Section: 4

Major: Astrophysics

Future plans: I’m not planning on going to grad school but I might change my mind, who knows! I would really like a job in data, nothing specific. I also want to travel so hopefully my job will include that, and if not, I’ll likely take a gap year and travel Europe!

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Don’t be scared to work in groups, it helps so much to get input from others on all of the different approaches to each problem. Read the feedback and adjust accordingly! The feedback is there to help you succeed and we just want the best for you!

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? I highly recommend going to help room, and utilizing all of the other help options (piazza, asking ULAs, and even talking to your group).

Fun fact about me: I have three part time jobs, one of which is observing at the MSU observatory! I work through MORP, a research program where I observe transiting exoplanets from sundown to sunrise.

Email: arndtale@msu.edu

Section: 3

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Future plans: Graduate and see where is takes me, maybe grad school or a cool job.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: My biggest pieces of advice would be to make sure to do the notes before hand and to be open to new perspectives within your group.

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? QUESTIONS!! Help room is extremely helpful because of the one-on-one help where you can work through your problems!

Fun fact about me: I have two little dachshunds named Rocco and Diesel.

Help room hours: Tuesdays, 4-5 pm (in person)

Email: bednardo@msu.edu

Section: 5

Major: Astrophysics

Future plans: I’m honestly not sure! I plan on getting my PhD, and my dream is to start my own business that leads in space innovation and exploration.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Have an open mind. Those who haven’t experienced a flipped classroom environment yet may not enjoy or understand its usefulness until they adjust to it. I promise it’s worth it!

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Go to help room! Use Piazza! Ask questions! The EM/P-cubed staff are at your disposal, and here to help whenever it’s needed.

Fun fact about me: I’ve been singing since the 4th grade, and I am the current director of the MSU Grand Canonical Ensemble (Physics Choir). Contact me if you’re interested in joining!

Email: copel116@msu.edu

Section: 4

Major: Biosystems Engineering

Future plans: Attend med school or a PhD program

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Get comfortable with your groups and make connections outside of just physics.

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Go to your group first, that’s why they’re there! Ask for clarification or an explanation. Beyond that, help room is a great time to get assistance and discussion boards are helpful too.

Fun fact about me: I’m licensed to operate a forklift.

Email: dashner1@msu.edu

Section: 3

Major: Computer Science

Future plans: Make enough money to have an absurd number of pets and plants!

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Don't be afraid to be wrong! It's better to facilitate discussions in your group than for everyone to sit there stumped.

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? You can always ask your group mates and the teaching staff in class, there is a reason the class is structured the way it is. Secondly, go to help room!!! It's a super valuable resource that can help with homework or conceptual questions.

Fun fact about me: I love to draw and paint, especially things from nature like plants and animals!

Help room hours: Mondays, 11 am - 12 pm (in person)

Email: dawsonfa@msu.edu

Section: 4

Major: Astrophysics

Future plans: Would love to work for NASA or be a part of a research team for further space exploration.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Go into the class with an open mind. It might seem like a lot at first but it gets easier if you are on top of the work!

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Help room is your best friend. There is nothing that helped me more than help room please utilize it!

Fun fact about me: I have lived in 8 different places

Help room hours: Mondays 10 - 11 am (zoom)

Email: doddamre@msu.edu

Section: 5

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Future plans: Something in automotive testing and manufacturing.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Get to meet your group mates, don't be afraid of failure and stay on top of your work!

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Watch the videos/read the readings more in depth, visit office hours, ask questions and collaborate with your group mates.

Fun fact about me: I had to get a haircut from my soccer team…was stuck with a mullet and finger tips for a year.

Help room hours: Tuesdays, 3-4 pm (in person)

Email: dotymax1@msu.edu

Section: 5

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Minor: Computer Science

Future plans: Graduate and get a job in the Aerospace Industry

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Come to class prepared and be attentive in class while working on problems with your group

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? I would recommend going to the help room and asking lots of questions

Fun fact about me: In my free time I like to go fishing and spend time outdoors.

Help room hours: Mondays 6-7 pm

Email: dreonjos@msu.edu

Section: 3

Major: Computer Science

Future plans: Work remotely and live out of a van.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Come to class prepared and form connections with your groupmates. Don't stress!

