NEXUS Physics Publications

The NEXUS/Physics team and their collaborators have published many papers discussing the research, motivation, and approach to these issues. The set below provides a useful overview.

Background and Motivational Papers

An overview of the project that created the competency development tools on which NEXUS/Physics is built:

• Reinventing college physics for biologists: Explicating an epistemological curriculum, E. F. Redish and D. Hammer, Am. J. Phys., 77(7) (2009) 629-642.[auxiliary appendix]

A paper making the case for the importance of understanding random motion for biology students:

• Understanding randomness and its impact on student learning: Lessons learning from building the Biology Concept Inventory (BCI), K. Garvin-Doxas and M. Klymkowsky, Cell Biology Education - Life Science Education 7 (Summer 2008), DOI: 10.1187/cbe.07–08–0063

This paper explores the concept of biological authenticity in physics as perceived by biology students.

• Disciplinary Authenticity: Enriching the reform of introductory physics courses for life science students, J. Watkins, J. E. Coffey, E. F. Redish, and T. J. Cooke, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res., Vol. 8 (Apr 2012), 010112.

A paper making the case for the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach (including physics) for discussing chemical bonding.

• The Trouble with Chemical Energy: Why Understanding Bond Energies Requires an Interdisciplinary Systems Approach, M. M. Cooper and M. W. Klymkowsky CBE Life Sci Educ 12 (June 3, 2013) 306-312.

A look at the use of physics in a biology class on organismal diversity.

• Understanding how students use physical ideas in introductory biology classes, J. Watkins, K. Hall, E. F. Redish, and T. J. Cooke,  in Proceedings of the Physics Education Research Conference, Portland, OR, July 2010, AIP Conf. Proc. 1289 (2010) 333-336.

Designing a Course

An brief overview of the issues involved in created a physics course for biology majors -- written for an audience of physicists.

• Reinventing physics for life science majors, D. C. Meredith and E. F. Redish, Physics Today 66:7 (2013) 38-43. doi: 10.1063/PT.3.2046

An overview of the full NEXUS project, including the materials developed for chemistry, math-in-bio, and capstone multi-disciplinary case-based lessons.

• Competency-Based Reforms of the Undergraduate Biology Curriculum: Integrating the Physical and Biological Sciences, K. V. Thompson, J. Chmielewski, M. S. Gaines, C. A. Hrycyna, & W. R. LaCourse, Cell Biology Education - Life Science Education 12 (June 3, 2013) 162-169. doi:10.1187/cbe.12-09-0143

These papers explore student views of the relationships between the disciplines and the implications for designing activities that tie them together effectively.

• A Framework for Analyzing Interdisciplinary Tasks: Implications for Student Learning and Curricular Design, J. Svoboda, V. Sawtelle, B.D. Geller, and C. Turpen, Cell Biology Education - Life Science Education 12 (June 3, 2013) 187-205. doi:10.1187/cbe.12-08-0135
• Students' Reasoning about interdisciplinarity, B. D. Geller, B. W. Dreyfus, V. Sawtelle, J. Svoboda, C. Turpen, and E. F. Redish, in Proceedings of the Physics Education Research Conference, Philadelphia, PA, July 2012, AIP Conf. Proc. 1513 (2013) 146-149.

This is the overview paper that summarizes the motivation for NEXUS/Physics, the decisions made in designing it, and the changes made from traditional approaches.

• NEXUS/Physics: An interdisciplinary repurposing of physics for biologists, E. F. Redish, C. Bauer, K. L. Carleton, T. J. Cooke, M. Cooper, C. H. Crouch, B. W. Dreyfus, B. Geller, J. Giannini, J. Svoboda Gouvea, M. W. Klymkowsky, W. Losert, K. Moore, J. Presson, V. Sawtelle, K. V. Thompson, C. Turpen, & R. Zia, Am. J. Phys. 82:5 (2014) 368-377.

This paper summarizes the NEXUS/Physics laboratories. These labs are Scientific Community Labs, emphasizing helping students learn experimental design, sense-making with labs, and working effectively in groups. The labs are data rich, use modern technology, and have students develop their own protocols.

• Toward better physics labs for future biologists, K. Moore, J. Giannini, & W. Losert, Am. J. Phys., 82:5 (May, 2014) 387-393.

Understanding Particular Curricular Issues

Overview of Common Thermodynamics papers.

• Resource Letter TTSM-1: Teaching thermodynamics and statistical mechanics in introductory physics, chemistry, and biology, B.W. Dreyfus*, B.D. Geller* (co-first authors), D.E. Meltzer, and V. Sawtelle, Am. J. Phys. 83, 5-21 (2015); doi: 10.1119/1.4891673 

