As a member of the American Association of Physics Teachers since 1994, Kathleen A. Harper, a lifetime member, will receive the Winter 2025 AAPT Fellowship in January. The fellowship recognizes AAPT members who have shown “exceptional contribution to AAPT's mission to enhance the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching.“

Founded in 1930, AAPT is an international organization for physics educators, physicists, and industrial scientists with members worldwide and is dedicated to enhancing the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching. AAPT provides awards, publications and programs that encourage teaching practical application of physics principles, support continuing professional development, and reward excellence in physics education.

Over the years, Harper has served on multiple committees and task forces at the national level and in 2015, the organization recognized her commitment with the Homer L. Dodge Citation for Outstanding Service to AAPT in 2015.

“AAPT has been key to my growth as an educator and researcher,” Harper shared. “It also made so many professional development opportunities possible for me.”

Her work has had a wide and positive impact on physics education. Receiving $2 million in grants, part of Harper’s work focuses on the professional development of teachers, and she guided the modeling instruction program in Ohio for nearly fifteen years. Shared on a wide scale through publications and talks on the national and local level, Harper has led over 24 workshops focused on teaching problem solving skills at national AAPT meetings.

“I am grateful that I have had the chance to give some of that back to the physics—and STEM—education community,” Harper shared.

It was during her time as a student at CWRU that Harper started pursuing STEM education, learning from Bob Brown, another AAPT fellow at the university, who Harper says helped her discover her passion for teaching.

“I think it’s particularly appropriate that I received the fellowship after I returned to CWRU. My mentors from my student years here were instrumental in starting me on this path.”