Diana Driscoll

Diana Driscoll is a Senior Lecturer and Laboratory Director in the Department of Physics at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), within the College of Arts and Sciences. She has been a key figure in physics education at CWRU since joining as a graduate student in 1997, and now leads the introductory physics teaching laboratories serving nearly 800 students each semester.

• B.S. in Physics, Mathematics, and Computer Science, Mount Union College (1995)
• M.S. in Physics, Pennsylvania State University (1997)
• Ph.D. in Physics, Case Western Reserve University (2001)

Dr. Driscoll's work centers on physics education, particularly for pre-medical students. She teaches core courses such as Phys 115/116 (Introductory Physics), Phys 122 (General Physics II), and Phys 310 (Classical Mechanics), and co-developed IHSC 300, a course designed to prepare students for the MCAT. Her research background lies in medical physics and ultrasonic imaging, with a focus on speckle reduction and image enhancement techniques for soft tissue diagnostics.

The recent publications reflect an early research focus on biomedical applications of physics, particularly in ultrasonic imaging and signal processing. These works span topics like harmonic signal modeling, transmission line simulations, and deconvolution techniques for myocardial perfusion quantification. Though her current role is primarily instructional, these contributions highlight a strong foundation in applied physics and medical diagnostics.

Dr. Driscoll has received widespread recognition for her teaching excellence:

• Carl F. Wittke Award for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence (2020)
• Ohio PKAL STEM Educator Award (2018)
• Mortar Board Top Prof Award (2006, 2008)
• Multiple nominations for the Carl F. Wittke and Bruce F. Jackson Awards
• Graduate Dean’s Instructional Excellence Award (2000–2001)

She has served as a mentor and educator for generations of undergraduate and graduate students at CWRU. While no formal advisees are listed, her impact is evident through her leadership in lab instruction and curriculum development. She has not been awarded external research grants in the provided text, but her pedagogical innovations—especially in medical physics education—represent significant scholarly contributions. As Lab Director, she oversees a large-scale teaching operation critical to the physics curriculum and campus STEM education.