Mike Massa
Associate Professor, Academic Counsellor
College of Computational, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Department of Physics
Research Areas
- Physics Education
- Condensed Matter and Material Physics
Education and Employment Background
Dr. Mike Massa received his PhD in Physics from McMaster University in 2006. Between 2006 and 2008, he held a position as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Harvard University. From 2013 to 2015, he worked as a Research Assistant and Physics Lecturer at McMaster University and the University of Guelph. Massa joined the Department of Physics at the University of Guelph in 2017 where he is now an Associate Professor and Academic Counsellor.
Research Themes
Massa interests lie in creating and applying new knowledge in the context of conventional research in science in addition to the scholarship of teaching and learning. Key areas of focus include:
- Scholarship of teaching and learning. Massa has initiated several research studies that focus on physics education, including exploring ways to improve curriculum and the use of technology in the classroom. In collaboration with Dr. Martin Williams, Massa has been investigating the integration of computation into physics education, assessing the impact of this integration on student learning and attitude.
- Custom built, self-propelled bots. Massa has been exploring tunable interactions between bots and probing the dynamic states exhibited in this model 2D system.
Highlights
Major funding, Awards, National or International Recognition, Prestigious affiliations, Memberships on editorial boards or societies
- Member, Ontario Association of Physics Teachers, 2013-2020
- OpenEd Course Redevelopment Fund, 2017
- PSEER Education Award, 2017
- Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal, McMaster University, 2007
- Frank J. Padden Jr. Award, 2006
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2006-2008