Katrina Black

Katrina Black is a Teaching Professor in the Department of Physics at Michigan Technological University (MTU), part of the College of Sciences and Arts. She specializes in Physics Education Research, focusing on how students integrate mathematical knowledge into physics problem-solving. Her work examines student reasoning in areas like differential equations, symmetry in Gauss’s Law, and integration methods. Dr. Black holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Maine and a BS in Physics from MTU.

Her research explores how students use procedural resources and conceptual frameworks to tackle physics problems, with a particular emphasis on intermediate mechanics and mathematical reasoning. Key themes include the role of algebraic manipulation, the use of consistency plots to track student progress, and the cognitive strategies employed in solving differential equations.

Dr. Black’s publications span 2006–2015, reflecting a consistent focus on student problem-solving methodologies and educational assessment tools. Her work highlights trends such as the analysis of procedural resource creation, symmetry application in electromagnetism, and the visualization of student response changes. Notably, she has contributed to understanding how students approach air resistance problems and the epistemic games involved in integration methods.

No scientific awards are listed, but her contributions to physics pedagogy and student cognition are evident through her extensive publication record. She advises no documented students, though her teaching and research roles likely involve mentoring undergraduates. No lab or team affiliations are explicitly mentioned.