Peer Academic Coaching for Physics

Jacob Lord '24 - PAC Captain 

Major: Physics

Minor: Periclean Honors Forum

About me: I'm from Maynard MA and I'm a dual citizen of the US and UK. When I'm not in the classroom uou might find me skiing, hiking, playing piano, and going to concerts. In the physics department, other than working in PAC I do research with Professor Wachter on Cosmic Strings and work as a lab assistant.

Why PAC?: I've always loved teaching and helping others learn. I felt PAC would be a great opportunity to combine that passion with my academic interests.

Favorite class: For me, PY 207 was my favorite class and the first college level physics class I had taken. It helped give me a very good foundation for physics at Skidmore, and I felt it gave me a lot of good problem solving skills that could be applied to areas of physics not covered in PY 207.

Academic advice: Plan out and set aside specifiic times you want to do certain assignments and don't leave it to the last minute! Professors will always be willing to help but if you find that you have questions on an assignment due the next day it will be hard for them to answer them before the assignment is due. I suggest making sticky notes with assignments and due dates on them so you can easily keep track of what you need to do and when.

Jack Biggins '26

Major: Computer Science    

About Me: I’m from Shelburne, Vermont, and I love playing board games, MTG, and skiing. 

Why PAC?: I enjoy helping people with assignments especially if involves one of my interests like physics. While helping others, I hope to learn myself and get a stronger foundation in physics. 

Favorite Class and Why?: My favorite class was linear algebra. I liked this class because of how new and useful I found it. It was a way of looking at problems that allowed me to generalize to ultimately simplify them. I’m constantly finding new applications for what I learned in that class which I appreciate. 

Academic Advice: I have found great success in rewriting my notes. While time-consuming it will allow you to rework the same line of logic done in class to make it more familiar. I also recommend seeking office hours whenever possible. There have been many times where seeking a professor for a new explanation has saved me.  

Diego Da Motta '25

Majors: Physics and Math       

About me: I’m from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Currently I’m really into working out and rock climbing, if I'm not doing that or studying, I’m probably cooking or playing video games. 

Why PAC?: I love explaining physics and teaching others really helps me reinforce the material I’ve learned in class, so being a PAC fits right in. 

Favorite Class and Why?: My favorite class so far has been Optics. Light is all around us, all the time, and understanding how it works at least a little bit made me able to look at the things around me through a new “lens.” Being able to explain why I see things the way I see them is really cool and I can only do it because of that class. 

Academic Advice: Do your homework! Applying the lessons you learn in class through problems is crucial to understanding physics. Sometimes I won’t understand what happened in class until I sit down and figure out how to solve the homework problems. 

Beilynn Geiss '26

Major: Physics   Minors: Math and German    

About Me: Hi, I’m Beilynn (she/her)! I am from Loveland, CO (by Fort Collins), and I am on the tennis team for Skidmore. I am a sophomore this year. I loved going to PAC last semester to get help or just hang out! The skid physics department is so welcoming, and I want to add to that!     

Favorite Class and Why?: I’ve only had a year here at Skidmore, but my favorite class I have taken so far is German 102. I decided to take German last year for fun, and I am loving it! Now, I want to minor in German!

Academic Advice: Communication is key! Building a relationship with your classmates and professors makes all the difference. It’s easy to feel on your own academically, but one of Skidmore’s strengths is community. Especially in physics, the professors are invested in your success and learning. So, go to their office hours! Go to PAC and study with your classmates!

Jessica Nachamie '25

About me: I'm from Long Island, NY and am on the softball team.  I like to travel and hang with friends.

Why PAC? I love helping people with new material and how to study, and I love Physics.  PAC is a great way to combine the two.

Favorite class and why: My favorite class so far has been PY 207!  It was the first Physics class I took here at Skidmore and it gave me a great foundation for the following courses.  I loved the freedom we had with problem solving and the course allowed for a lot of collaboration and discussion with the students around me in class.

Academic Advice: As long as you study hard and put in the effort, you will do amazing in any class you take here!  Don't be afraid to reach out to peers or professors for help, especially since it helps both you and a classmate understand the material and helps you form a good relationship with your professor.

