Edward F. Redish

Professor of Physics
University of Maryland

Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1968

Edward F. Redish is a Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland in College Park. He received his undergraduate degree Magna Cum Laude from Princeton University and his Ph.D. in theoretical nuclear physics from M.I.T. in 1968. He has been at the University of Maryland ever since, and served as Chairman of the Department of Physics and Astronomy there from 1982-1985. His research in nuclear theory emphasized the theory of reactions and the quantum few-body problem.

Since 1982 he has been actively involved in the subject of physics education. He was founder and co-principal investigator of the Maryland University Project in Physics Education and Technology (M.U.P.P.E.T.) and Comprehensive Unified Physics Learning Environment (CUPLE). His current research effort is devoted entirely to physics education. For more information, see the homepage of the Physics Education Research Group (PERG) at the University of Maryland.

Prof. Redish is a fellow of the American Physical Society and the AAAS. He has received awards for his work in education from the American Association of Physics Teachers, the Washington Academy of Sciences, the Maryland Association for Higher Education, Dickinson College, and Vanderbilt University. He has served on national advisory panels for both nuclear physics and physics education and he is currently serving as US Representative to the International Commission on Physics Education. He is the editor of the supplement to the American Journal of Physics for Physics Education Research.

Currently he is doing research on student expectations in university physics, the effectiveness of computer applications, and student difficulties in understanding quantum mechanics.

Selected Publications

1. Student expectations in introductory physics, Edward F. Redish, Jeffery M. Saul, and Richard N. Steinberg, Am. J. Phys. 66, 212-224 (1998).
2. Discipline-based education and education research: The case of physics, Edward F. Redish, Invited talk, presented at workshop "The Sciences of Science Learning", National Academy of Sciences, September 6, 1996.
3. The Distribution and Change of Student Expectations in Introductory Physics, Edward F. Redish, Richard N. Steinberg, and Jeffery M. Saul, Invited poster, presented at The International Conference on Undergraduate Physics Education (ICUPE), College Park, Maryland July 31-August 3, 1996. Proceedings to be published by the American Institute of Physics, E. Redish and J. Rigden, Eds.
4. Mathematical Tutorials in Introductory Physics, Richard N. Steinberg, Michael C. Wittmann, and Edward F. Redish, Sample class, presented at The International Conference on Undergraduate Physics Education (ICUPE), College Park, Maryland July 31-August 3, 1996. Proceedings to be published by the American Institute of Physics, E. Redish and J. Rigden, Eds.
5. New Models of Physics Instruction Based on Physics Education Research, E. F. Redish, Vorträge, Deutsche Physikalishe Gesellschaft, Didaktik der Physik, 60. Physikertagung, K. H. Lotze, Ed., Jena, Germany, (March 1996) 51-65.
6. On the Effectiveness of Active-Engagement Microcomputer-Based Laboratories, E. F. Redish, J. M. Saul, and R. N. Steinberg , Am. J. Phys. 65 (1997) 45-54..
7. Implications of Cognitive Studies for Teaching Physics, E. F. Redish, American Journal of Physics, 62, 796-803 (1994).
8. Are Computers Appropriate for Teaching Physics", E. F. Redish, Computers in Physics, 7, 613 (Nov/Dec 1993).
9. What Can a Physics Teacher Do with a Computer?, E. F. Redish, Conference on the Introductory Physics Course, Jack Wilson, Ed. (Wiley, NY, 1997) 47-60.
10. Student Programming in the Introductory Physics Course: M.U.P.P.E.T,, E. F. Redish, and J. M. Wilson, American Journal of Physics, 61, 222 (1993).
11. "The CUPLE Project: A Hyper- and Multi-Media Approach to Restructuring Physics Education", E. F. Redish, J. M. Wilson, and C. K. McDaniel, in Sociomedia, p. 219, ed. E. Barrett, Cambridge: MIT Press (1992).
12. "Using Computers in Teaching Physics", J. M. Wilson, and E. F. Redish, Physics Today, 42, 34 (January 1989).
13. "The M.U.P.P.E.T. Manifesto," W. M. MacDonald, E. F. Redish, and J. M. Wilson, Computers in Physics 2, 23 (July/August 1988).

Selected Presentations

1. The Role of Physics Education Research in Reforming Undergraduate Education, Edward. F. Redish (3 October 98, Revitalization of Physics Education Meeting, Arlington, VA)
2. Student Difficulties with Energy in Quantum Mechanics, Edward F. Redish, Lei Bao, and Pratibha Jolly (7 January 97 AAPT Winter Meeting, Phoenix, AZ)
3. Measuring Student Expectations in University Physics: The MPEX Survey, Edward F. Redish (6 January 97 AAPT Winter Meeting, Phoenix, AZ)
4. Student Difficulties with Math in Physics: Giving Meaning to Symbols, E. F. Redish, Richard N. Steinberg, and Jeffery M. Saul ( 9 August 96 AAPT Summer Meeting, College Park MD)
5. Student difficulties with math in physics: Why can’t students apply what they learn in math class? ,Richard N. Steinberg, Jeffery M. Saul, Michael C. Wittmann, Edward F. Redish (9 August 96 AAPT Summer Meeting, College Park MD)
6. Identifying Student Difficulties with the Propagation of Mechanical Waves, Michael C. Wittmann, Edward F. Redish, Richard N. Steinberg (9 August 96 AAPT Summer Meeting, College Park MD)
7. Student Difficulties with Quantum Mechanics, Lei Bao, Pratibha Jolly, and Edward F. Redish (8 August 96 AAPT Summer Meeting, College Park MD)
8. Student Difficulties with Superposition of Mechanical Waves, Michael C. Wittmann, Edward F. Redish, Richard Steinberg (2 March 96 AAPT Regional Meeting)

Published Software

1. J. M. Wilson and E. F. Redish, CUPLE: The Comprehensive Unified Physics Learning Environment, Raleigh, NC: Physics Academic Software (1994).
2. E. F. Redish, J. M. Wilson, and I. D. Johnston, The M.U.P.P.E.T. Utilities: Programming Tools for Turbo Pascal with Physics Examples, Raleigh, NC: Physics Academic Software (1994).
3. J. Harold, K. Hennacy, and E. F. Redish, Orbits, Raleigh, NC: Physics Academic Software (1989).