Merita Haxhia is the Intro Physics Lab Manager and Program Coordinator.
The labs she oversees are designed to teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills through experimentation: i.e. how do we know what to trust and what to do? The labs also teach good lab techniques while giving direct experience with the phenomena studied in the physics lecture. Merita provides lab instructions, monitors and implements improvements for teaching labs, manages the operation, maintenance, supplies, equipment, and documentation of all experiments. She also provides training and pedagogical support to Faculty Assistants (FAs) and Lab Assistants to Instructor (LAI). Merita is very interested on curricular developments and finding engaging and fun experiments.
Additionally, Merita is involved in teaching Principal and Practices of Physics course for the students participating in the First-Year Summer Academic Program (FSAP) at WashU. Before joining WashU, Merita taught Physics and AP Physics at Gateway STEM High School in St. Louis. Her hobbies include outdoor activities, gardening, and traveling.
AWARDS
- STEM Teacher of the Year - St. Louis Public Schools, May 2012
- Loeb Prize for Excellence in Teaching Science and Math - Finalist, May 2012
- Emerson Excellence in Teaching - November 2012
- Science Teacher of the Year - St. Louis Public Schools, February 2014