Eric M.

Rogers
Eric M. Rogers (15 August 1902 – 1 July 1990) was a
British writer and physics educator.[1] He is perhaps Eric M. Rogers
best known for his 1960 textbook Physics for the
Inquiring Mind.[2] The book, subtitled The Methods,
Nature, and Philosophy of Physical Science, was based
on courses he gave at Princeton University, where he
taught from 1942 to 1971.[3] Rogers also headed the
Nuffield Science Teaching Project programme in
physics education in the 1960s.

Rogers demonstrating in the film Coulomb's

Eric Rogers was born on 15 August 1902 at Bickley, Born 15 August 1902
Kent. His father, Charles Knight Rogers was a Bickley, United Kingdom
publisher for the International News Co. Ltd. Eric Died 1 July 1990
Rogers went to Bedales School from 1916 to 1921. Cambridge, United Kingdom
Bedales school and its founder John Haden Badley had Occupation(s) physics educator and author
a strong influence on Rogers . At Bedales school Eric
Known for Physics for the Inquiring
Rogers was involved in various ventures, and during
Mind
his last year at the school was elected as the Head Boy,
and Editor of the school magazine.

Rogers went to Trinity College, Cambridge gaining first class honours both in Mathematics Tripos Part 1
in 1922 and Natural Science Tripos Part 2 in 1924. He was elected a senior scholar in 1923. He did a
short term of research and teaching in the Cavendish Laboratory from 1924 to 1925, which ended in his
posting as physics master and assistant house master at Clifton College, Bristol. He remained there from
1925 to 1928.

In 1928 Rogers joined Bedales school a physics teacher and boys' house-master. Here Eric Rogers met
Janet Drummond a history teacher. They became engaged in April 1930, and eloped before the term
ended to get married on 14 June 1930.

After this Eric Rogers became an instructor in physics at Harvard University for two years. Eric Rogers
returned to England in 1932 and joined Charterhouse School as physics master, until 1937.

In 1937 he went back to USA to join the Putney School for three years. He was then appointed at Mount
Holyoke College (1940–41) and St Paul's, Concord (1941–42). In 1942 he joined Princeton University as
associate professor. Rogers retired as professor from Princeton University in 1971.
Eric Rogers was also a member of the Physical Sciences Study Committee (PSSC). In 1962 he became a
consultant on the Nuffield O-Level physics project, and he became the organizer of the project in 1963.
He had a considerable impact on the project.[4][5]

Rogers presented the 1979 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures on the subject of atoms.

Eric Rogers' wife and sister died in 1971 and 1972 respectively, which disrupted his retirement plans. Eric
Rogers died on 1 July 1990 in Cambridge.

Wonder and Delight, published in 1994 (Institute of Physics), is a book dedicated to the works and
philosophy of Eric Rogers. The book's subtitle is Essays in Science Education in honour of the life and
work of Eric Rogers (1902–1990). A biography of Eric Rogers was included.[3]

Awards
In 1969 Eric Rogers received the Oersted Medal, which is given by the American Association of Physics
Teachers.[6] In 1980 he became the inaugural recipient of the Physics Education Medal, awarded by the
International Commission on Physics Education, and in 1985 he was given the Lawrence Bragg Medal of
the Institute of Physics.[7][8] Eric Rogers was a fellow of the Institute of Physics, the American Physical
Society, and a member of the European Physical Society.