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Ask questions and come to help room!!

Fun fact about me: I worked in Yellowstone National Park this summer and I summited the middle Teton.

Email: haaseede@msu.edu

Section: 4

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Future plans: To work in the biomedical field, designing medical devices.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Come to class prepared and make sure to talk with your group.

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Come to help room and ask lots of questions!!

Fun fact about me: I love reading!

Help room hours: Tuesdays 10-11 am (in person)

Email: jeffe122@msu.edu

Section: 4

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Future plans: To design medical devices as a biomedical engineer

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Actively participate in group discussions and allow yourself time to struggle through homework problems before asking for help.

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Read the notes carefully. Make sure you have attempted the homework problems. Go to help room to ask clarifying questions. Don’t talk down to yourself and don’t give up!

Fun fact about me: One of my hobbies is singing Indian classical music.

Help room hours: Tuesdays 11 am - 12 pm (in person)

Email: maheshk1@msu.edu

Section: 3

Major: Computer Science, Minor in Business

Future plans: To work in AI and create solutions to problems all over the world.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Do the readings and make friends with your teammates! It will make the class much more enjoyable and you never know where a connection can take you.

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Don't hesitate to reach out to the TAs or ULAs if you have any questions. We are always happy to help!

Fun fact about me: I love playing tennis with my friends and family on my off time!

Help room hours: Discussion Board Manager - Saturdays & Sundays

Email: mohabans@msu.edu

Section: 3

Major: Computational Data Science

Future plans: Graduate and move out to Cali for grad school, or a fun job in fintech

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: : Make sure you are taking the time to read the notes and attempt the examples yourself before you come to class. Knowing the content before coming to class is going to be super helpful.

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Ask questions!! The content can be hard and confusing so the more you are willing to ask questions, the better it will be for you, plus we are here to help you so take advantage of it.

Fun fact about me: I can speak 5 languages fluently and am learning a sixth.

Help room hours: Tuesdays 7-8 pm (zoom)

Email: nagikriz@msu.edu

Section: 4

Major: Computer Science

Future plans: Graduate and hopefully get into dental school

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Be open-minded and ready to learn! Get to know your groupmates.

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Take good notes (re-watch the videos if still confused), come to help room, and ask your groupmates. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, we are here to guide you through!

Fun fact about me: I fell from a scooter and broke my front two teeth.

Help room hours: Discussion Board Manager - Thursdays & Fridays

Email: parkeu24@msu.edu

Section: 3

Major: Computer Engineering

Future plans: Work in embedded systems or software development. Autonomous vehicles or smart devices seem like interesting applications.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Come to each class prepared by reading the notes or coming in with questions on the material. Also, don’t be afraid to share your ideas or to let others share theirs.

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? There are a lot of modes of resources we throw at you to learn the material in this class. Find what works best for you. Help Room and Piazza are great resources.

Fun fact about me: As a side project for interns this summer at my place of employment, we built a go-cart from scratch to race other teams.

Help room hours: Discussion Board Manager - Mondays

Email: sande501@msu.edu

Section: 5

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Future plans: Work in the automotive or aerospace field.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Be open-minded, confident, and put in your best effort and you will succeed!

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Use your resources! Go to the help room, complete your homework, and never be afraid to approach the ULAs, TAs, and professors. We are here to help!

Fun fact about me: Cooking is my favorite hobby, and sushi is my favorite food!

Help room hours: Mondays 4-5 pm

Email: wegreck1@msu.edu

Section: 5

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Future plans: To work in the Biomechanical field with prosthetics and other medical devices.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Get to know your groupmates and be confident sharing all your ideas!

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Take advantage of the various resources such as the help room and CoRe tutoring. Never hesitate about asking questions because we are all here to help!

Fun fact about me: I can build an IKEA dresser in under an hour.

Help room hours: Thursdays 2-3 pm (in person)

Email: yagerabi@msu.edu

Sections: 3 (& 4)

Research Area: Physics Education Research

Description of research in that area: I am currently researching the ways in which computational thinking manifests in introductory physics classrooms, and how we can guide curricular design to promote computational thinking engagement.

