Get Ready for Physics
Dr. Adelson received his M. Sc. and Ph. D. degrees at The Ohio State University.  Before concentrating on teaching, Dr. Adelson worked for 13 years in X-ray and neutron diffraction and in X-ray spectroscopy at Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio. After assisting a former Ohio State Physics Department Chair in managing the calculus-based course for science and engineering majors, and similarly assisting a former vice chair in a summer course for teaching assistants on teaching physics, Dr. Adelson taught the Ohio State summer course for many years and still continues as manager of the calculus-based introductory courses. After teaching short summer courses for minority students in the 1980s, he became concerned with the deficits in preparation of all non-traditional students. In 1989, he then started a “Preparation for Physics” course, which is still offered at Ohio State University.  Dr. Adelson has followed the progress of Physics Education Research since its early years. He has co-taught with Alan Van Heuvelen in consultation with Eugenia Etkina, been fortunate in visiting and observing Lillian McDermott’s Physics Education group at the University of Washington, has worked together with Leonard Jossem at Ohio State University, and has attended almost all Physics Education workshops given at American Association of Physics Teachers meetings. He has given many talks documenting the progress of the Preparation for Physics course at AAPT meetings.