Mel S. Sabella

Professor of Physics

Dr. Mel S. Sabella SCI-220C, 773-995-2172 email

Education

B.S., State University of New York at Binghamton

Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park

Postdoctoral, University of Washington, Seattle

Research Interests

Physics Education Research, Investigating student problem solving and conceptual understanding, identifying the specific needs and resources of the urban student, curriculum development, preparation of pre and inservice teachers. 

Selected Presentations and Publications

Publications

• M. S. Sabella, A. G. V. Duzor, and F. Davenport, Leveraging the expertise of the urban STEM student in developing an effective LA Program: LA and Instructor Partnerships, 2016 PERC Proceedings [Sacramento, CA, July 20-21, 2016], edited by D. L. Jones, L. Ding, and A. Traxler, doi:10.1119/perc.2016.pr.067.
• G. L. Cochran, A. G. V. Duzor, M. S. Sabella, and B. Geiss, Engaging in self-study to support collaboration between two-year colleges and universities, 2016 PERC Proceedings [Sacramento, CA, July 20-21, 2016], edited by D. L. Jones, L. Ding, and A. Traxler, doi:10.1119/perc.2016.pr.014.
• Sabella, M. S., Robertson A. D., Van Duzor, A. G., (2015) The Teacher Immersion Course Model: A Reform-Oriented Early Teaching Experience that Capitalizes on Collaborations Between High Schools and Universities, In Effective Practices in Preservice Physics Teacher Education (APS). 
• Sabella, M. S., & Van Duzor, A. G. (2013, January). Cultural toolkits in the urban physics learning community. In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 1513, p. 34)
• Sabella, M. S., Van Duzor, A. G., Passehl, J., & Weisenburger, K. (2012). A Collaboration Between University and High School in Preparing Physics Teachers: Chicago State University's Teacher Immersion Institute. The Physics Teacher, 50, 296.
• Sabella, M. S. (2010, October). What We Learned by Moving Beyond Content Knowledge and Diversifying Our Research Agenda. In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 1289, p. 53). 

 

Presentations

• 2016, Leveraging the culture and resources of urban STEM students to develop an effective Learning Assistant Program: LA and Instructor Partnerships, NSF PI Conf., Washington DC, 4/27/16
• 2016, (INVITED) The importance of LA-faculty Partnerships, International LA Conference, University of Colorado - Boulder, 10/23/16
• 2016, (INVITED) Faculty and student co-thinking about Effective Practices in Engaging a Diverse Student Audience, National Society of Black Physicists Conference, Fermilab, 10/28/16
• 2016, (INVITED) Learning About Cross-Cultural Mentoring From My Students at Chicago State University, Association of Physics Teachers Meeting, Sacramento, California, July 2016
• 2016, Utilizing Student Expertise in Informing Programmatic Changes in STEM, Association of Physics Teachers Meeting, Sacramento, California, July 2016
• 2016, The Importance of Student Voice in Partnerships: Examples from the CSU Learning Assistant Program, Association of Physics Teachers Meeting, Sacramento, California, July 2016
• 2016, Leveraging the culture and resources of urban STEM students to create programmatic change Association of Physics Teachers Meeting, New Orleans, LA, January 2016
• 2015, Involving Multiple Communities in the Preparation of Future Urban Science Teachers, Summer American Association of Physics Teachers Meeting, July 2015
• 2015, Implementing and assessing diverse avenues of student support: The CSU S-STEM Program, Summer American Association of Physics Teachers Meeting, July 2015
• 2015, (INVITED) Leveraging students cultural toolkits to create effective STEM learning spaces, Physics Education Research Seminar, Michigan State University, Sept 2015
• 2015, (INVITED) Leveraging Education Research Results and the Learning Assistant Program as Agents of Instructional Change., Malcolm X College, Sept 2015

Memberships

• Member of American Association of Physics Teachers Exec. Board; AAPT Vice President
• Member of Physics Education Leadership Organizing Council, AAPT
• Past President, Chicago Section of the AAPT
• Member of Planning Committee for Chicago Symposium Series on Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science
• Physics Mentor and Assessment Coordinator, CSU

 

 

Recent Grants and Funding

 

• 2016, Illinois Space Grant Consortium Multiple Program Research Grant
• 2015, CSER II, Department of Education, Predominately Black Institution Grant, Senior Personnel, Learning Assistant Portion
• 2015, Studying Undergraduate STEM Transformation And Institutional Networking (SUSTAINED), Collaborative Proposal with CU-Boulder, George Mason University, Boston University, NSF - IUSE; CSU portion: Sabella, Van Duzor
• 2014, Increasing Chemistry and Physics Graduates at Chicago State University, NSF S-STEM, Mardis and Sabella
• 2013, GRC-Physics Research & Education: The complex intersection of Biology and Physics, unsolicited, Sabella and Lang