Computation has rapidly become an invaluable facet of STEM education and readiness for STEM professions. Developing a computational mindset and skill base requires sustained learning experiences across the STEM subjects, ideally beginning in high school and continuing through higher education. Physics is one such STEM subject where computation can deepen conceptual understandings and develop application-oriented computational competencies. However, many high school physics teachers have little experience with research-validated pedagogical uses of computation, and physics education literature has a limited array of readily deployable computational activities that are appropriate for high school students. We present our facilitation of a computation-oriented online professional development for in-service physics teachers. We focused on content learning experiences for teachers with the goal of collaboratively adapting module activities for their classrooms. We illustrate the outcomes of this professional development by sharing the reflections of one participant teacher who is implementing materials in a general physics course.

The classical education movement addresses physics, as it does with many other fields, in ways that are sometimes similar, but sometimes unique—or at least uncommon—as compared to the way physics is addressed outside the movement. These differences extend to all aspects of physics education, from motivation, to focus, to content, to pedagogy, and more. Are these often-unique aspects of physics education as handled in the classical education movement addressed, either directly or indirectly, in the physics education research literature? If so, how do they stand up? This talk explores what physics education research literature might say about physics in the classical education movement.

This talk examines the retention of physics majors at a two moderately sized physics departments which struggle with increasing the number of graduates. The two institutions have undergraduate populations with substantially different levels of high school preparation. Survival analysis identifies the point of highest risk for two potential paths out of the major: leaving college and changing majors. Substantial risk of losing majors exists through the first two years of college. The results for changing major while staying in college were very different between the two institutions. Logistic regression is used to explore the factors related to retention in general and through the first two years of college. At the less selective institution, math readiness is a crucial factor predicting retention.

Physics and astronomy departments generate alumni every year, and we often ask for ways to keep in touch with them. Alumni can be an invaluable resource for high school and undergraduate students navigating their academic and postgraduate careers by acting as a point of contact, giving talks, or helping run outreach events. This talk discusses ways to create a departmental legacy of physics and astronomy alumni and how to engage your alumni to strengthen your outreach, engage with students, and provide invaluable knowledge and network connections to students about to graduate.