Chingpheng Phoun '24

Major: Physics, Mathematics, Engineering at Dartmouth College    

About Me: I am Cambodian, raised in Singapore. Aside from physics, you might see me in the gym repping up your PR. My hobbies include powerlifting, watching football and Formula One. If you see me around campus, say hello! And if you ever need interested in doing the Dual-degree engineering program, don't hesitate to ask!

Why PAC?: I have always loved helping people and teaching people effective ways to study and learn material. I thought PAC was the best place for me to do that. On top of that, I believe that we can all learn the material effectively by sharing each other's ideas, and I believe PAC offers the best environment to do so. 

Favorite Class: My favorite class as of now is PY348 (Quantum Mechanics). I have always been fascinated by the application of Quantum theory in the field of Quantum computing. 

Academic Advice: Throughout my life, I have learned that the biggest academic obstacle that you will face is yourself. Don't let imposter syndrome and all others' negative thoughts get to you. You're here for a reason!

Emmy Plage '25

Major: Physics Minor: Mathematics      

About Me: I am from Bedford, New Hampshire, and play on the women's basketball team here at Skidmore. Outside of school, I love listening to music, going on walks, and hanging out with friends and family. 

Why PAC?: Physics PAC has been an excellent resource for me throughout my years at Skidmore. I am excited to have the opportunity to provide the same experience I had with PAC. 

Favorite Class: For me, Optics (PY212) was my favorite physics class that I have taken at Skidmore. Learning about how light operates in reflections, refractions, waves, through lenses, and the anatomy of our eye was really cool! I love learning the science behind everyday phenomena. 

Academic Advice: Get yourself organized at the beginning of the semester and keep a planner. I have found that going through all of my syllabi and writing down important dates (finals, tests, quizzes, and nightly homeworks if they are provided) for the semester helps me get a feel for my semester workload and stay on top of my assignments. 

Trayce Reeves '24

Major: Physics   

About me: I'm from Arlington MA, My favorite thing about Skidmore is how close everyone is in the physics de[artment. Outside of school I like to travel, watch Netflix, and play music (bass guitar).

Why PAC?: I really like learning and I like sharing the things I'm passionate about. I want to help others while also strengthening my foundational understanding.

Favorite class and why?: Astronomy. Nothing has wowed me like the way Astronomy does. It puts everything into perspective and changed the way I thought about our place in the universe. My favorite unit was learning about the life cycle of stars.

Academic advice: I write down everything I have to do in a calendar or in my reminders app on my phone. It helps me stay organized and prioritize the assignments I need to. It also feels really good to check things off when they're done.

Francie Wharton '25

Major: Physics   Minors: Dance and Honors Forum     

About me: I'm Francie (she/her)! I'm from Evanston, Illinois, which is just 10 minutes north of Chicago. At Skidmore, I am a tour guide, an RA, and a writer for communications. I'm also the publicist for the Random Acts of Crafts club and a community organizer.

Why PAC?: PAC was my first introduction to the wonderful physics community at Skidmore, and they helped me see that I could be successful in the major. I am excited to pay that forward and help people discover their love for physics!

Favorite Class and Why?: I really loved Foundations of Modern Physics (PY 210). It is the first time in the major you see more advanced physics topics and often the first time you are in a class with just physics majors and minors. I love the community that comes out of working together to finish a problem set and learning how to explain what you know to help others. It was a challenge, but a very rewarding challenge!

Academic Advice: Go to office hours! Especially at Skidmore, the professors want to help you! Never feel like your question is too dumb or too silly. I promise you someone else is thinking the same thing!

Natasha Wozniak '25

Major: Chemistry   

About me: I am from Seattle, WA, and love hiking, rock climbing, and just being outside! 

Why PAC: I loved going to PAC for my physics classes last year. It is a great space to collaborate with peers, and I want to help create that space for other students!

Favorite class and why: PY 207! It was the first physics class I had ever taken, and I loved solving hard problems that seemed impossible at first. I learned to just try problems that I had no idea how to solve, and there were so many rewarding lightbulb moments along the way!

Academic Advice: Work with other people! You start looking forward to doing your schoolwork instead of dreading it. Working with others also helps me learn the material faster and more thoroughly.