Education research is a budding scientific field of study which seeks to explore the interactions between learning processes, human attributes and institutional structures that influence a student’s receptiveness or enjoyment of a given subject. Here at OSU, researchers in the Department of Physics recognize the under-representation of diverse identities in their field and working to uncover the underlying causes of this. Turns out that the context of class questions and an individual’s gender expression may play a role.

Our guest this week is Noah Leibnitz, a 4th year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Physics. Advised by Dr. Doris Li, Noah conducts research on physics education. His two projects here at OSU are centered around a single idea: student retention in the physics discipline. Noah is conducting pioneering research to understand what aspects of physics education act as barriers and deterrents for students and their interest in physics. Early on in his graduate education Noah realized that he enjoyed engaging with others much more than he enjoyed working with equipment which has led him to a research career that balances his interests in physics, conversational research, and teaching.

Tune in this Sunday, May 3rd @7pm to hear Noah talk about what it’s like to conduct interviews as part of his research and describe the intricacies of designing problems that are not only challenging, but interesting to solve as well.