I am

Shams El-Adawy

a physics education researcher.

About

About Me

I am a physics education researcher and physicist. I studied and worked in various US institutions: American University in Washington DC, DePaul University in Chicago, IL, Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS and MIT in Cambridge, MA. My research has devolved into various areas of PER: faculty professional development, transition of STEM researchers into DBER, physics graduate teaching assistant training, informal physics education and research and the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the classroom.

Education

Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Physics

Kansas State University | 2020 - 2023

Dissertation: Development of STEM professionals when integrating education research and physics public engagement into their careers

Master of Science in Physics

DePaul University | 2018 - 2020

Master’s Thesis: Interactions of context and teaching practices for physics instructors: a case study

Bachelor of Arts in Physics & French

American University | 2014 - 2018

Senior Capstone: Visualization tool for particle acceleration in simulated eruptive flares

Experience

Expericence

Postdoctoral Associate, Physics Education Group

Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 2023 - 2024

Collaboration with faculty and staff to successfully coordinate on-campus blended physics classes

Post-Doctoral Fellow

Kansas State University, Physics Department | May 2023 - July 2023

Writing research reports and publications

Consultant of Public Engagement

American Physical Society | June 2023 – July 2023

External evaluation for the Science Trust Project

Public Engagement Intern

American Physical Society (APS) | Jan 2022 - Aug 2022

Design and implementation of interview study to identify APS members’ resource needs in public engagement.

Publications

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

El-Adawy, S., Lau, A. C., Sayre, E. C., & Fracchiolla, C. (2024). Motivation and needs of informal physics practitioners. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 20(1), 010125.

El-Adawy, S., Hass, C.A.F, Vasserman, E., Kustusch, M.B, Franklin, S.& Sayre, E.C “A Professional Development for Emerging STEM Education Researchers”, American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition (2023), Baltimore, MD.

El-Adawy, S., Vogel, V., & Larkin, T. “Women in the Physics and STEM Pipelines: Recruiting, Retaining, and Returning in the Aftermath of a Global Pandemic”, American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition (2022), Minneapolis, MN.

Hass, C.A.F, El-Adawy, S. Hancock, E., Milos Savic & Sayre, E.C. “Emerging Mathematics Education Researchers Conception of Theory in Education Research” Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education (2022) Boston, MA.

Khong, H., El-Adawy, S. & Sayre, E.C. “Community of Practice in a physics department: double-majored students’ perspectives” International Conference of the Learning Sciences (2021), Online.

Service

Service & Leadership

Co-facilitator & LEAPS Fellow, Leadership and Professional Strategies Program
MIT, Spring 2024

Executive Committee Member, Topical Group on Physics Education Research (GPER)
APS, 2023

Executive Committee Member, Physics Education Research Consortium of Graduate Students
American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), 2021–2022

International Committee Chair, Physics Student Council
Kansas State University, 2021–2022

President, Women in Science Student Organization
American University, 2017–2018

President, International Student Association
American University, 2015–2018

Volunteer, Technology Innovation Hub (mHub)
Malawi, 2017

International Orientation Coordinator, International Student & Scholar Services
American University, 2015–2017

Women Initiative Executive Board Member, Student Government
American University, Washington D.C., 2015–2016