Senior physics ²õ³Ù³Ü»å±ð²Ô³ÙÌýNaomi Wagner ’26 recently developed her profound love of teaching as a summer intern with the Society of Physics Students (SPS) in Washington, D.C.Â
After spending last summer in a Georgia Tech research lab, Wagner, who works part-time as a teacher for young children, knew she wanted to spend more time working directly with students. And though, for much of her Â鶹Éç journey, she was certain she wanted to pursue a Ph.D., she found herself wanting to change course.
“So, I talked to my go-to mentor, Dr. Mariel Meier about what options she knew of,” says Wagner. “She sent me the link to apply for this internship, and I cannot thank her enough because this internship has certainly changed my future career for the better.”
The main focus of her internship was two-fold: develop a Science Outreach Catalyst Kit — affectionately known at SPS as a “SOCK” — and prepare a presentation about her choice of physics education topic to share with educators at the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) annual meeting.
A “SOCK” is a collection of engaging, easy-to-use demonstrations that help demonstrate basic science principles to young learners. For her internship, Wagner was responsible for building her own “SOCK,” which she would then ship to SPS chapters across the country. Fortunately, Wagner already had plenty of experience developing similar demonstrations at Â鶹Éç as part of a science outreach initiative launched by her peers in 2024.
Her “SOCK” had five total demonstrations that all fit a common theme: “spy.” One demo used a bar magnet, a paper clip and some packing peanuts to create a simple compass showing the pull of the Earth’s magnetic field. Another used a small red-light laser and some mirrors to show how light is reflected.
And though the demonstrations may look simple, developing them was a challenging endeavor that required Wagner to be creative and mindful of resources — of both her own and the educators who may reproduce the demos in the future. Ultimately, it was a gratifying experience that allowed her to directly support STEM teachers and young students.
Perhaps more gratifying, however, was her experience presenting for the American Association of Physics Teachers. There, she presented to educators from across the country, sharing a lesson plan she developed that helps young children learn about science fundamentals using the five senses.
Her lesson plan utilized simple demonstrations — similar to her “SOCK” — that engage young students, challenging them to consider the scientific principles that are at play.
“One of the coolest parts of my internship was presenting at the AAPT annual meeting,” Wagner recalls. “I had teachers coming up to me afterwards saying that they would be using the activities that I had created in their classrooms that year. It was such an amazing experience to know that teachers found my lessons valuable and that they would be implemented in classrooms across the country.”
Throughout her internship, Wagner worked one-on-one with K-12 Program Manager at SPS Justine Boecker Harren to develop her presentation, ensuring her lesson plan aligned with Next Generation Science Standards.
In all, Wagner’s internship experience was an affirming one. Being able to connect and learn from other science educators solidified her resolve to become an educator herself.
“Georgia needs teachers. Our nation needs teachers, especially physics teachers. This internship has made me aware of the present need for teachers and has instilled in me a particular desire to fill that need,” says Wagner.
Now armed with a robust professional network, experience working with one of her field’s foremost organizations, and a renewed sense of passion, Wagner is ready to continue her love of teaching science once she graduates in May 2026.
