Tom Colbert

Interim Chair

Tom Colbert

Interim Chair

Professor

Academic Appointment(s)

College of Science and Mathematics
Department of Physics and Biophysics

Other Duties

Program Director, Chemistry and Physics

Bio

Teaches introductory physics and upper level physics courses. Experience in Atomic Molecular and Optical physics. Physics education. Numerous projects with students and have worked on national digital physics library content.

Education

  • Ph.D., Physics Lehigh University, 1990

  • MS, Physics Lehigh University, 1987

  • BA, Physics Kenyon College, 1985

Awards & Honors

  • 2020 Excellence in Physics Education Award Recipient American Physical Society (APS), 2019

  • Governor's Teaching Fellow Institute of Higher Education UGA, 2003

Courses Taught Most Recent Academic Year

  • PHYS 1112

    Introductory Physics II
  • PHYS 3990

    Undergraduate Research

Teaching Interests

Introductory Physics, Electricity and Magnetism, Optics, and Advanced Physics Lab, Modern Physics

Scholarship

Selected Recent Publications

  • Worksheets for PHYSLETS Explorations, 3rd edition, 2018
    Study Guide
  • Worksheets For Exploration PHYSLETS, 2013
    Other
  • Effects of nonuniform reflective boundaries and line competition on radiation trapping, 1993
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • Radiative lifetimes, collisional mixing, and quenching of the cesium 5DJ levels, 1992
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • Radiation trapping in the far wings of the foreign-gas broadened potassium resonance lines, 1991
    Journal Article, Academic Journal

Research Interests

Undergraduate research projects. Educational demonstration development. Optics and various.

Department Service

  • Major Field Test 2022 - Present

    Role: Faculty Mentor
  • Accelerated Data Science dual degree BS PHYS, MS data Science 2022 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • Dept IT Data Steward 2021 - Present

    Role: Other
  • Major Field Test Physics 2021 - Present

    Role: Committee Chair
  • Senior Presentations 2021 - Present

    Role: Faculty Mentor

College Service

  • CoSM Executive Committee Member 2019 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • CoSM Executive Committee Meeting--spring 2019 update 2017 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • Honors Thesis Committees--revised for spring 2019 2016 - Present

    Role: Committee Chair
  • CoSM Exec committee member 2022 - 2023

    Role: Committee Member
  • Executive Committee Chair-then member 2021 - 2022

    Role: Committee Chair

University Service

  • Faculty Evaluation Alignment -Promotion 2022 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • Academic Success Center Advisory 2016 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • LASER radiation safety committee--spring 2019 2016 - Present

    Role: Committee Chair
  • Honors Program Committee Member--Spring 2019 update 2015 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • Science Building Moving 2021 - 2021

    Role: Committee Member

Professional Service

  • MERLOT 2019 - Present

    Role: Editorial Review Board Member
  • Sapling Learning 2018 - Present

    Role: Reviewer
  • 2020 - 2020

    Role: Reviewer, Journal Article
  • Public 2015 - 2015

    Role: Reviewer, Book
  • Advanced Placement physics problem - 2013

    Role: Reviewer

Public Service

  • Physics Program 2019 - 2019

    Role: Session Chair
  • Burke County Girls Demonstrations 2019 - 2019

    Role: Workshop Organizer
  • Service Public Science Show-update spring 2018 2016 - 2018

    Role: Chair
  • Service/Stevens Creek STEM demonstrations Year 2--update spring 2018 2018 - 2018

    Role: Chair
  • Service/River Ridge Elementary STEM night -spring 2018 update 2017 - 2018

    Role: Chair