“Take chances, make mistakes, get messy.”
— Ms. Frizzle, The Magic School Bus
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Research
Quantitative reasoning is all around us — from making sense of COVID-19 exponential curves, to using fractions and percentages in daily life. Regardless of the career paths we take, reasoning about quantities is a necessity in modern life. My research looks into what skills are essential for people in their lives that physics is well suited to help develop, and what kinds of resources for teachers and students alike are helpful to build on the brilliant ideas they already have to continue to develop robust quantitative reasoning.
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Teaching
Teaching is my life passion. As a former high school and middle school teacher, I love the energy and vibrancy that only a classroom engaged in learning can give. At the University of Washington, I have had the opportunity to be a graduate teaching assistant in both small, discussion-based tutorial-style classrooms and larger lecture halls. I believe that good teaching begins with learning from your students what they already know, and building from their creative ideas towards expertise.
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Service
Service is an essential component of my work and my commitment to my community. I have had the privilege to serve my community in a variety of ways including representing graduate students on UW faculty committees and participating in graduate student organizations at the local and national level.
About Me
I have always had a passion for teaching and physics, although my “passion” did not always mean “scientifically brilliant."
I graduated Carleton College in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in physics, and my experience learning physics was quite challenging. After graduation, I pursued high school teaching as a way to reflect on my own learning and help other students succeed in physics. I became fascinated by how challenging conceptual math concepts are for many students, just as it was for me. In particular, I was interested in how to help students develop quantitative reasoning through their science courses while supporting the already good ideas that they bring with them into the classroom. Along the way, I discovered physics education research and was lucky enough to begin my doctorate work with Suzanne White Brahmia in 2018. I earned my Ph.D. in the summer of 2023, and am currently a postdoc at the University of Washington.
Outside of my work, I am a passionate baker, love to go for a run in the Seattle rain, and travel any chance I get.
Contact
Physics Department,
University of Washington
Seattle WA 98105
Email
zimmermc@uw.edu