Links Kirsten Hogg Kirsten Hogg was pursuing her love of science when she moved from Bateman's Bay to commence a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Sydney. I got to uni and joined every club I could. After completing her Bachelor of Science degree in 1995 and doing honours in physics, Kirsten began a PhD in 1996. Kirsten's research focuses on how university students learn physics and in particular how they approach a subject called physical optics.
Physical optics is a rather abstract field that students often find hard to learn.
Students come to university with a very basic idea of the subject but there is often a big gap between what they know and what they are required to know at the University level. Her research will involve interviewing many students about their experiences in second year physics, and she will also observe lecturers in action. Kirsten says the aim of her research is to pinpoint areas where students have problems in Physical optics, which will ultimately improve teaching and learning within the School of Physics. Another important aspect of her research is discovering how computers are used to teach specific aspects of physics. Kirsten's research area is a fairly new area in Australia and is certainly not an area in which you would expect a physicist to be involved.