September 23, 2010

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Nobel Laureate Physicist Carl E. Wieman Confirmed as Associate Director for Science in Office of Science & Technology Policy

APS Lauds Senate Confirmation of Passionate STEM Educator, Distinguished Scientist

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Physical Society (APS) applauds the U.S. Senate confirmation of Nobel Laureate Carl E. Wieman, who has been named associate director for science at the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy. Wieman is an APS Fellow and former chair of the Society’s Division of Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics.  

“Dr. Wieman has demonstrated great passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education as evidenced by his outstanding work to inspire students using innovative teaching methods.  He will provide key leadership in overseeing the nation’s goals to strengthen STEM education and science research – both of which are crucial in solving the many challenges facing the nation,” said Kate Kirby, executive officer of APS.

A distinguished scientist, Wieman shared the Nobel Prize in physics with Eric Cornell and Wolfgang Ketterle in 2001 for laboratory experiments creating a new form of matter, a Bose-Einstein condensate.  Wieman directs science initiatives at the University of Colorado, Boulder, (CU-Boulder) and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada (UBC).  At CU-Boulder, he is highly regarded for his pioneering work – the Physics Education Technology Project – fun, interactive, research-based simulations that connect real-life phenomena and the underlying science, improving students’ understanding of the physical world.   

At UBC, he leads the Carl E. Wieman Science Education Initiative, which supports science departments by implementing research on learning science and determining ways to utilize effective educational technology. Wieman earned a B.S. degree in physics from MIT in 1973 and a Ph.D. from Stanford in 1977.