Dr. Tony Stein

EDUCATION

Current Scholarly Activity

Gauge Invariance and Non-inertial Reference Frames

Gauge invariance is typically taught in undergraduate physics as an oddity that afflicts electricity and magnetism. Yet, it is central to many advanced theories in physics. My research has shown that it is a necessary part of classical physics and that it can make certain non-inertial reference frames (such as rotation) easier to understand. It is my hope that these ideas can be used to help bridge undergraduate and graduate physics. If all goes well, I should be able to present my work this summer at the American Association of Physics Teacher’s national summer meeting.

Student Research Activities

As a part of our department’s push to greatly increase the amount of independent research that our students are doing I have helped advise over a dozen students with research projects. Of necessity these projects are small in scope, but still give valuable experience for our students. Student projects that I have helped with and or advised over the last couple years include seismometry, building of a drone, a project to automate the dome of the astronomy observatory, building a rail gun, and trying to eliminate systematic errors in a centripetal force undergraduate laboratory. Students that I have advised and helped have presented their research at a regional Society of Physics Student conference in the Spring of 2018.

Previous Scholarly Activity

Lightning Research: Three year $90,000 NASA/EPSCor grant

Obtained 3 year $90,000 NASA/EPSCor grant studying lightning. Advise student researchers who presented their results at poster sessions at the Oklahoma Research Day and the SWOSU student research and scholarly activity fair. 

Stellar Spectroscopy: 1 year grant

Co-principle investigator studying stellar spectroscopy through 1 year NASA grant.  Fix and align telescopes and maintain observatory for research.  Advised student researchers in stellar spectroscopy.  Students presented poster at the SWOSU scholarly activity fair and at the Society of Physics Students regional meeting.

Presented Pedagogical Poster at AAPT meeting:

Presented poster session at the American Association of Physics Teachers 2008 summer meeting in Edmonton, Alberta entitled, ‘Four Simple Ways to Improve Upper-level Undergraduate Electricity and Magnetism’.

Article reviewer

Review submissions for the American Journal of Physics.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Email: tony.stein@swosu.edu Office Number: CPP 102-B
Phone Number: 580-774-3107

TEACHING: BASIC COURSES

ASTRO 1904 Astronomy
PHY 1063 Basic Physics
PHY 1044/L Basic Physics I/Lab
PHY 1054/L Basic Physics II/Lab
SCI 1503 Concepts of Physical Science
SCI 1501 Concepts of Physical Science Lab

TEACHING: PHYSICS

PHY 2021 Intro to Engineering Physics
PHY 2145/L General Physics I/Lab
PHY 2155/L General Physics II/Lab