Physics Department's Charles Sukenik to Lead 'Provost's Conversation' from SCALE-UP Classroom

Charles Sukenik, associate professor of physics and undergraduate program director at Old Dominion University, will give a talk on "Encouraging Collaboration: Student-to-Student Interaction" at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, for the Provost's Conversations on Teaching and Learning Series. It will take place in the SCALE-UP Classroom, room 144, of the Oceanography and Physics Building.

Sukenik will lead a discussion of the importance of engaging students in classroom activities and the crucial role that student-to-student interaction plays in the learning process. He plans to reflect on his own experiences as both a student and a teacher and will share observations regarding the willingness of ODU students to embrace change in the classroom.

Since this presentation takes place in the SCALE-UP (Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs) classroom, he plans to demonstrate some of the new techniques the physics department has been using to improve student performance and retention.

Sukenik joined the ODU faculty in 1997 following postdoctoral appointments at the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin. His research specialization is experimental ultracold atomic, molecular and plasma physics. He has taught beginning and advanced classes across the physics spectrum and has helped to introduce new teaching methods at the university.

Sukenik earned a bachelor's degree in physics from Cornell University and a doctorate in physics from Yale University.

Hosted by Provost Carol Simpson and the Center for Learning Technologies, the Provost's Conversations on Teaching and Learning series features many of ODU's award-winning faculty members and administrators.

Conversations on Teaching and Learning is designed to provide faculty and administrators from across the campus with the opportunity to share, think and reflect on a wide range of teaching and learning issues, according to Simpson.

Archived videos of the presentations from the series can be viewed at http://clt.odu.edu/pctl or on ODU's YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=odu.

For more information about the lecture series, including a calendar of dates and conversation leaders, visit: http://clt.odu.edu/pctl.

To register, visit: http://clt.odu.edu/facdev.

Questions? Write to: clt@odu.edu.