Department of Physics
Ray Hall
Fall 2024 Office Hours:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| By Appointment |
Fall 2024 Classes:
| Class | Time | Day(s) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSCI 4 Science and Nonsense: Facts, Fads, and Critical Thinking | 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM | MW | MCL 258 |
Academics
Ph.D., U.C. Riverside
Areas of Expertise and Interest
The majority of my published research involved the DØ Collaboration (a 700+ member experimental particle physics experiment at Fermilab) which took place from June 1989 to 2010. A highlight of my participation included the discovery of the top quark, a fundamental particle of nature.
My current research centers on understanding best practices for teaching critical thinking and methodologies of science, and how to best assess student learning outcomes in these areas.
Main Courses Taught:
- Physics 4A: Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Calculus- Mechanics and Energy
- Physics 115: Quantum Mechanics
- NS4: Science and Nonsense- Critical Thinking and the Methods of Science (Area A3 GE)
- H102: Revolutions in Science and Social Science (Upper Division GE for Honors Students)
Selected Publications
- Effect of Critical Thinking Education on Epistemically Unwarranted Beliefs in College Students, Dyer, K.D. & Hall, R.E. Res High Educ (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-018-9513-3
- The DØ Silicon Microstrip Tracker, The DØ Collaboration (S.N. Ahmed et al.) Nucl.Instrum.Meth.A634:8-46, 2011 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2010.11.121
- A precision measurement of the mass of the top quark (Cited: 300+), The DØ Collaboration (V.M. Abazov et al.) Nature 429 (2004) 638-642 https://doi.org/10.1038/nature02589