What excites you about physics: I find that learning physics is very exciting; the notion of understanding the ways in which the universe operates is quite fascinating. I grow more intrigued as I learn about new phenomena, and I feel as though I have truly found my passion.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Stay ahead of schedule by reviewing ideas before class, because it will make class time feel much more productive

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? I’d recommend reaching out to an LA who could point you in the right direction of where a valuable resource might be for your unique situation, including online notes, homework problems, exam prep folders, help room, discussion board, etc.

Fun fact about me: I play piano and have a big cat named Solomon who is the ruler of our apartment

Help room hours: Mondays 5-6 pm (in person), D2L Discussion Board Manager - Tuesdays

Email: botttheo@msu.edu

Section: 4

Research Area: Computational Condensed Matter Physics

Description of research in that area: I simulate quantum dot dynamics and optical effects in open quantum systems, focusing on quantum information transfer and nonlinear optical phenomena.

What excites you about physics: I like to take things apart to see how they work. Physics is so ingrained into how everything operates and understanding the underlying processes is fascinating to me.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: Like everything, take it one day at a time. Nobody knows what they haven't learned before, but this class is the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself and understand everything.

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Talk to someone, we are a community, and someone else has probably been in your place and can help.

Fun fact about me: I'm SCUBA certified! And love to ski.

Email: neuharti@msu.edu

Section: 5

Degrees: B.A. in Physics, Ph.D. in Physics with research area in high energy astrophysics

Research/Interest Area: Particle astrophysics

Description of research in that area: My research focuses on ultra-relativistic particles coming from deep space, especially neutrinos, both attempting to understand where and how they are produced and to use them to study their fundamental properties. Most of my work is related to two projects: the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE) off Vancouver Island. Several undergrads work in my research group – if you're interested, let me know!

What excites you about physics: Physics is both a great way to learn about cool aspects of the world around us, and also a toolkit that's useful for thinking about a very broad range of problems: breaking them down into models, applying quantitative reasoning or computation to understand what the models predict, and using graphs and data to evaluate evidence.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: EMP-Cubed asks you to go beyond little self-contained “crossword-puzzle physics” problems and learn how to think about and model bigger, more open-ended problems. The point is not to memorize equations, but to be able to apply them to whatever crazy new situation you're given. Be sure to prepare before class so that you can apply the new principles to the problems we'll work on. There won't always be a single right answer, and the hardest part is usually figuring out a reasonable model to apply.

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Don't be reluctant to ask for help, and don't convince yourself that everything's OK because you understand things once someone explains them to you. Physics takes practice, and the LAs, TAs, and faculty are here to be your coaches and help you learn.

Fun fact about me: I've been to the South Pole three times.

Help room hours: Mondays 2-3 pm (in person), or by appointment

Email: tdeyoung@msu.edu

Section: 3 & 4

Degrees: B.S. in Engineering Physics; M.S. in Physics; Ph.D. in Physics, research area in Physics Education Research

Research/Interest Area: My research area is Physics Education Research.

Description of research in that area: My research has focused on the development and evaluation of active learning (non-lecture) physics classes, particularly introductory mechanics and E&M. Most recently, my research has focused particularly on two areas: 1) how we can make active learning classes more accessible and 2) how students develop scientific practices in physics courses, including computational thinking skills.

What excites you about physics: I love the explanatory power of physics and that physics can explain what happens in every day life - like how metal detectors work or how power is generated or how the electric grid is set up.

Advice on how to approach EMP-Cubed: This class is about more than getting a final answer, it's about understanding the process and understanding what your final answer actually means. Spend the time understanding the assumptions that are in the notes and in the problems, and really evaluate your answers. It's ok if they aren't completely realistic, the important part is to be able to identify why they aren't realistic and what the effects are on your solution.

What do you recommend doing if you are struggling in class? Remember that you have a lot of resources in this class. In addition to help room, you have your instructors in class, you have your group mates, there's piazza discussion boards, and the notes. Don't be afraid of not knowing something - it is always worth it to ask questions or say something if you don't get an idea/concept!

Fun fact about me: I love to cook and bake. Most recently, I've learned to make panna cotta from scratch (I've decided it's basically just fancy pudding) and a variety of homemade sausages. I'm also learning how to make lots of different breads as an ongoing project.

Help room hours: Thursdays 1-2 pm (in person)

Email: mcpadden@msu.edu