MacKenzie Stetzer Biography

MacKenzie R. Stetzer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Maine and a member of the Maine Center for Research in STEM Education.  He received an A.B. from Bowdoin College and a Ph.D. in experimental condensed matter physics from the University of Pennsylvania.  Much of his current research in physics education explores student reasoning and metacognition – particularly the role that the (domain-general) nature of human reasoning and decision-making plays when students are answering qualitative physics questions.  Ongoing work is focused on leveraging dual-process theories of reasoning (from cognitive science) to better understand and support student reasoning in physics.  Additional areas of interest include student understanding of analog electronics (and the associated development of research-based instructional materials for courses on this topic), the instructional transition of STEM students from high school to college, and observation-based efforts to strengthen undergraduate STEM education.  He also has been deeply involved in the preparation and professional development of undergraduate LAs, graduate TAs, K-12 teachers, and university faculty in STEM for more than 20 years.