arXiv subjects

Fargol Seifollahi

Publications and source records attributed to Fargol Seifollahi.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Questioning your brilliance in physics: Differential shifts in fixed mindsets by grade and gender

Students' domain-specific mindsets and their beliefs about their capacity to improve through effort play a crucial role in shaping their experiences and decisions to persist in STEM disciplines. Physics is generally seen as a field requiring innate brilliance, which can reinforce fixed mindsets, particularly after initial setbacks in performance that are common in introductory university courses. In this study, we examine changes in fixed mindsets and potential gender differences in an introductory calculus-based physics course. Our sample consisted of 508 students with an average age of 18, predominantly White, with men comprising the majority. Based upon survey response distributions, three distinct mindset categories were identified: Hesitant, Hopeful, and Confident, describing how strongly students rejected a fixed mindset in physics. The results suggested large gender differences in distributions at the high and low-end groups. We also found an overall decline toward fixed mindsets across the course, and logistic regressions controlling for initial mindsets showed that women were significantly more likely than men to shift away from the Confident category. While the majority of men tended to stay within the Confident category, the majority of women moved away from it. Particularly, this differential shift was seen among students receiving Bs or Cs, the most commonly awarded grades in this course. Furthermore, there were relatively small differences in the probability of change within men as a function of grades received, whereas women showed marked declines toward fixed beliefs with either a B or C. Our findings provide empirical evidence for the dynamic, grade-sensitive nature of students' mindsets in a calculus-based physics course.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2026

Navigating Hype, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, and Industry Partnerships in Quantum Information Science and Technology: Perspectives from Leading Quantum Educators

The rapid advancement of quantum information science and technology (QIST) has generated significant attention from people in academia, industry, and the public. Recent advances in QIST have led to both opportunities and challenges for students and researchers who are curious about the potential of the field amid hype, considering whether their skills are aligned with what the field needs, and contemplating how collaborating with industries may impact their research. This qualitative study presents perspectives from leading quantum researchers who are educators on three critical aspects shaping QIST's development: (1) the impact of hype in the field and strategies for managing expectations, (2) approaches to creating conducive environments that attract students and established researchers from non-physics disciplines, and (3) effective models for fostering university-industry partnerships that can be valuable for students and researchers alike. These aspects, along with several interconnected challenges, were explored through in-depth interviews with quantum educators. Our findings reveal nuanced perspectives on managing the hype cycle and its risks in creating unrealistic expectations. Regarding greater interdisciplinary engagement and attracting more non-physicists to QIST, educators emphasized the need to recognize and leverage existing expertise from other fields while developing educational pathways that meet diverse student backgrounds to prepare them for the QIST workforce. On university-industry partnerships, respondents highlighted successful models, while noting persistent challenges around intellectual property, confidentiality, and differing organizational goals. These insights provide valuable guidance for educators, policymakers, and industry leaders working to build a sustainable quantum workforce while maintaining realistic expectations about the field's trajectory.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2026

Do we have a quantum computer? Expert perspectives on current status and future prospects

The rapid growth of quantum information science and technology (QIST) in the 21st century has created both excitement and uncertainty about the field's trajectory. This qualitative study presents perspectives from leading quantum researchers, who are educators, on fundamental questions frequently posed by students, the public, and the media regarding QIST. Through in-depth interviews, we explored several issues related to QIST including the following key areas: the current state of quantum computing in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) era and timelines for fault-tolerant quantum computers, the feasibility of personal quantum computers in our pockets, and promising qubit architectures for future development. Our findings reveal diverse yet convergent perspectives on these issues. While experts agree that the current machines with physical qubits that are being built currently should be called quantum computers, most estimated that it will take a decade to build a small fault-tolerant quantum computer, and several decades to achieve scalable systems capable of running Shor's factoring algorithm with quantum advantage. Regarding carrying a quantum computer in the pocket, experts viewed quantum computers as specialized tools that will remain in central locations such as data centers and can be accessed remotely for applications for which they are particularly effective compared to classical computers. Quantum researchers suggested that multiple platforms show promise, with no clear winner emerging. These insights provide valuable guidance for educators, policymakers, and the broader community in establishing realistic expectations for developments in this exciting field. Our findings can provide valuable information for educators to clarify student doubts about these important yet confusing issues related to quantum technologies.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2025

Building Bridges in Quantum Information Science Education: Expert Insights to Guide Framework Development for Interdisciplinary Teaching and Evolution of Common Language

