Nick Childs

Nick Childs serves as an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Physics at Montana State University's College of Letters & Science, where he teaches calculus-based physics sequences and specialized renewable energy courses for educators through 2025.

His academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Physics, Montana State University (2013)
• M.S. in Physics, Montana State University (2009)
• M.S. in Science Education - Physics, SUNY College at Buffalo (2006)
• B.S. in Applied Physics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1999)

Childs' research program bridges physics education with materials science for renewable energy, focusing on double perovskite compounds for energy applications and solid oxide fuel cell components. His physics education work develops classroom demonstrations and teacher-focused curricula, while his materials research investigates electrical properties of complex oxides and energy conversion systems through experimental and computational approaches.

Analysis of his 2013 publications reveals a cohesive research trajectory centered on materials characterization for energy technologies, with significant contributions to double perovskite studies and fuel cell systems across materials chemistry, applied physics, and science education journals. These works demonstrate interdisciplinary connections between fundamental materials science and practical educational applications.

His scholarly recognition includes:

• Nominated for Teaching Innovation Award (2019)
• Provost Presidential Emerging Scholar Award (2018)

Childs actively contributes to academic service as a National Science Foundation reviewer and editorial reviewer for Fuel Cells journal, while maintaining university engagement through the Montana State University Science and Engineering Festival. His teaching portfolio emphasizes pedagogical innovation in introductory physics and renewable energy education for K-12 teachers.