Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Kate Roberts ’01

Physics Teacher | STEM Scholar | Gould Alumna

For Dr. Kate Roberts, returning to Gould Academy isn’t just a career move — it’s a homecoming. A proud Gould graduate herself, Dr. Roberts now teaches physics in the same classrooms where her own intellectual curiosity first came alive. With her daughter currently enrolled and her family living on campus — including the family dog, Jack, three happy cats, and a lively flock of chickens — her life is now beautifully interwoven with the community that helped shape her as a student.

But Dr. Roberts brings much more than nostalgia to her role. She is a nationally recognized educator and STEM scholar with more than 15 years of classroom experience and an academic résumé that rivals the best in the field. After earning her Ph.D. in STEM Education from the University of Maine — where she completed a dissertation on “Borderline Grading Decisions: The factors that influence the choices of high school physical science teachers” — she went on to teach AP Physics, design curriculum, and lead initiatives that elevate both science instruction and student engagement.

Her research has been published in The Physics Teacher and presented at national conferences, including the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the Physics Education Research Conference. Her work explores everything from the psychology of grading to the “aha” moments students experience during group problem solving. She’s also co-authored papers on how students interpret mathematical signs in physics equations — revealing a rare blend of pedagogical insight and academic precision.

Dr. Roberts has served as a Knowles Teaching Fellow, an AP Physics Reader for the College Board, and a mentor for pre-service teachers through the UMaine RiSE Center. She’s led workshops on force and motion, advocated for women in physics through the American Physical Society’s STEP UP initiative, and even coached robotics and lacrosse. Whether she's working with advanced physics students or introducing middle schoolers to circuits, her approach is consistent: empower students to think critically, collaborate deeply, and stay curious.

At Gould, her impact is already being felt — in the lab, on the trails, and in the everyday rhythm of student life. “You’ll usually find me in McLaughlin Hall or down at the barn with my chickens,” she laughs — a reminder that learning at Gould is never just confined to the classroom. For Dr. Roberts, physics is about exploration, experimentation, and the joy of asking “what if?”

When asked what advice she’d give her 16-year-old self, she offers something unexpected: “Take more art classes. Especially pottery — in Gould’s beautiful Art Cottage.”

That balance — of academic excellence and personal growth, of rigor and reflection — is what makes Dr. Kate Roberts such a powerful force in the Gould community. She's not just teaching physics. She’s modeling what it means to live a curious, courageous, and connected life — and in doing so, she’s helping a new generation of Gould students find their own version of that path.