Physics Faculty Member Presents at Conference for Educators

A member of the physics faculty at Pennsylvania College of Technology recently presented a talk at the 59th Annual Conference of the American Association of Physics Teachers Central Pennsylvania Section.

David S. Richards, associate professor of physics, presented a session titled "Analyzing Centripetal Force Using Spherical Neodymium Magnets." The conference was held March 11-12 at Penn State Schuylkill.

Richards also recently attended a hands-on workshop on the teaching and learning of astronomy concepts. The workshop was titled "Improving the College Introductory Astronomy Survey Course for Non-Science Majors Through Active Engagement." The two-day event was held at The Pennsylvania State University and was presented by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Center for Astronomy Education.

Richards has taught at Penn College since 1995 and received an Excellence in Teaching Award from the college in 2007. He has served as vice president and president of the Central Pennsylvania Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers.

He holds a doctorate in instructional systems from Penn State, a Master of Science from the University of Alabama and a bachelor's degree from Mary Washington College.

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