Physics professor named St. Paul Educator of the Year

In the last five years, Bethel's physics department has earned 32 national awards for faculty and student achievement. Richard Peterson, professor of physics at Bethel since 1980, has played an important role in many of these accomplishments. In April, Peterson received another accolade when he was named Educator of the Year for Higher Education by the Rotary Club of St. Paul.

Richard Sherry, dean of faculty growth and assessment, calls Peterson "one of the most outstanding college physics teachers in any private college in the United States."

"My love for both doing and teaching physics has continued to row over the years," said Peterson. "This is a humbling love affair with a discipline that often makes one feel small, but at the same time makes on feel so grateful for today's experimental tools that allow us to see into this part of God's revelation."

Peterson has written Teaching Physics Safely, Advanced Laboratory Projects in Optics, and Experiments in Modern Physical Optics. He has also been honored with numerous awards from the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), received the annual American Physical Society Award for outstanding research with undergraduates, was national secretary for the AAPT, and is currently a candidate for election to the presidency of AAPT."

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