EP3 Events
9 past events
Supporting departmental change efforts in physics with Departmental Action Leadership Institutes (DALIs)
June 09, 2021–June 11, 2021A session of the Transforming Institutions 2021 Virtual Conference
Presented by David Craig and Joel Corbo
Abstract: The APS Effective Practices for Physics Programs (EP3) project aims to help physics programs respond to challenges with a collection of knowledge, experience, and proven good practice disseminated via the EP3 Guide. As part of the project, we are piloting Departmental Action Leadership Institutes (DALIs), which support faculty members and their departments in implementing significant changes to their undergraduate programs. Starting in January 2021, two faculty members from each of five departments joined the first DALI. These faculty members were charged with creating and leading cross-constituency teams in their departments to engage in a change effort, following the Departmental Action Team (DAT) model. This DALI started with an intensive virtual kickoff workshop, followed by twice monthly meetings and the opportunity for individual consultations with the DALI facilitators. These activities were designed to to help the DALI participants learn about and implement critical aspects of engaging in a change effort (e.g., defining a vision, setting goals, gathering and analyzing data, assessing results), of supporting a high-functioning team (e.g., recruiting diverse team members, managing conflict and power differentials), and of interfacing with stakeholders outside the team (e.g., cultivating allies, managing resistance). These are all practices that align with the literature on organizational change and effective teams, both within and beyond the higher education context. In this presentation, we will describe the goals, structure, and curriculum of the pilot DALI. We will also present some initial feedback from our participants about their experiences with the DALI and with leading their change efforts and describe our long-term plans to systematically document the impacts of DALI on participants and their departments.
Supporting Departmental Change Efforts with Departmental Action Leadership Institutes (DALIs)
June 04, 2021
A session of the 2021 Physics Department Chairs Conference
Presented by Joel Corbo and David Craig
As part of the APS Effective Practices for Physics Programs (EP3) project, we are piloting Departmental Action Leadership Institutes (DALIs), which support faculty members and their departments in implementing significant changes to their undergraduate programs. The DALIs are designed to help participants support their local change teams in engaging in a change effort, functioning well as a team, and interfacing with stakeholders outside the team. In this session, we will describe the goals, structure, and curriculum of the pilot DALI, present some initial feedback from our participants, and answer questions about how your department can apply to be part of the next DALI.
Toolkit for Departments Under Threat
June 04, 2021
A session of the 2021 Physics Department Chairs Conference
Presented by Jim Borgardt and Courtney Lannert
Guidance in the Toolkit for Departments Under Threat was sourced from over 50 interviews with administrators and physics faculty representing a wide range of institution types and experiencing varying threat levels. While many thematic patterns emerged, one lesson is that each department represents a unique ecosystem. There is no silver bullet: some departments doing “all the right things” still find themselves under serious threat, and a tactic that has been effective at one department may be ineffective at others. However, while there are circumstances out of a department’s control, we believe there are opportunities to improve one’s standing within the institution and to positively influence any potential decisions.
EP3 Guide: Managing Threats to Your Department and Building a Thriving Physics Program
June 03, 2021
A session of the 2021 Physics Department Chairs Conference
Presented by Theodore Hodapp and Michael Jackson
Abstract: In these uncertain times, many departments find themselves under threat in a number of ways. The Effective Practices for Physics Programs (EP3) guide and Toolkit for Departments Under Threat are available to provide insights into strengthening your department and looking to strategies that make physics highly relevant in the changing student demographic and financial landscape of higher education. We will briefly review guide and toolkit content that focuses on critical areas such as recruitment, retention, advising/mentoring, climate/culture, program review, strategic planning, implementing change, and tips for effective leadership. This presentation will identify tools for implementing change and strategies for focusing efforts that will allow departments to position themselves as innovators and leaders within the institution.
Managing Threats to Your Department: Building a Thriving Physics Program
April 16, 2021 | 06:00 PM–08:00 PM CST
A session of the APS April Meeting
In these uncertain times, many departments find themselves under threat in a number of ways. The Effective Practices for Physics Programs (EP3) guide and Toolkit for Departments Under Threat are available to provide insights into strengthening your department and looking to strategies that make physics highly relevant in the moving target that is higher education. We will review guide and toolkit content that focuses on critical areas such as recruitment, retention, advising/mentoring, climate/culture, program review, strategic planning, implementing change, and tips for effective leadership. This workshop will provide tools for implementing change and strategies for focusing efforts that will allow departments to position themselves as innovators and leaders within the institution. Prior to attending today's session please explore the content found on the EP3 website.
