Robert Haussman is a SEAS LInc Research Associate, working to develop, assess, and implement effective pedagogy in applied mathematics.  Prior to his arrival at SEAS, Robert completed his undergraduate degrees in physics and mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and earned his doctorate in theoretical soft matter physics at Carnegie Mellon University. 

Robert's background lies at the intersection of statistical field theory and biophysics, but his research interests are broadly interdisciplinary and center on his appreciation of and drive to understand the common mathematical structures that describe and unite seemingly dissimilar systems.  During his doctoral work, Robert employed tools from effective field theory to describe surface-mediated interactions between particles at fluid interfaces.  The aggregate behavior of such systems underlies many commonplace and important phenomena, including stability of emulsions and the structure and function of cell membranes.  More recently, Robert has embarked on exploring the relationship between information processing and heuristics in human learning (such as ball-catching strategies).

Robert's passion for education is reflected in his decade-long history of teaching and mentorship.  He has maintained this commitment through a variety of educational engagements, including one-on-one subject tutoring, large undergraduate course recitations at both MIT and CMU, and residential summer programs for motivated high school students interested in STEM careers.  As a LInc Fellow, Robert aims to update and innovate evidence-based teaching formats to help students develop critical thinking acumen and mathematical fluency in the applied sciences, which can be translated into reproducible and scalable approaches for the wider educational community.