Physics Asia-Pacific Volume 1

Raymond A. Serway is an emeritus professor at James Madison University. He earned his doctorate at Illinois Institute of Technology. Among his accolades, he has received an honorary doctorate degree from his alma mater, Utica College, the 1990 Madison Scholar Award at James Madison University where he taught for 17 years, the 1977 Distinguished Teaching Award at Clarkson University and the 1985 Alumni Achievement Award from Utica College. As a Guest Scientist at the IBM Research Laboratory in Zurich, Switzerland, Dr. Serway worked with K. Alex Müller, who shared the 1987 Nobel Prize in Physics. He was also a visiting scientist at Argonne National Laboratory where he collaborated with his mentor and friend, the late Sam Marshall. Dr. Serway is the co-author of "Physics For Scientists and Engineers: College Physics"; "Principles of Physics"; "Essentials of College Physics"; "Modern Physics" and the high school textbook, "Physics," published by Holt McDougal. He has published more than 40 research papers in the field of condensed matter physics and has given more than 60 presentations at professional meetings.

John W. Jewett Jr. is Emeritus Professor of Physics at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He earned his undergraduate degree in physics at Drexel University and his doctorate at The Ohio State University, specializing in optical and magnetic properties of condensed matter. Dr. Jewett began his academic career at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, where he taught from 1974 to 1984. Active in promoting effective physics education, he has received four National Science Foundation grants in physics education, and he helped found and direct the Southern California Area Modern Physics Institute (SCAMPI) and Science IMPACT (Institute for Modern Pedagogy and Creative Teaching). Dr. Jewett's honors include the Stockton Merit Award at Richard Stockton College in 1980, selection as Outstanding Professor at California State Polytechnic University for 1991–1992 and the Excellence in Undergraduate Physics Teaching Award from the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) in 1998. In 2010, he received an Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award from Drexel University in recognition of his contributions in physics education. Dr. Jewett is the author of "The World of Physics: Mysteries, Magic, and Myth," which provides many connections between physics and everyday experiences. In addition, he is co-author with Dr. Serway of "Principles of Physics," 5th Edition. Dr. Jewett enjoys learning languages, traveling and most importantly, spending time with his wife, Lisa, and their children and grandchildren.

Kate Wilson is a senior lecturer in the School of Engineering and Information Technology, UNSW Canberra (UNSW at the Australian Defence Force Academy). She has a PhD in computational physics from Monash University and a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Teaching from the University of Canberra. Kate has been a member of the Sydney University Physics Education Research group, an Innovative Teaching and Educational Technology Fellow at the University of New South Wales, first year coordinator in physics at the Australian National University and director of the Australian Science Olympiads Physics Program. She is author of the resource set Workshop Tutorials for Physics and Nelson Physics units 3 and 4 for the National Curriculum.

Anna Wilson has a PhD in nuclear physics from Liverpool University and a Master of Higher Education from the Australian National University. She has worked at universities in the UK, the US, France and Australia. She has taught physics at all levels of the undergraduate degree including algebra-based, first-year courses, quantum mechanics, nuclear and particle physics, and is the recipient of teaching awards including an Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning and an Award for Teaching Excellence. She has published research in the fields of optics, nuclear structure physics and education. She has recently returned to both the UK and full-time study and is undertaking a PhD in Education at the University of Stirling, Scotland.

Wayne Rowlands is a senior lecturer in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Swinburne University of Technology. He has a PhD in laser atomic physics from the University of Melbourne, and a Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching from Swinburne University of Technology. His interests cover fundamental experimental research, science education and outreach. Wayne was a Chief Investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum-Atom Optics, with a particular interest in Bose-Einstein condensation. He is an active member of the Engineering and Science Education Research Group at Swinburne, has presented at education research conferences, and was invited to deliver the Australian Institute of Physics "Youth Lecture" series of talks by the Victorian Branch (in 2002) and the Queensland Branch (in 2006). Wayne has been the Editor of "AOS News", the journal of the Australian Optical Society, and also served as a long-term presenter on the 3RRR radio science show "Einstein A Go Go".