Selected writings
Eric M. Rogers (1969). "Examinations: Powerful Agents for Good or Ill in Teaching". Am. J.
Phys. 37 (10): 954–962. Bibcode:1969AmJPh..37..954R (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/
1969AmJPh..37..954R). doi:10.1119/1.1975217 (https://doi.org/10.1119%2F1.1975217).
Eric M. Rogers; Reviewer: Philip Youngner (1963). "Book Review: Physics for the Inquiring
Mind". The Physics Teacher. 1 (1): 39–40. Bibcode:1963PhTea...1...39R (https://ui.adsabs.h
arvard.edu/abs/1963PhTea...1...39R). doi:10.1119/1.2350566 (https://doi.org/10.1119%2F1.
2350566).
Eric M. Rogers; Reviewer: Francis L. Friedman (1962). "Book Review: Physics for the
Inquiring Mind". Am. J. Phys. 30 (9): 660–661. Bibcode:1962AmJPh..30..660R (https://ui.ad
sabs.harvard.edu/abs/1962AmJPh..30..660R). doi:10.1119/1.1942162 (https://doi.org/10.11
19%2F1.1942162).
Eric M. Rogers (1961). "Physics Summer Institute in Pakistan". Am. J. Phys. 29 (10): 661–
665. Bibcode:1961AmJPh..29..661R (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1961AmJPh..29..66
1R). doi:10.1119/1.1937547 (https://doi.org/10.1119%2F1.1937547).
Eric M. Rogers (1949). "The "Block-and-Gap" Scheme for Physics Courses". Am. J. Phys.
17 (1): 532–541. Bibcode:1949AmJPh..17..532R (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1949A
mJPh..17..532R). doi:10.1119/1.1989689 (https://doi.org/10.1119%2F1.1989689).
Eric M. Rogers (1947). "Aim of Laboratory Experiments for Liberal Arts Students" (https://do
i.org/10.1119%2F1.1990900). Am. J. Phys. 15 (1): 80–81. Bibcode:1947AmJPh..15...80R (h
ttps://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1947AmJPh..15...80R). doi:10.1119/1.1990900 (https://doi.
org/10.1119%2F1.1990900).
Eric M. Rogers (1946). "Samples Versus Survey in Physics Courses for Liberal Arts
Students". Am. J. Phys. 14 (6): 384–386. Bibcode:1946AmJPh..14..384R (https://ui.adsabs.
harvard.edu/abs/1946AmJPh..14..384R). doi:10.1119/1.1990873 (https://doi.org/10.1119%2
F1.1990873).
 Eric M. Rogers (1946). "Demonstration Experiment: Mechanical Analogs of Electric
Circuits". Am. J. Phys. 14 (5): 318–319. Bibcode:1946AmJPh..14..318R (https://ui.adsabs.h
arvard.edu/abs/1946AmJPh..14..318R). doi:10.1119/1.1990850 (https://doi.org/10.1119%2F
1.1990850).
Eric M. Rogers (1946). "Demonstration Experiment: Magnetized Ring". Am. J. Phys. 14 (4):
273. Bibcode:1946AmJPh..14..273R (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1946AmJPh..14..27
3R). doi:10.1119/1.1990833 (https://doi.org/10.1119%2F1.1990833).

Films
Eric M. Rogers, Richard Leacock (director) (1959). Coulomb's Law (https://archive.org/detail
s/coulombs_law). Educational Services Inc. Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) film.

References
1. "Eric M. Rogers, 87; Teacher Humanized Physics' Complexity" (https://www.nytimes.com/19
90/07/11/obituaries/eric-m-rogers-87-teacher-humanized-physics-complexity.html). The New
York Times. 11 July 1990.
2. Rogers, Eric M. (1960). Physics for the Inquiring Mind (https://archive.org/details/PhysicsFor
TheEnquiringMind). Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-08016-X.
3. Fuller, Keith (1994). "Eric Rogers 1902-1990" (https://books.google.com/books?id=8rz4EHJ
EF4YC&pg=PA203). In Jennison, Brenda; Ogborn, Jon (eds.). Wonder and Delight: Essays
in Science Education. Bristol and Philadelphia: Institute of Physics. p. 203. ISBN 0-7503-
0315-8.
4. Woolnough, Brian E. (1988). Physics Teaching in Schools, 1960–85: Of People, Policy, and
Power. Studies in Curriculum History. Vol. 8. London/New York: Falmer. pp. 97–98.
ISBN 9781850002024.
5. Lewis, John L. (1994). "Eric Rogers and the Nuffield Physics Project". In Jennison, Brenda;
Ogborn, Jon (eds.). Wonder and Delight: Essays in Science Education in honour of the life
and work of Eric Rogers 1902–1990. Bristol/Philadelphia: Institute of Physics Publishing.
pp. 153–62. ISBN 9780750303156.
6. "Eric M. Rogers: Oersted Medalist for 1969". Am. J. Phys. 37 (10): 953–954. 1969.
Bibcode:1969AmJPh..37..953. (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1969AmJPh..37..953.).
doi:10.1119/1.1975216 (https://doi.org/10.1119%2F1.1975216).
7. "Eric M. Rogers Physics Education Medalist 1980". Proceedings of the International
Conference on Education for Physics Teaching 1980: 80–81. 1981.
8. "Eric M. Rogers: Bragg Medalist 1985". Phys. Bull. 36: 153. 1985.

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