Zack Ward

Zack Ward serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Physics, Applied Physics & Astronomy at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), teaching Physics I (PHYS 1110/1100) and Physics II (PHYS 1200) across Summer 2025, Spring 2025, and Fall 2024 semesters. His office is located in J-ROWL 3C06, with contact email wardz3@rpi.edu and phone 845-453-1829.

Ward's research spans two primary domains: defects in nanomaterials and physics education innovation. In nanomaterials, he investigates single photon emitters and develops predictive models for defect energy/stability in 2D materials. His recent educational focus targets introductory physics courses, emphasizing curriculum redesign through enhanced lab manuals, Discord-based communication systems, and refined lecture materials to improve student comprehension and engagement.

His publication record (2021-2024) reveals strong interdisciplinary work at the intersection of materials science and computational methods, with emphasis on defect engineering in hexagonal boron nitride for batteries, optical properties of transition metal dichalcogenides, and machine learning applications for perovskite bandgap tuning.

Ward's recognition includes:

• Walter Eppenstein Award (2020) - Best graduate teaching assistant in Physics at RPI

As an instructional-focused lecturer, Ward concentrates on classroom innovation rather than traditional research advising. His current initiatives include developing comprehensive Physics I lab manuals with visual enhancements, implementing Discord channels for real-time student-instructor interaction, and designing assessment questions that capture nuanced conceptual understanding across engineering and physical science disciplines.

He actively shapes the Physics I/II instructional labs at RPI, with recent work centering on restructured lab manuals featuring detailed imagery, highlighted critical variables, and activity sequences designed to optimize experimental learning outcomes for diverse student cohorts.