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Embracing uncertainty in physics: A course for improving contemporary physics culture

ORAL

Abstract

As the physics community has begun to reckon with historical and contemporary inequities in our field, a need has grown to prepare new physicists to understand their positionality in physics culture. This includes their role in the social processes that underpin physics knowledge production, and broader cultural forces that have shaped who does physics and how physics is used in the world. At Oregon State University, we designed an upper-division undergraduate physics course to help students develop abilities to identify structural inequities in historical and contemporary times, build personal relevance between themselves and social systems, and resist oppression with the goal of fostering a more inclusive physics culture. In this talk, we will discuss this new course as well as share its content and discuss plans for research endeavors in the course.

Presenters

  • Patti Hamerski

    Oregon State University

Authors

  • Patti Hamerski

    Oregon State University

  • Danielle Skinner

    Oregon State University