Laura Ríos
Education
- Ph.D., University of California, Irvine, Physical Chemistry
- B.A., Oberlin College, Chemistry
Research Interests
- Realigning class evaluation tools to more directly support learning goals
- Investing in upper-division laboratory courses
- Creating authentic, meaningful research experiences for undergraduates
About
I completed my PhD in Chemistry at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in 2017 under an NSF Graduate Research fellowship. Most recently, I was a Research Associate at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU) in PER with a collaborator appointment in JILA-NIST.
My current work focuses on deliberate investment into, and improvement of, upper-division laboratory courses. My research builds upon a fundamental assumption that lab courses offer a unique learning environment to develop the skills for empirical inquiry, and thus should reflect the authentic practices of experimental physics. I also firmly believe that all students should have the opportunity to engage in meaningful research. While the powerful effects of these opportunities are well-documented, they are getting more scarce.
Drop by my office in 180-610 or send me an email to discuss what we can do to cultivate a great experience for you!