The rapid growth of quantum information science and technology (QIST) presents unique educational challenges as it brings together students and researchers from many disciplines. This work presents findings from in-depth interviews with leading quantum researchers who are also educators, whose perspectives provide guidance for developing a framework for interdisciplinary QIST teaching and builds on our earlier paper that focused on QIST courses and curricula. We discuss their reflections on three critical aspects of QIST education: (1) the development of a common interdisciplinary language, (2) determining appropriate levels of abstraction and physical detail for students from various disciplines, and (3) why students should pursue courses, degrees, and careers in this field. Our analysis reveals that the emergence of linguistic evolutions such as "qubits" and "measurement bases", rather than a focus on measurement of physical observables and their corresponding Hermitian operators, has begun to create a unifying framework that transcends disciplinary boundaries. Nevertheless, educators face ongoing challenges in balancing the level of abstractness with physical details as well as mathematical rigor with conceptual accessibility. The experts emphasize that successful QIST education for an interdisciplinary student body not only requires a shift from traditional quantum mechanics pedagogy for physics majors, but careful consideration of students' diverse prior conceptual and mathematical foundations. They highlighted that students have the unique historical opportunity to participate in creating transformative quantum technologies while developing transferable skills for an evolving technological landscape. These findings provide valuable guidance for developing a framework for interdisciplinary QIST teaching especially useful for foundational courses.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2025

Preparing students for the quantum information revolution: Interdisciplinary teaching, curriculum development, and advising in quantum information science and engineering

As the field of quantum information science and engineering (QISE) continues its rapid growth, there are increasing concerns about the workforce demands and the necessity of preparing students for quantum-related careers. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the field, it is necessary to offer diverse educational opportunities to ensure that students are well-prepared for careers emerging from the second quantum revolution. In this paper, we present our findings from a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with university QISE educators, who have taken on the challenges and opportunities in developing QISE courses and curricula for undergraduate and graduate students from different academic backgrounds. Our findings focus on common themes across undergraduate and graduate QISE education, as well as advising and mentoring students to prepare them for research in the field. The interviewees discussed the various strategies they had implemented, such as incorporating hands-on lab activities, integration of Python coding with Qiskit, and including project-based learning experiences. Furthermore, their reflections on mentorship and advising students emphasized the importance of recognizing students' prior preparation, providing targeted resources, and supportive learning environments. Our findings are meant to provide guidance for educators looking to implement effective QISE educational strategies that address the changing landscape of quantum information revolution.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2025

Bioscience Students in Physics Courses With Higher Test Anxiety Have Lower Grades on High-Stakes Assessments, and Women Report More Test Anxiety Than Men

Test anxiety is beginning to be recognized as a significant factor affecting student performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses, potentially contributing to gender inequity within these fields. Additionally, the management of test anxiety can improve self-efficacy, which is a construct that has been well studied in the physics context. In this study, we investigated the relationship between self-efficacy, test anxiety, and gender differences in performance in a two-semester-long introductory physics course sequence for bioscience students in which women outnumber men. Using validated survey data and grade information from students in a two-semester introductory physics course sequence, we compared the predictive power of self-efficacy and test anxiety on female and male students' performance on both low- and high-stakes assessments. We found that there were gender differences disadvantaging women in self-efficacy and test anxiety in both Physics 1 and Physics 2, as well as gender differences in high-stakes outcomes in Physics 1. There were no gender differences in low-stakes assessment scores. We also found that self-efficacy and test anxiety predicted high-stakes (but not low-stakes) assessment outcomes in both Physics 1 and Physics 2. Comparison of these findings with prior studies involving physical science and engineering students shows that although women outnumber men in physics courses for bioscience students and the career goals of bioscience students are very different from the earlier researched group, most of the negative trends hold even for this new population.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2025

Trends and Gender Disparities in Grades and Grade Penalties Among Bioscience and Health-Related Major Students Before, During, and After COVID-19 Remote Instruction

In this study, we investigate student performance using grades and grade anomalies across periods before, during, and after COVID-19 remote instruction in courses for bioscience and health-related majors. Additionally, we explore gender equity in these courses using these measures. We define grade anomaly as the difference between a student's grade in a course of interest and their overall grade point average (GPA) across all other courses taken up to that point. If a student's grade in a course is lower than their GPA in all other courses, we refer to this as a grade penalty. Students received grade penalties in all courses studied, consisting of twelve courses taken by the majority of bioscience and health-related majors. Overall, we found that both grades and grade penalties improved during remote instruction but deteriorated after remote instruction. Additionally, we find more pronounced gender differences in grade anomalies than in grades. We hypothesize that women's decisions to pursue STEM careers may be more influenced by the grade penalties they receive in required science courses than men's, as women tend to experience larger penalties across all periods studied. Furthermore, institutions concerned with equity should consider grade penalties as a straightforward measure and make a conscious effort to consider their implications.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2025

Single-defect mode lasing in a non-Hermitian 1D trivial SSH lattice

We demonstrate robust single-mode lasing in a non-Hermitian 1D trivial Su-Schrieffer-Heeger defective lattice. This structure exhibits a significantly lower threshold power compared to the non-defective lattice, with single-mode lasing sustained across a wide range of pump powers. Notably, our proposed device requires pumping of only the defect ring, leading to minimal required pump power. Moreover, lasing is not confined to the edges but can occur at any point within the lattice.

physics.optics↗