R.L. Hawkes, P.Phys., Ph.D., FRAS is a Professor of Physics at Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB. I am on a phased retirement (50% workload) and teach full time in the winter term and not in the fall term. Click on the CV link to the left to get a full current curriculum vitae in pdf form.

The Mount Allison physics departmental website is here. My current courses (Jan. 2012) are PHYS 1041 (Physics for the Lifel Sciences) and PHYS 3361 (Digital Signal Processing and Electronics). You can obtain descriptions of these, and other, physics courses on the physics section of the university calendar. PHYS 1041 is taught in a collaborative learning mode in the P.K. Varma Experiential Physics Lab. PHYS 3361 blends hands-on practical and theoretical aspects of the topics. This year students in the course will use iPad technology as part of the learning environment.

My research interests are in solar system astrophysics and physics/science education. Within astrophysics particular interests include meteor structure, meteor ablation in planetary atmospheres, electro-optical detection techniques, and laser ablation techniques. Click the Publications link on the left for a current listing of astrophysics research publications. In physics education I have particular interests in collaborative learning, experiential education, set induction, teaching and technology, early research intensive experiences, and reflective practices such as journal writing. In physics teaching a current interest is in the use of high frame rate video.

I also hold an adjunct position at the University of Western Ontario, with the Meteor Physics Group, being mainly involved in electro-optical observations of meteors.

I belong to the following professional societies and organizations: AAPT, CAP, CASCA, IAU, IMO, MetSoc, RAS, RASC, and STLHE.

I serve on the editorial board of the new open access journal ISRN Astronomy and Astrophysics.

I maintain three blogs, one on Physics Education Research from a Canadian perspective, another on Science Apps (for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch) and the third on the Bay of Fundy region.