Daniel O’Brien and collaborators awarded NSF STEM education grant

Graduate student Daniel O’Brien is a member of a team of researchers recently awarded a National Science Foundation grant to create and test a STEM education tool using smartphone-based LiDAR. Understanding how to measure, display, and interpret motion is important for many STEM-related careers, particularly in the physical and data sciences. Educational researchers have advocated for numerous approaches to support sense-making with mathematical models of motion, but teachers often struggle to enact them due to limited resources. The project will make high-precision position sensing a reality for anyone who owns a smartphone. The educational research will measure the effect of using this new technology to improve student learning and engagement with regard to mathematical models with motion graphs, by producing a classroom-ready application and gamified lessons for teachers and students to use in traditional classrooms as well as the home.
The research and development team includes:

• Colleen Megowan Romanowicz (PI), physics education researcher, American Modeling Teachers Association
• Mina Johnson (co-PI), cognitive psychologist, ASU, Embodied Games LLC
• Chrystian Vieyra (co-PI), software engineer, Vieyra Software
• Rebecca Vieyra (co-PI), project manager, physics educator, doctoral candidate, Vieyra Software
• Daniel O’Brien (co-PI), physics doctoral candidate, Georgetown University

For more information, visit the NSF Award page:  https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2114586