The theme of the 2015 Physics Education Research (PER) Conference was "Critical examination of laboratory-centered instruction and experimental research in physics education." The conference focused on exploring ways PER can investigate and support students' development around skills, abilities, and attitudes that foster success in experimental endeavors.

In particular, for over a century, the physics curriculum has emphasized laboratory-centered instruction, and more recently, undergraduate research experiences are becoming an integral component of the curriculum.  Laboratory classrooms and undergraduate research environments are well-equipped for hands-on learning that involves the practices of scientists and engineers in ways that integrate conceptual and mathematical understanding.  Beyond technical abilities, traditional and reformed laboratory courses often emphasize teamwork and oral and written communication skills.  The breadth and diversity of goals and strategies that can be employed in lab courses is remarkable.  The physics education community needs to better understand the impact of these courses on students' professional development, their identity, their retention in STEM fields, and their development of specific abilities around scientific practices.  Lab-centered classroom instruction and undergraduate research experiences are relatively unexplored by the PER community. There is an expanse of intellectually fascinating and practically significant research questions that would benefit from the breadth of research expertise and methodology represented in the PER community.