research.