Deborah Roudebush Awarded 2009 AAPT Excellence in Pre-College Physics Teaching

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

College Park, Maryland, United States, March 25, 2009

The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) announced today that the 2009 AAPT Excellence in Pre-College Physics Teaching Award winner is Deborah Roudebush, a high school physics teacher at Oakton High School in Herndon, VA. This award is in recognition of contributions to pre-college physics teaching and awardees are chosen for their extraordinary accomplishments in communicating the excitement of physics to their students.

This prestigious award will be presented to Roudebush on during the AAPT Summer Meeting in Ann Arbor, MI where she will present a paper and accept a monetary award.

Lila Adair, Awards Committee Chair, said Roudebush, one of five finalists, was chosen for many reasons. “Deborah is an outstanding high school teacher who has demonstrated her excellent skills in the classroom as well as outside. She has been providing teacher workshops and making presentations for many years. She is personable, enthusiastic, motivating and, obviously, loves physics. Deborah is a great role model for all physics teachers, especially women. She embodies the spirit of AAPT.”

Roudebush earned her Bachelors of Science degree in Physics at Ohio University. She received a Masters of Science degree from Michigan State University in 1979 with an emphasis in Physics Education and her Ed.D. in Adult and Community Education from Ball State University in 1984. She became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2001.

Roudebush has served as an AAPT Physics Teaching Resource Agent (PTRA) since 1992, participated in the DC Urban initiative, served as Rural Initiative — James Madison University Lead Teacher, and DC MSP Lead Teacher in 2008. She has been active in QuarkNet since 2000, serving as Teaching & Learning Fellow with QuarkNet centers. She has participated in the National Academy of Sciences since 2004 and is a member of the College Board AP Physics Redesign Commission. She was recognized as a Presidential Awardee for Excellence in Science Teaching in 2001.

Regarding her recognition as recipient of the 2009 AAPT Excellence in Pre-College Physics Teaching Award, Roudebush said, “I am pleased and thrilled to be so honored by the people who make up AAPT. I have found the AAPT members to be supportive and helpful in my personal journey towards improved physics education. I love working with my teen-aged students to help them discover the joy of understanding the world around them. I equally value my work with fellow teachers to help them establish a connection with other physics teachers in working towards better understanding of physics content and how people learn. I have been able to contribute in this way due in large part to the wonderful support structure of my PTRA and AAPT colleagues. I can’t thank you enough.”

About AAPT

AAPT is an international organization for physics educators, physicists, and industrial scientists--with more than 10,000 members worldwide. Dedicated to enhancing the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching, AAPT provides awards, publications, and programs that encourage practical application of physics principles, support continuing professional development, and reward excellence in physics education. AAPT was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in the American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland.

For more information: Contact Marilyn Gardner, Director of Communications, mgardner@aapt.org, (301)209-3306, (301)209-0845 (Fax), www.aapt.org.

The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) announced today that the 2009 AAPT Excellence in Pre-College Physics Teaching Award winner is Deborah Roundebush, a high school physics teacher at Oakton High School in Herndon, VA. This award is in recognition of contributions to pre-college physics teaching and awardees are chosen for their extraordinary accomplishments in communicating the excitement of physics to their students.