As a high school student, Adrienne Wootters had a revelation that fueled her passion for physics. The realization that science was not just for “old guys who had already figured everything out,” but was instead an open and vibrant field of discovery, inquiry, and opportunity.  Dr. Wootters earned her undergraduate and Master’s degrees from the University of Texas, and her Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts. She came to MCLA in 2001 and notes that she likes the “family atmosphere” at MCLA, and appreciates the close relationships and mutual respect among the students, and between students and faculty.

She currently serves as chair of the MCLA physics department. Her scholarly interests include science education reform, issues around the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the history of physics. She also shares her passion for science with local schools. With the support of a Title II-B grant from the Massachusetts Department of Education, Dr. Wootters helps middle school teachers develop new content and instructional strategies to make their teaching more accessible and productive.

Dr. Wootters has high hopes for the science building. When it is complete, she envisions a center that will serve both the MCLA community and the community at large. She would love to see the building as a center of education and inquiry, one that is almost like a museum, offering hands-on demonstrations and projects for adults and children of all ages.

"The College is like my Disney World.  this is my dream job. There is not place in the world I would rather be."