Physics of Light and Materials

Jason Hafner serves as a Professor of Physics Astronomy and Chemistry at Rice University bringing extensive expertise in both research and education His academic journey includes a BS in Physics from Trinity University in 1993 followed by his PhD from Rice University in 1998 under Richard Smalley focusing on carbon nanotubes He completed postdoctoral studies at Harvard University with Charles Lieber before returning to Rice in 2001 His research accomplishments include receiving the Beckman Young Investigator Award in 2002 and the Norman Hackerman Award for Chemical Research from the Welch Foundation in 2011 At Rice he has established himself as an exceptional educator teaching freshman and sophomore physics for over fifteen years while contributing to the development of innovative online physics courses His teaching style combines rigorous academic content with engaging demonstrations and humor making complex physics concepts accessible to students worldwide He serves as a founding member of Rice's Center for Teaching Excellence and has developed numerous MOOCs for platforms like edX and Coursera His work in nanophotonics and interfacial biology demonstrates his interdisciplinary approach to science As Magister of Jones College and Member of Scientia at Rice he continues to influence both research and education in physics while maintaining his quest to find a lecture demonstration that might get him fired His impact extends beyond traditional classroom teaching through his development of comprehensive online AP Physics preparation courses and interactive educational content.