Education:
B.A., Smith College
Ph.D., University of Colorado
Dr. Meier received her physics B.A. from Smith College in 2006, with a minor in Latin. She then moved to Boulder, Colorado, where she earned her physics Ph.D. in 2012. She joined the Oglethorpe faculty in 2015 and is currently an Assistant Professor of Physics and program coordinator for the physics program.
Areas of Research and Interest:
Dr. Meier’s research focuses on the interaction of the solar wind – the charged particles and magnetic field coming from the sun – with the magnetic field and charged particles around Jupiter and Saturn. Using spacecraft data and computational simulations, she seeks to understand the large-scale implications of this interaction.
In addition to space physics research, Dr. Meier is interested in developing physics curricula that is engaging and relevant for biology and pre-health students. She is developing ways to use primary literature to enhance introductory physics courses.
Courses Taught:
- General Physics I and II (PHY-101, PHY-102)
- Modern Physics and Modern Physics Lab (PHY-203, PHY-203L)
- Introduction to Descriptive Astronomy (PHY-100)
- Thermal Physics and Statistical Mechanics (PHY-333)
- Electricity and Magnetism (PHY-331)
- Computational Physics (PHY-206)
- Science and Human Nature (COR-400)
About:
Dr. Meier lives on the Westside of Atlanta with her husband, son, and daughter. When not teaching or studying the solar system, she spends her days camping, cooking, rock climbing and playing games. Favorite video games include the Might & Magic series, Skyrim and Dragon Age. Family favorite board games are Kingdomino, Azul, Seven Wonders and Settlers of Catan.
