Contact Information
Title
Teaching Professor
Undergraduate Program Director
Education
Ph.D. Physics – Arizona State University, 1993
M.S. Physics – The Ohio State University, 1986
B.S. Physics – Ohio University (Honors Tutorial College), 1984
B.S. Mathematics – Ohio University (College of Arts and Sciences), 1984
Previous Experience
Before joining the UMBC Physics Department in 2005, Dr. Anderson was an Associate Professor at Avila University, where he practiced a studio approach to teaching introductory physics.
Professional Interests
With over three decades of university-level teaching experience, including over twenty years at UMBC, I serve as Teaching Professor in the Department of Physics. My evidence-based approach to teaching centers on helping students develop strong qualitative reasoning and quantitative problem-solving skills, while fostering confidence, curiosity, and a lasting engagement with physics beyond the classroom.
I teach across the introductory curriculum, including the algebra-based sequence for life science majors and the calculus-based sequence for science and engineering students, as well as the introductory laboratory program. My work is informed by Physics Education Research and sustained collaboration with colleagues at UMBC and beyond. I have played a key role in redesigning the Introductory Physics for Life Sciences sequence, developing interdisciplinary modules that connect physics principles to biological systems, including topics such as atomic bonding and action potentials.
My courses emphasize active learning and shared responsibility. Through strategies such as context-rich problems, collaborative group work, conceptual questions, and inquiry-based labs, students engage deeply with concepts while learning to communicate and apply their ideas. I also design opportunities for independent investigation, enabling students to connect physics to their own academic and personal interests.
Beyond the classroom, I contribute to departmental and national efforts to improve physics education through curriculum development, faculty collaboration, and dissemination of effective practices. Continuous reflection, informed by student feedback and assessment, remains central to my teaching and service.