Following a postdoctoral research position at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Peterson began teaching full-time, first at Western Illinois University, and later at Bethel, where he would dedicate nearly 40 years of his career. His focus on providing the highest quality physics education on a national scale led to his being named Bethels first University Professor in 2006.

Hes led a lot of the national discussion on how to make education better, Lindquist says, and by pushing research, he elevated how Bethel was perceived nationally in the physics community.

Indeed Bethel now boasts one of the countrys larger undergraduate physics and engineering programs, with Petersons contributions to the departments spectacular growth being particularly noteworthy. But while Peterson is grateful for his opportunities to promote physics at Bethel, he maintains that working with students is the best part of teaching. We need to mentor and help students develop what they enjoy, he says. We need to keep students finding their calling. As a physics teacher, Peterson clearly found his own calling, which he describes as both high and humble.

The AAPT presented Peterson with the Medal, a certificate, and a monetary award at their 2020 Winter Meeting in Orlando, Florida this January. At the conference, Peterson shared an address on the importance of physics education and its impact on both the student and the aspiring teacher.

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A High and Humble Calling - Bethel University News