Matthew P. Perkins Coppola, Ph.D.
Matthew P. Perkins Coppola, Ph.D.
Matthew Perkins Coppola is an assistant professor of science education and coordinator for secondary education and Elementary STEM at Purdue University Fort Wayne. A former public high school physics teacher and director of a district-wide planetarium and science center, he holds a joint appointment in the Department of Teacher Education and Department of Physics, teaching courses in both. His educational research interests include preparation of preservice teachers to teach engineering and physics, effectiveness of methods to inform secondary students of differences in computing fields, and conceptual change in physics teaching. He continues to mentor physics majors on methods of using networks of remote telescopes to measure the periodicity of variable stars in order to determine their distance. Fort the past decadehe served as the director of the Northeast Indiana Regional Science and Engineering Fair (NEIRSEF), organizing the annual competition for 150 student researchers in grades K-12 from accress an eight county region.
- EDU 20001 Introduction to Scientific Inquiry
- EDU 20002 Using Computers in Education
- EDU 32800 Science in Elementary School
- EDU 32900 Engineering in the Elementary and Middle Schools
- EDU 44900 Methods of Teaching High School Science
- EDU 47300 Elementary STEM Practicum
- PHYS 21000 Nature of Physical Science I
- PHYS 22100 General Physics
- Perkins Coppola, M., Kim, B., Wang, G., Parker, M., & Boliner, T. (2024). Computing faculty introducing secondary students to differences in computing fields. Conference Proceedings of the 2024 ASEE. https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--46716
- Perkins Coppola, M. (2023, September 27). The message of "Oppenheimer" just as relevant today. The Jourrnal Gazette. https://www.journalgazette.net/opinion/columnists/message-of-oppenheimer-just-as-relevanttoday/article_b2e81f4a-5bc8-11ee-96d8-e32a163ae268.html
- Perkins Coppola, M. (2021). Learning through doing; peservice elementary teacher reflections on the engineering design process. Conference Proceedings of the 2021 ASEE. https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--37431
- Pavey, L., Smith, T.,Wyss, S., & Perkins Coppola, M. (2021). Observations of U Leporis. Astronomy Theory, Observations and Methods Journal, 2(1). https://www.rtsre.org/index.php/atom/article/download/66/64
- Perkins, Coppola, M.P. & Merz, A. (2020). Sailing into Engineering with Apple Boats. Science & Children, 57(9), 35-39. https://doi.org/10.1080/00368148.2020.12318575
- Perkins, Coppola, M.P. (2019). Preparing preservice elementary teachers to teach engineering: impact on self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. School Science and Mathematics, 119(3). 161-170. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ssm.12327
- Lunsford, E., Melear, C.T., Roth, W.M., Perkins, M., & Hickok, L. (2007). Proliferation of inscriptions and transformations among preservice teachers engaged in authentic science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44(4), 538-564. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/tea.20160
- Perkins, M. & Pfaffman, J. (2006). Using a course management system to improve classroom communication. The Science Teacher, 73(7), 33-37. researchgate.net
- Perkins Coppola, M.P., & Hullinger, H. (2025, June 16). Storytelling through Code. Computer Science Professional Development Week 2025, Bloomington, IN, United States.
- Perkins Coppola, M., Kim, B., Wang, G., Parker, M., & Bolinger, T. (2024, June 24). Computing Faculty Introducing Secondary Students to Differences in Computing Fields. American Society or Engineering Education, Portland, OR, United States.
- Perkins Coppola, M. (2020). Science fair as field experience for preservice elementary teachers. Mid-Atlantic Association for Science Teacher Education, Virtual. https://voicethread.com/myvoice/thread/15531177/97043670/89163223
- Perkins Coppola, M.P. (2019). Teaching engineering self-efficacy: a mini-unit approach in elementary science methods. National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Baltimore, MD, United States.
- Perkins Coppola, M.P., Stewart, G., Duffy, A., & Greenman, M. (2019). Preparing teachers for AP Physics. PhysTEC Annual Conference, Boston, MA, United States.
- Perkins Coppola, M.P. & Masters, M. (2019). Applied Physics Workshops for student-teacher teams. Summer meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers, Provo, UT, United States.
- Perkins Coppola, M. & Hagevik, R. (2017). Participation of inservice secondary teachers in a multi-year summer research experience. 12th annual meeting of the European Science Education Research Association, Dublin, Ireland.
- Perkins, M.P. (2011). Citizen Science: Using Physics to Model Traffic Intersections. American Association of Physics Teachers, Jacksonville, FL, United States.
- Director, Northeast Indiana Regional Science and Engineering Fair, 2016-2026
- Program Director, PFW Summer Computing Camp, July 2023, 2024, 2025
- Member, Senate Curriculum Subcommittee, 2026-2029
- Memberr, PFW HLC Student Success Academy, 2024-present
- Coordinator, Secondary Education, Teacher Education, 2022-2023 and 2024-present
- Coordinator and Founder, Elementary STEM Dual Licensure, Teacher Education, 2021-present
- Section Editor, Electronic Journal for Research in Science & Mathematics Education, 2021-2028
- Co-founder, Physics Teacher Advisory Group (TAG), 2017-present