Speakers: James Borgardt (Juniata College), David Craig (Oregon State University), Theodore Hodapp (APS), Courtney Lannert (Smith College, U-Mass Amherst)
Schedule:
2:00-2:15 pm CT Overview of the new Effective Practices for Physics Programs (EP3) Guide (Hodapp)
2:15-2:55 pm CT Using the EP3 Guide to discuss challenges and potential initiatives focused on Retention of Undergraduate Physics Majors (Craig)2:55-3:00 pm CT Break
3:00-3:15 pm CT The EP3 Departmental Action Leadership Institutes (DALIs) – Supporting departments in using the EP3 Guide to undertake significant, sustainable change efforts (Craig)
3:15-4:00 pm CT APS Toolkit for departments under threat (Borgardt/Lannert)Equity, diversity, and inclusion in the EP3 Guide
April 08, 2021 | 05:00 PM EST
A session of the 2021 SEA-Change Webinar
Presented by Willie Rockward (Morgan State University)
Abstract: The Effective Practices for Physics Programs (EP3) guide, produced by the American Physical Society (APS) in collaboration with the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), aims to help physics programs respond to challenges with a collection of knowledge, experience, and proven good practice. The Guide includes a set of effective practices and guidelines for self-evaluation suitable for departmental review. It includes guidance on curriculum, pedagogy, advising and mentoring, recruiting and retention, research and internship opportunities, equity and diversity, scientific skills development, career preparation, staffing, resources, faculty professional development, and more. This webinar will focus on how you can use the EP3 Guide to support equity goals in your program. The Guide offers a wealth of guidance on supporting equity in physics departments, both in a section on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and interwoven throughout all sections.
Classification: Presentation, Virtual Event
Managing Threats to Your Department: Building a Thriving Physics Program
March 16, 2021 | 08:00 PM CST
A session of the APS March Meeting
Abstract: In these uncertain times, many departments find themselves under threat in a number of ways. The Effective Practices for Physics Programs (EP3) guide and Toolkit for Departments Under Threat are available to provide insights into strengthening your department and looking to strategies that make physics highly relevant in the moving target that is higher education. We will review guide and toolkit content that focuses on critical areas such as recruitment, retention, advising/mentoring, climate/culture, program review, strategic planning, implementing change, and tips for effective leadership. This workshop will provide tools for implementing change and strategies for focusing efforts that will allow departments to position themselves as innovators and leaders within the institution.
Classification: Workshop
Teacher Preparation and Departmental Survival: Using the EP3 Guide
March 05, 2021 | 08:00 PM EST
A session of the 2021 PhysTEC Conference
Presented by Theodore Hodapp (APS) and David Craig (Oregon State)
Abstract: Many physics departments are facing threats of closure, consolidation, or other more dramatic shifts due to economic and demographic forces on higher education. The Effective Practice for Physics Programs (EP3) Guide is an effort by the American Physical Society in collaboration with the American Association of Physics Teachers to provide a synthesis of knowledge and scholarship that informs improvements of all areas of undergraduate physics departments. Teacher education can be a potent component of a comprehensive plan to reinforce the quality of a program, increase majors, and provide directly realizable benefits to the surrounding community. This interactive discussion will provide attendees with an introduction to the Guide, a look at recently published initial sections, and some strategies for using the Guide to improve your programs. We will welcome feedback on ways to make this valuable resource available more broadly and especially any improvements we can make to strengthen our offerings that support teacher preparation.
Classification: Presentation, Virtual Event
Thriving physics departments: Proactive steps to take in difficult economic times
February 04, 2021 | 05:00 PM EST
A session of the APS Annual Leadership Meeting (ALM)
Presented by Bob Birgeneau (Berkeley), Jim Borgardt (Juniata), David Craig (Oregon State), Mike Dubson (UC Boulder), Frances Hellman (Berkeley), Theodore Hodapp (APS), Michael Jackson (Millersville), Mary James (Reed), Courtney Lannert (Smith College/UMass Amherst), Cathy Mader (Hope), Kevin Pitts (UIUC), Willie Rockward (Morgan State)
Moderators: Frances Hellman (Berkeley) and Theodore Hodapp (APS)
The new economics of higher education, changing demographics, and the economic wake of COVID-19 compel universities to reconsider how education survives and thrives. Join us for perspectives from faculty and administrative leaders, followed by small group discussions on how physics departments can take a proactive stance to adapt, grow, and thrive in this new environment.
Parallel Sessions Topics include:
- Departments threatened with closure
- Improving undergraduate instruction to find relevance and value
- Understanding administrative perspective
- Building respect between administration and physics faculty
- Building respect between instruction-focused faculty and research-focused faculty
- Department culture affects everything: Why your culture matters and how to make it better
- Preparing for the evolving dynamics of university finance constraints
Classification: Presentation, Virtual Event