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Eberly College of Arts & Sciences Department of Physics and Astronomy
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Elaine Christman

Physics, Ph.D. | Physics Education Research

“I've loved having the opportunity to teach Conceptual Physics. There's something so enjoyable about watching students who entered the class with trepidation about whether they could succeed in physics perform experiments, analyze data, and explain phenomena in the world around them and, in doing so, build both their content knowledge and self-confidence.”

Hometown: Prairie Grove, Arkansas, USA

Hobbies: Reading and board games

One interesting fact: I have been in charge of organizing five parades. (Never again!)

Q&A with Elaine

  • What are your favorite things about the department?
  • What do you think is the most interesting thing about your research?
    • I firmly believe that physics is for everyone. A lot of physics education research has historically focused on well-prepared students at fairly elite institutions, but we do work at WVU on methods to assess how well physics classes are functioning for the full range of learners, including those with no prior physics background.
  • Why did you want to pursue physics?
    • When I took my first undergraduate physics courses with Prof. Gay Stewart and Prof. John Stewart, I was hooked. I'd loved physics in high school, but it wasn't until I experienced active learning pedagogies that meant I was actually doing physics rather than just solving equations that becoming a physicist felt like an option.
  • Why did you choose West Virginia University?
    • I taught in a tiny, rural, high poverty high school in Arkansas before coming to WVU. I knew that I wanted to do work that had the potential to support the physics success of rural and first generation college students. West Virginia University had both outstanding physics education research faculty and, through our membership in the First2 Network, a rare opportunity to do research on rural STEM majors.
  • How have your professors and/or staff helped you be successful?
    • There are so many people in the department who support us not just as students and researchers, but as people. There's a tremendous sense of community and caring.
  • What advice would you give to an incoming student?
    • Don't be afraid to reach out to others when you face challenges!
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