Professor Brian LeRoy wins College of Science Innovation in Teaching Award

Congratulations to Professor Brian LeRoy, who has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 College of Science Innovation in Teaching Award in recognition of his outstanding innovation in transforming and modernizing the introductory physics courses for students in the Department of Physics.

 

Prof. Brian Leroy has spearheaded the transition to a studio-style intro-physics course (PHYS 110) format that integrates lectures, laboratories, and tutorials into a unified learning experience. Beginning in 2016 with experiments in collaborative learning spaces, he worked for nearly a decade to develop both the physical classroom environment and a new curriculum designed to increase student engagement and improve learning outcomes. The redesigned course incorporates hands-on experiments, real-world applications, and modern technology such as Bluetooth sensors and smartphone-based data collection, making the learning process more relatable and interactive for students.

 

The new course format has produced significant improvements: student success rates increased, failure and withdrawal rates dropped dramatically, and average exam performance rose compared to previous years. These successes have led to a surge in student demand, requiring enrollment increases, and also attracted substantial donor funding to expand the studio spaces and transform additional intro-physics courses.

 

Professor LeRoy’s efforts and success stimulate discussions in the Physics department about transforming other courses, positioning such innovations as a potential gateway to widespread change in physics education.