Paula R. L. Heron

Paula R. L. Heron is a Professor of Physics at the University of Washington, affiliated with the Department of Physics within the College of Arts & Sciences. She holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Physics from the University of Ottawa and a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from the University of Western Ontario. Her research focuses on enhancing conceptual understanding in mechanics, electricity and magnetism, and thermal physics, alongside fostering formal reasoning skills in physics education.

Dr. Heron is co-Founder and co-Chair of the biennial 'Foundations and Frontiers in Physics Education Research' conference. She has held leadership roles in organizations such as the American Physical Society (APS) and the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), including serving on the APS Forum on Education Executive Committee and co-chairing the Phys21 task force. She currently serves as Associate Editor of Physical Review – PER.

Her awards include the APS Education Award (2008) and election as an APS Fellow (2007). Her contributions include co-authorship of the widely adopted instructional materials, Tutorials in Introductory Physics.