Rate My Professor Erin Scanlon

Erin Scanlon is an Associate Professor in Residence in the Department of Physics at the University of Connecticut's Avery Point campus. She holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Education from Texas State University (2017), an M.S. in Physics from the Georgia Institute of Technology (2012), and a B.S. in Physics from Michigan Technological University (2011). Her career includes positions as Assistant Professor in Residence at UConn Avery Point since 2020, Preeminent Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of Central Florida (2017–2020), Instructor at Texas Lutheran University (2012–2017), and Lecturer at Texas State University (2013). Scanlon served as an Accessibility Fellow at UConn (2022–2023) and chairs the Avery Point Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee.

Scanlon conducts physics education research focused on disability in the sciences, universal design for learning, accessibility, and fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice in physics communities. She has obtained funded grants totaling over $95,000, including $30,000 from UConn’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Scholarship of Teaching and Learning program for supporting inclusive group work in studio-style physics courses (2021–2022), $15,000 Course Improvement Grant for inclusive teaching in physics labs (2022), and $8,000 for an Avery Point STEM Faculty Learning Community about Disability (2022). Key publications include "Physics webpages create barriers to participation for people with disabilities: Five steps to increase digital accessibility" (International Journal of STEM Education, 2021), "Supporting students with ADHD in introductory physics courses: 4 simple steps for instructors" (The Physics Teacher, 2021), "Disabling barriers experienced by students with ADHD in postsecondary introductory physics" (Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2020), and "Postsecondary physics curricula and universal design for learning: Planning for diverse learners" (Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2018). Awards encompass PERC Proceedings Notable Paper (2021, 2020, 2018), University of Connecticut Provost’s Letter of Recognition for Teaching Excellence (2020), and Physical Review Physics Education Research Editor’s Suggestion Paper (2018). She has presented invited talks on inclusive practices at institutions including UConn, University of Texas-Austin, and University of Pittsburgh.