Chris Varney
Interim Director, Research Associate Professor Ctr for Science Math & Computer Ed University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Contact
- Address
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AVH 251
Lincoln, NE 68588-0131 - Phone
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402-472-8965 On-campus 2-8965
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cvarney3@unl.edu
Dr. Chris Varney (he/him) earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in Physics from the University of California, Davis, and his B.S. in Physics from Northern Arizona University. He held postdoctoral research appointments at Georgetown University, the University of Maryland, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Prior to joining UNL, he served on the faculty at the University of West Florida, where he was Physics Chair and led initiatives in program development, laboratory modernization, and STEM student success. His research background includes work on quantum many-body systems and phase transitions, where he applied computational methods to explore complex interacting systems.
Driven by a longstanding interest in how students learn and succeed in STEM fields, his work now centers on STEM education research, institutional data use, and strengthening transfer and partnership pathways in science, mathematics, and engineering. He works collaboratively with faculty and institutional partners to improve introductory STEM instruction, support educator development, and build systems that expand opportunity and success for students across the STEM pipeline.