معرفی
Heather Lewandowski is a Professor and Fellow at JILA, a joint institute of the University of Colorado Boulder and NIST. She leads a research group focused on two major areas: experimental cold molecular physics and physics education research (PER). In molecular physics, her work explores quantum-controlled collisions/interactions of cold molecules using techniques like Stark deceleration and cryogenic buffer-gas beams. Her group studies molecular spectroscopy of clusters and ion-molecule reactions. In PER, she develops assessments (E-CLASS, MAPLE, SPRUCE) to improve lab education, emphasizing measurement uncertainty and modeling skills. Research also addresses pandemic-era lab instruction adaptation and quantum workforce training.
Her experimental work combines physics and chemistry to study cold molecular systems, while her education research bridges social science methods with pedagogical innovation. Key projects include:
- Cold molecular collision dynamics using electrostatic traps
- Mid-IR spectroscopy of carbon clusters (C3-C12)
- Lab course transformations for 1000+ students analyzing solar physics
- Development of uncertainty assessment tools (SPRUCE)
- Quantum education initiatives including industry capstone courses
Her group's PER efforts focus on student epistemology in labs, teamwork dynamics, and authentic research experiences. Collaborations include industry partnerships for quantum engineering projects and global lab education mapping.