Papers discussing the treatment of chemical energy in NEXUS/Physics

• Chemical energy in an introductory physics course for the life sciences, B. W. Dreyfus, B. D. Geller, J. Gouvea, V. Sawtelle, C. Turpen, & E. F. Redish, Am. J. Phys., 82:5 (2014) 403-411.
• Students' reasoning about high energy bonds and ATP: A vision of interdisciplinary education, B. W. Dreyfus, B. D. Geller, J. Gouvea, V. Sawtelle, C. Turpen, & E. F. Redish,Phys. Rev. ST Physics Education Research 10 (2014) 010115, 15 pages. 
• Student Views of Macroscopic and Microscopic Energy in Physics and Biology, B. W. Dreyfus, E. F. Redish, and J. Watkins, in Proceedings of the Physics Education Research Conference, Omaha, NE, August 2011, AIP Conf. Proc. 1413, 179-182 (2012).
• Ontological metaphors for negative energy in an interdisciplinary context, B. W. Dreyfus, B. D. Geller, J. Gouvea, V. Sawtelle, C. Turpen, & E. F. Redish, Phys. Rev. ST Physics Education Research (2014) 10 (2014) 020108, 11 pp.
• Applying Conceptual Blending to Model Coordinated Use of Multiple Ontological Metaphors, B. W. Dreyfus, A. Gupta, and E. F. Redish, Int. J. Sci. Ed. 37:5-6 (2015) 812-838. doi:10.1080/09500693.2015.1025306 (free access to preprint) 

Papers discussing the treatment of entropy and free energy in NEXUS/Physics.

• Entropy and spontaneity in an introductory physics course for life science students, B. D. Geller, B. W. Dreyfus, J. Gouvea, V. Sawtelle, C. Turpen, & E. F. Redish, Am. J. Phys.82:5 (2014) 394-402.
• “Like Dissolves Like”: Unpacking Student Reasoning About Thermodynamic Heuristics, B. D. Geller, B. W. Dreyfus, J. Gouvea, V. Sawtelle, C. Turpen, and E. F. Redish, 2013 PERC Proceedings (AAPT, 2013) 157-160.

Papers discussing the use of math and equations in biology and NEXUS/Physics classes.

• Context dependence of students' views about the role of equations in understanding biology, J. Watkins and A. Elby, Cell Biology Education - Life Science Education 12 (June 3, 2013) 274-286. doi:10.1187/cbe.12-11-0185
• Language of physics, language of math: Disciplinary culture and dynamic epistemology, E. F. Redish and Eric Kuo, Science & Education (2015-03-14) doi:10.1007/s11191-015-9749-7.
• Analysing the Competency of Mathematical Modelling in Physics. In: Greczy?o T., D?bowska E. (eds) Key Competences in Physics Teaching and Learning. Springer Proceedings in Physics, vol 190. (2017, Springer, Cham). doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-44887-9_3 (free access to preprint through link)
• Blending physical knowledge with mathematical form in physics problem solving, Mark Eichenlaub and Edward F. Redish, in Mathematics in Physics Education, G. Pospiech, M Michelini, & B. Eylon, eds. (Springer Verlag, 2019). (preprint, arXiv 1804.01639) 

Lessons Learned

An in-depth exploration of the different approaches taken to instruction by biologists and physicists — written for an audience of biologists.

• Learning Each Other's Ropes: Negotiating interdisciplinary authenticity, E. F. Redish and T. J. Cooke, Cell Biology Education - Life Science Education, 12 (June 3, 2013) 175-186. doi:10.1187/cbe.12-09-0147

A paper on the way biology students perceive the relationship between the scientific disciplines.

• Examining the Positioning of Ideas in the Disciplines, V. Sawtelle, T.-R. Sikorski, C. Turpen, E.F. Redish, in Proceedings of the Physics Education Research Conference, Philadelphia, PA, July 2012, AIP Conf. Proc. 1513 (2013) 366-369.

Case studies of bio students coming to understand how physics might play a role in their thinking of biology.

• Leveraging a Relationship with Biology to Expand a Relationship with Physics, V. Sawtelle and C. Turpen, Physical Review - PER 12 (2016) 010136, 19 pp.
• Epistemological progress in physics and its impact on biology, Julia Gouvea, Vashti Sawtelle, and Abhilash Nair, Physical Review Phys. Ed. Res. 15,  (2019) 20 pp. DOE:https//10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.010107
• Bridging the gaps: How students seek disciplinary coherence in introductory physics for life science, B. D. Geller, J. Gouvea,  B. W. Drefus, V. Sawtelle, C. Turpen, and E. F. Redish,  Physics Review Phys. Ed. Res. 15, 020142 (2019) 16 pp. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.020142

A series of papers on the challenges life science (and other) students face in learning to use the mathematics they have learned in the complex context of science.

• Using math in physics - Overview, E. F. Redish, The Physics Teacher 59 (2021) 314-318.
•  Using math in physics - 1. Dimensional analysis, E. F. Redish, The Physics Teacher (2021) The Physics Teacher 59 (2021) 397-400. (arXiv preprint)
• Using math in physics - 2. Estimation, E. F. Redish, The Physics Teacher, 59 (2021) 525-528. (arXiv preprint)
• Using math in physics - 3. Anchor equations, E. F. Redish, The Physics Teacher, 59 (2021) 599-604.  (arXiv preprint)
• Using math in physics - 4. Toy models, E. F. Redish, The Physics Teacher, 59 (2021) 683-688. (arXiv preprint)
• Using math in physics - 5. Functional dependence, E. F. Redish, The Physics Teacher, 60 (2022) 18-21. (arXiv preprint) 
• Using math in physics - 6. Reading the physics in a graph, E. F. Redish, The Physics Teacher, 61 (2023) 651-656. (arXiv preprint)
• Using math in physics - 7. Telling the story, E. F. Redish, The Physics Teacher, 62 (2024) 5-11. (arXiv preprint)

A more complete list of NEXUS/Physics publications and presentations is available at this link.

Last updated 3/20/23