Program Research

Grants

Active Grants

NSF DUE-2417140. I. Caspari-Gnann, E. Close, A. Olmstead, & A. Van Duzor. $400K total / $29K TXST (08/2024-07/2027).

NSF DUE-2243458. E. Close, C. Luxford, S. Strickland, K. Collins, J. Van Overschelde. $1.2M (06/2023-06/2028).

Past Grants

NSF DUE-1928696. H. Galloway, E. Close, L. Feng, C. Luxford, & A. Olmstead. $2.5M (10/2019-09/2024).

NSF DUE-1557405. E. Close, L. Huling, H. Close, C. Luxford, & A. Ortiz.$1.25M (06/2016-05/2023).

NSF DUE-1557276. E. Close; H. Close, D. Donnelly, & C. Horn $797K total / $50K TXST award (07/2016-06/2020).

NSF DUE-1431578. A. Ortiz, E. Close, M. Guirguis, C. Novoa, & K. Talley. $1.5M (01/2015-01/2020)

Halliburton Foundation Grant 2215. E. Close, D. Donnelly, & H. Close. $15K (09/2013-08/2014).  

NSF DUE-1240036. H. Close, E. Close, & D. Donnelly. $350K (01/2013-12/2015).

Peer-reviewed publications

Book chapter

Close, E. W. (contributor), et al. (EP3 Initiative). (2024). “Undergraduate Instructional Assistants.” In S. McKagan, D. A. Craig, M. Jackson, and T. Hodapp (Eds.), A Guide to Effective Practices for Physics Programs (EP3). College Park, MD: American Physical Society. https://ep3guide.org/guide/undergraduate-instructional-assistants. (For a full list of contributors and reviewers to the EP3 Guide, see https://ep3guide.org/about/contributors-and-reviewers/)

Journal articles

Olmstead, A., Montecinos, A. M., Castro, H., Atkinson, T., Close, E. W., Fitzgerald-Russell, M. L., Hedge, K., & Kerr, A. (2026). Faculty and undergraduate Learning Assistants' perspectives on supports and barriers for student-centered instructional change in introductory biology. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 25(2). https://www.lifescied.org/doi/10.1187/cbe.25-04-0066 

Feng, L., Close, E. W., Luxford, C. J., An, J., Olmstead, A., Sowjanya Koka, V., & Galloway, H. C. (2025). Transforming Undergraduate STEM Education: The Learning Assistant Model and Student Retention and Graduation Rates. Research in Higher Education, 66(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-024-09823-5

Sachmpazidi, D., Olmstead, A., Thompson, A. N., Henderson, C., & Beach, A. (2021). Team-based instructional change in undergraduate STEM: Characterizing effective faculty collaboration. International Journal of STEM Education, 8(1), 15. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40594-019-0173-4 

Olmstead, A., Beach, A. & Henderson, C. (2019). Supporting improvements to undergraduate STEM instruction: An emerging model of instructional change teams. International Journal of STEM Education, 6:20. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40594-019-0173-4  

Close, E. W., Conn, J., & Close, H. G. (2016). Becoming Physics People: Development of Integrated Physics Identity through the Learning Assistant Experience. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 12(1), 010109. In the Focused Collection: Preparing and Supporting University Physics Educators (R. E. Scherr and M. Stetzer, editors). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.12.010109

Conference proceedings

Quichocho, X. Q., Hyater-Adams, S., & Close, E. W. (2023). LA program as a driving force for identity development through access to ideational resources. In D. Jones, Q. Ryan, and A. Pawl (Ed.s), 2023 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, 278-283. https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2023.pr.Quichocho

Quichocho, X. R., Schipull, E. M., & Close, E. W. (2020). Understanding physics identity development through the identity performances of Black, Indigenous, and women of color and LGBTQ+ women in physics. In S. Wolf, M. Bennett, & B. Frank (Eds.). AIP Conference Proceedings: 2020 Physics Education Research Conference, Virtual Conference, doi:10.1119/perc.2020.pr.Quichocho

Schipull, E., Quichocho, X., & Close, E. (2020). “Success together”: Physics departmental practices supporting LGBTQ+ women and women of color. In Y. Cao, S. Wolf, & M. B. Bennett (Ed.s), AIP Conference Proceedings: 2019 Physics Education Research Conference, doi:10.1119/perc.2019.pr.Schipull

Close, E. W., Mailloux-Huberdeau, J.-M., Close, H. G., & Donnelly, D. (2018). Characterization of time scale for detecting impacts of reforms in an undergraduate physics program. In L. Ding, A. Traxler, & Y. Cao (Ed.s), AIP Conference Proceedings: 2017 Physics Education Research Conference, 88-91. doi:10.1119/perc.2017.pr.017

Donnelly, D., Mailloux-Huberdeau, J.-M., Nissen, J. M., & Close, E. W. (2018). Comparison of normalized gain and Cohen’s d for Force Concept Inventory results in an introductory mechanics course. In L. Ding, A. Traxler, & Y. Cao (Ed.s), AIP Conference Proceedings: 2017 Physics Education Research Conference, 112-115, doi:10.1119/perc.2017.pr.023

Conn, J., Close, E. W., & Close, H. G. (2015). Learning Assistant Identity Development: Is One Semester Enough? In P. V. Engelhardt, A. D. Churukian, and D. L. Jones (Eds.), AIP Conference Proceedings: 2014 Physics Education Research Conference (pp. 55-58). DOI:  10.1119/perc.2014.pr.010

Close, E. W., Conn, J., & Close, H.G. (2014). Development of Integrated Physics Identity through Physics Learning Assistant Experience.  In J. L. Polman, E. A. Kyza, D. K. O'Neill, I. Tabak, W. R. Penuel, A. S. Jurow, K. O'Connor, T. Lee, and L. D'Amico (Eds.), Learning and becoming in practice: The International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2014, Volume 3 (pp. 1533-1534). Boulder, CO: International Society of the Learning Sciences.

Close, E. W., Conn, J., & Close, H. G. (2014). Learning Assistants’ Development of Physics (Teacher) Identity. Invited paper. In P. V. Engelhardt, A. D. Churukian, and D. L. Jones (Eds.), AIP Conference Proceedings: 2013 Physics Education Research Conference (pp. 89-92). DOI: 10.1119/perc.2013.pr.010

Close, E. W., Close, H. G. & Donnelly, D. (2013). Understanding the Learning Assistant experience with Physics Identity. Invited paper. In N. S. Rebello, P. V. Engelhardt, and A. D. Churukian (Eds.), AIP Conference Proceedings 1513: 2012 Physics Education Research Conference (pp. 106-109). Melville, NY: AIP Press. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4789663

Non-refereed articles:

Close, E. W., & Quichocho, X. R. (2020). Cultivating an Inclusive Culture in the Physics Department through a Learning Assistant Program. Newsletter of the American Physical Society Forum on Education, Summer 2020. https://engage.aps.org/fed/resources/newsletters/summer-2020#Cultivating

Conn, J., Close, E., & Close H. (2014). The Physics Learning Assistant Program at Texas State University: My Perspective as an LA and as a Researcher. APS Forum on Education Newsletter, Summer 2014, pp. 14-16 (http://www.aps.org/units/fed/newsletters/summer2014/upload/summer14.pdf). (Invited.)