Teaching & Outreach Publications

I have taught nearly all aspects of physics at all levels from first year to PhD summer schools. I teach in English in French, and I have taught academic courses at university-level every year since my first lecturing appointment in 1994.  I have also published a few papers on some aspects of teaching that I have found particularly rewarding, especially the use of history to motivate student interest and the structuring of lectures around live demonstrations.  

Teaching Publications

J. M. Dudley, G. E. J. Bold, “Top-Down Teaching in Non-Calculus Based Introductory Physics Classes”, American Journal of Physics 63, 408-410 (1996).

J. M. Dudley, A. M. Kwan, Snell’s Law or Harriot’s?, The Physics Teacher 35, 158–159 (1997)

A. Kwan, J. M. Dudley, E. Lantz, Who really discovered Snell's law? Physics World 15, 64-84 (2002).

J. M. Dudley, A Tale of Two Portraits: A note on two alleged images of Thomas HarriotThe Harrioteer: The Newsletter of the Thomas Harriot Seminar, Durham University (UK), 6-8 (Avril 2000) ; hal-03839673 (2022).  A Twitter thread on this work is at this link here.

J. M. Dudley and David Hirst, Summer Solar Halos in New Zealand. The Australian & New Zealand Physicist 34, 143-145 (1997). 

Richard Feynman's Lectures on QED

When I was an undergraduate at the University of Auckland, senior students would occasionally pull out of a cupboard some old VHS video tapes of some lectures given by Feynman at Auckland in 1979.  In fact, these lectures were a "dress-rehearsal" of his 1983 UCLA  lectures on upon which he based his book QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter.  As a staff member some years later, I was involved in a project involving the University of Auckland, Ralph Leighton and the Feynman family to archive and distribute these lectures on a non-profit basis.  With the help of the late Sir Harry Kroto, these lectures have now been made freely available in streamed format through the website of the Vega Science Trust.  A short paper on the history of these lectures, some specific quotations, and the differences between the Auckland and UCLA lectures can be downloaded following the link below.

J. M. Dudley, A. M. Kwan, Richard Feynman's Popular Lectures on Quantum Electrodynamics - The 1979 Robb Lectures at Auckland University.  American Journal of Physics 63, 694-698 (1996)

Videos streaming at the Vega Science Trust.  I can also provide you with lower quality versions - just ask. 

Outreach & General Commentary

Through my work as President of the European Physical Society and chairing the International Year of Light, I have had the opportunity to write a great deal of general commentary giving my thoughts on various aspects of science. These various writings are listed below and can be downloaded at this link.

During 2021 I have also worked with the Science, Arts and Culture Service of the Université de Franche Comté to prepare an information brochure on Fake News and Misinformation.  This can be downloaded at this link.  

Editorials in Europhysics News (as President of EPS)

The Challenge of Communication, Europhysics News 44 (3) 3 (2013)
Surviving in Science, Europhysics News 44 (4) 3 (2013)
Future focus, Europhysics News 44 (5) 3 (2013)
A Brussels voice for Physics, Europhysics News 45 (3) 3 (2014)
Lessons from a Giant, Europhysics News 46 (1) 3 (2015)

Other commentaries

J. M. Dudley, Defending Basic Research. Nature Photonics 7 338-339 (2013)
J. M. Dudley, J. R. Gonzalez and J. J. Niemela. Harnessing Applications of Light for Sustainable Development. The African Technopolitan 3 34-37 (2015)