As chair of physics at Baldwin Wallace University, guest columnist Dr. Edwin Meyer has been a strong advocate for teaching problem solving to develop innovative, critical thinking skills and mental stamina. He received a Ph.D. in physics in 1988 from Case Western Reserve University and worked as a research scientist for Imperial Chemical Industries until he arrived at BW in 2000. With the mantra, “It’s not so much what you know, but what you can figure out,” Meyer currently teaches two problem solving courses at BW and regularly presents workshops to businesses and schools around the area.
In 2014, as I met with incoming Baldwin Wallace University physics majors to schedule their first semester classes, a young man walked in with a basketball underneath one arm, wearing shorts and a baseball cap. He introduced himself as Brandon Shipley and told me he wanted to go to Case Western Reserve University to earn a PhD in physics.
I admired this goal, but cautioned him that graduates from all over the world apply to CWRU’s PhD program. Most of them come from families with advanced scientific degrees and are groomed for this difficult endeavor.
Brandon, a “first generation” college student from Garfield Heights said, “We better get to work.”
In his second week of physics, Brandon was first to hand in his green exam booklet. I opened it up, saw a careless error on the first question, tore it in half, threw it in the garbage and handed him a new booklet. I immediately wondered if that spontaneous act was a good idea. However, Brandon went back to work.
Brandon did very well in freshman physics. He was indeed diligent and sharp. Most of all, he had a passion for understanding and would frequently visit my office with questions.
When we sat down to schedule Brandon’s second semester, I advised him to take BW’s advanced mathematical methods course for scientists. He questioned whether he was ready. I replied, “Brandon, you might flunk, but this course will let you know the level of hard work and determination it takes to get a PhD in physics.”
He took the course. The first exam was on problem solving with infinite series. He struggled for a few hours, then handed it in. I asked him how he thought he did. He said, “I’m sure I got the first one right, but not the others.” The first one was wrong, too.
Brandon ended up getting a C-minus in the course. He worked so hard that he was transformed. I was starting to believe that he had a chance to earn a PhD.
As a result of his excellent freshman performance, Brandon became a physics tutor as a sophom*ore. He was a great role model.
In his junior year, Brandon asked me to do a BW Summer Scholars project with him -- a funded, student-faculty collaboration. We applied to write a university-level workbook on the topic that vexed him in that methods exam: problem solving with infinite series. The book is now in its second printing.
In his senior year, Brandon was honored as BW’s Outstanding Physics Student of the Year and, with modest GRE scores, applied to four graduate schools. His first choice was still CWRU.
One university called Brandon with an acceptance on the day his application arrived. Two more acceptance letters came. I my mind, he had made it. He, however, was not satisfied. He had not heard from CWRU.
Finally, a fourth acceptance arrived. He was going to CWRU.
As expected, Brandon’s first year started out a bit ragged, but he began to hit his stride in the second semester. At the end of May, Brandon had to surmount a key hurdle: the two-day physics PhD qualifying exams. Passing the qualifiers leads to a research assistantship and, eventually, a PhD.
Well, Brandon just forwarded me the letter congratulating him on passing!
I think back to his freshman year and marvel at what can be accomplished with hard work and determination.
Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts, and stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using Notification Settings (in blue) just below.
Readers are invited to submit Opinion page essays on topics of regional or general interest. Send your 500-word essay for consideration to Ann Norman at anorman@cleveland.com. Essays must include a brief bio and headshot of the writer. Essays rebutting today’s topics are also welcome.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
