In May 2026, during my study leave, I had the fortunate opportunity to visit several universities across China. The invitation came from a group of professors whom I had taught in 2024 when they spent three months at the UBC… Read moreVisit to China: STEM education revisited
Last Saturday, we welcomed 1,056 students and 79 teams from across British Columbia to the UBC Physics Olympics. Some travelled from nearby Vancouver schools; others came from Invermere, Nelson, Campbell River, and many communities in between. A few teams were… Read moreThe 48th UBC Physics Olympics: A Celebration of Curiosity, Courage, and Community
Reflections Ahead of My Talk at the Fields Institute On January 31st, I will have the honour of presenting at the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences in Toronto, speaking about an issue that has shaped much of my… Read moreBridging Research and Practice in STEM Teacher Education
April 26, 1986 (almost exactly three month after the Challenger disaster) is a day I will never forget. My uncle and aunt had invited me to spend the weekend at their cottage by a lake near Kharkiv, where we… Read moreForty years later: Challenger, Chernobyl, and the cost of weak STEM foundation
As the end of the year approaches, it is an opportune moment to pause and reflect on the state of Canada’s K–12 public education system. Since 2010, I have been deeply involved in teacher education in British Columbia, working closely… Read moreCanadian K-12 Teaching Crisis
I have just finished teaching my undergraduate and graduate courses for future and practicing STEM teachers. With grades submitted, I finally have the space to pause and reflect—not only on my students’ learning, but on my own experience as a… Read moreGrades Submitted, Questions Remain: Teaching STEM in the Age of AI
UBC Physics Olympics is a province-wide annual collaborative outreach event at the University of British Columbia that I have been involved in for almost 20 years now. It brings together 1000+ students and more than 80 teachers from all over… Read more47th UBC Physics Olympics
On January 1st, I will begin my 15th year at UBC Faculty of Education. I was a faculty member at Ryerson University (2007-2009) prior to that and at the UBC Faculty of Science (2004-2007). In total, I have been more… Read moreReflections on 2024 and looking forward to 2025!
I feel very fortunate to be able to present our science outreach work to the colleagues at the Department of Physics at Aarhus University this summer. These exchanges of ideas allow us to learn from each other and to improve… Read moreEngaging Students in Physics: Innovative Outreach at UBC
As I am getting ready to start a new academic year, I keep thinking about what I will carry on from the past and what I will try to do differently this year. I also keep thinking about what I… Read moreNew Academic Year: Old challenges and new possibilities
