Gina Passante Biography

Gina Passante is a Professor in the Physics Department at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). She received her Ph.D from the University of Waterloo, a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Mathematics (Part III of the Maths Tripos) at the University of Cambridge, and a B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Winnipeg. Her research focuses on student understanding of quantum mechanics and quantum information and the impact that instruction and instructional practices have on student thinking. She has been the Director of the Catalyst Center for the Advancement of Research in the Teaching of Mathematics and Science at CSUF from 2023-2025. In the classroom, students are at the center of all her decisions. She continually refines and tweaks her courses to improve students' experience. In 2025 she received the Carol Barnes Excellence in Teaching Award at CSUF.