Warren Christensen Assistant Professor
Department of Physics
South Engineering 301
North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND 58105
Tel: (701) 231-6744
Fax: (701) 231-7088
warren.christensen [at] ndsu [dot] edu
(a) Professional Preparation
University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO, Physics, B.S., Magna Cum Laude; 2001
Iowa State University, Ames, IA, Physics, Ph.D.; 2007
University of Maine, Orono, ME, Postdoctoral Research Associate; August 2007 to July 2009
(b) Appointments
Assitant Professor of Physics North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND; August 2009 to present
Member, Center for Science and Mathematics Education Research University of Maine, Orono, ME; August 2007 to July 2009
(c) Publications
“Investigating graphical representations of slope and derivative without a physics context,” W.M. Christensen and J.R. Thompson, Phys. Rev. Sp. Top: PER, 8 023101 (2012).
Christensen, Warren M., Meltzer, David E., “Student understanding of calorimetry in introductory calculus-based physics,” Am. J. Phys. 79 (11) (2011).
Thompson, John R., Christensen, Warren M., Wittmann, Michael C., “Preparing future teachers to anticipate student difficulties in physics in a graduate-level course in physics, pedagogy, and education research,” Phys. Rev. ST: PER, 7 010108 (2011).
Christensen, Warren M., Meltzer, David E., Ogilvie, Craig A., “Student ideas regarding entropy and the second law of thermodynamics in an introductory physics course,” Am. J. Phys., 77 (10) (2009).
(d) Invited Presentations
“Discipline-based Education Research at North Dakota State University” invited talk at the 2012 National Summer Meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers, Philadelphia, PA, 2012.
“On the Effective Use of Clicker, and other Voting Systems,” invited seminar at North Dakota State University, Pedagogical Luncheon, Fargo, ND, February 1, 2012.
(e) Funding
PI on funded NSF REU Porposal, REU Site: Interdisciplinary Research in STEM Education. $330000 starting Oct 1, 2012.
Co-creater of the Learning Assistants Supporting Science Instruction Program at NDSU, secured $26000 in funding from Dean Kevin McCaul for the 2012-2013 academic year.
Co-PI on funded CCLI Proposal # 0942565, Collaborative Research: A Conference to Promote the Integration of Research on Undergraduate Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Education.
(f) Teaching
Course Creator and Instructor for Research Methods in STEM Education, a new course in the STEM Ed PhD Program that utilized literature from Mathematics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology and Physics Education Research
Taught PHYS 251 (1st semester calculus-based physics) on four occasions, and can demonstrate exemplary learning gains on valid and reliable instruments designed to assess students understanding of forces and motion
(g) Service
American Association of Physics Teachers – Research in Physics Education Committee Chair 2012-2013
American Association of Physics Teachers – Research in Physics Education Committee Vice-Chair 2011-2012
FORWARD Advocate 2012-present
FORWARD Ally 2010-2012
Physics Department LIVE REAL Mentor
Physics Department Assessment Committee 2009-present
Reviewer for the American Journal of Physics and Physical Review Special Topics: Physics Education Research
(h) Collaborators & Other Affiliations
(i) Collaborators and Co-Editors
Kryjevskaia, Mila, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND; Meltzer, David E., College of Teacher Education and Leadership, Arizona State Univ.–Polytechnic, Mesa, AZ; Ogilvie, Craig A., Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA; Thompson, John R., U. Maine, Orono, ME; Towns, Marcy H., Purdue Univ, W Lafayette, IN; Rasmussen, Chris, San Diego St Univ, San Diego, CA.
(ii) Graduate and Postdoctoral Advisors
Meltzer, David E., Arizona State Univ.-Polytechnic, Mesa, AZ.
Ogilvie, Craig, Iowa State University, Ames, IA.
McKay, Susan R., U. Maine, Orono, ME.
Thompson, John R., U. Maine, Orono, ME.
Wittman, Michael C., U. Maine, Orono, ME.
(iii) Professional Organization Memberships
American Association of Physics Teachers, Physics Education Research Topical Group, American Physical Society
