Christopher "bowties" Miller

Background

I am a STEM educator combining nuanced views of artistic and scientific practices to explore new pedagogical presentations of knowledge production.

Currently, I am a Technical Instructor in the Physics Instructional Resources Lab in the Physics Education Group at the MIT Department of Physics where I run lecture demos and labs as well as problem solving for TEAL classes in addition to managing the physics machine shops and researching our historical apparatus collection.
This semester, I'm teaching in 2 sections of 8.01 as well as delivering lecture demos for 8.03.

In 2021, I graduated from MIT with an SB in Physics and a minor in Art, Culture, and Technology.
As a student, I managed a multi-purpose STEAM makerspace known as the Edgerton Center Student Project Lab (4-409).
In 2017, I was the valedictorian of Richland High School in suburban Johnstown, PA.

Teaching/Mentorship/Outreach

Courses Supported as Technical Instructor (2022-)

8.01 (F22 L03 - Joe Formaggio [95 students], F22 L04 - Mohamed Abdelhafez [109 students], F22 L07 - Or Hen [62 students], F23 L03 - Kiyoshi Masui [104 students], F23 L04 - Joseph Formaggio [97 students], F23 L07 - Marin Soljacic [84 students], F24 L03 - Krishna Rajagopal [109 students], F24 L04 - Marin Soljacic [53 students], F25 L04 - Kevin Burdge [97 students], F25 L07 - Carey Witkov [92 students])
8.02 (S23 L07 - Joe Checkelsky [83 students], S23 L08 - Peter Dourmashkin [68 students], S24 L03 - Paola Rebusco [106 students], S24 L04 - Peter Dourmashkin [95 students], S25 L07 - Christina Eilers [98 students], S25 L08 - Joe Formaggio [62 students])
8.012 (F22 - Lina Necib)
8.022 (S23 - Tracy Slatyer, S25 - Gian-Michele Innocenti)
8.03 (F23 - Andrew Vanderburg, F24 - Andrew Vanderburg, F25 - Riccardo Comin)

Advising / Formal Mentorship

Mentor (Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Fall 2022) in the Physics Mentoring Program for 8.01/8.02
Mentor (IAP 2025) in the Physics Directed Reading Program for Jason Ng on the topic of differential geometry
Mentor (IAP 2024) in the Physics Directed Reading Program for Atticus Wang on the topic of geometric quantization and for Yongao Hu on the topic of principal G-bundles (aka Lectures on Geometrical Anatomy of Theoretical Physics).
Mentor (IAP 2023) in the Physics Directed Reading Program for Brian Shi on the topic of Quantum Optics (coherent and squeezed states)
Completed 8.S998 Pedagogy and Practice evidence-based mentor training course
Traditional Associate Advisor (2020-2021) for 13 first years alongside Jocelyn Heywood - Senior Staff Associate, Advising and Academic Performance, OFY
Mentor (2020) for Edgerton Center Engineering Design Workshop
(helped a team build muon detector from scratch)
Traditional Associate Advisor (2019-2020) for 4 first years alongside Jesse Thaler - Professor of Physics; Director, IAIFI
Seminar Associate Advisor (2018-2019) for 12 first years in the Edgerton Center Engineering, Art, and Science seminar alongside the well-known Ed Moriarty; K-12 Maker Team Leader (and my first year advisor) Diane Brancazio; and fellow associate advisor Talia Blum

Demonstration Shows

AAPT Summer Conference, Grand Hyatt DC, 2025
AAPT Summer Conference, Harvard Sanders Theater, 2024
Cambridge Science Festival, 2023-2024
Belmont After School Enrichment Collaborative STEM Camp, 2025
MIT Physics Pre-Orientation Program, 2022-2025
MIT Family Weekend, 2024
MIT Campus Preview Weekend, 2024
MIT Physics Staff Show, 2023

Activities in MIT Edgerton Center

Student Project Lab (4-409) Assistant Shop Manager (2019-2021)
- Maintained a makerspace to facilitate a community of student-engineers from middle schoolers through professional alumni accessibly sharing advice on personal, class, and research projects
- Recruited and scheduled 12 mentors to provide monitored access to students in addition to weekly hours in which I held a safety orientation for new users
- Scheduled and conducted weekly training workshops on design for and operation of digital fabrication tools (3D printers, laser cutter, vinyl cutter) as well as drill presses, saws, a glass fusing kiln, a sewing machine, soldering tools, and/or electronics test equipment
- Developed and co-taught a month-long virtual class on digital fabrication of pinball machines (assembled 24 108-piece kits, produced 231 student-designed parts)
- Assessed the need for ordering and organizing tools, materials, and storage in addition to maintenance, repair, planning, and mentoring activities
Volunteer Makerlodge Mentor (2018-2019)

Past MIT Courses Taken

Physics

8.012, 8.223: Classical Mechanics I & II
8.022, 8.07: Electricity & Magnetism I & II
8.03: Waves & Vibrations
8.033: Relativity
8.04, 8.05, 8.06: Quantum Physics I, II, & III
8.044, 8.08: Statistical Physics I & II
8.13, 8.14: Experimental Physics I & II
UROP Research: optimal transport between jets with Jesse Thaler
Directed Reading: Mathematical Methods of Classical Mechanics
Directed Reading: Lectures on Geometric Quantization

Mathematics

18.022: Multivariable Calculus
18.032: Differential Equations (Grader)
18.700: Linear Algebra (Done Right)
18.100B: Real Analysis
18.101: Analysis on Manifolds
18.103: Fourier Analysis
18.152: Partial Differential Equations

Art

4.301: Intro to Artistic Experimentation [Daemons]
4.322: Intro to 3D Artwork
4.314: Intro to Photography
4.373: Adv Projects in ACT [Color]
4.314: Adv Workshop in Art & Transdisciplinary Research [Interspecies Ecologies]
4.368: Studio Seminar in Art & Public Sphere [Nuclear Aesthetics]
21M.803: Prison Mural Painting Project
21M.863: Exploring the Dramatic Imagination
4.601: Intro to Art History
MAS.377: How to Write (and Talk, and Think) about Objects
STS.074: Art, Craft, Science

Other

EC.A790: Engineering, Art, and Science
21W.031: Explorations In Communicating About Science & Technology
16.S685: Computational Methods (MATLAB for Aero/Astro)
7.016: Intro Biology (Biochemical focus)
5.111: Principles of Chemical Science (as opposed to 3.09fun)

Past Activities

MIT Rocket Team

Avionics sensor simulation interfaces
Kalman+Madgwick sensor fusion filters
Dispersion analysis plugin for supplemental FAA paperwork
NAR L1 Rocketry Certification
Co-ran L1 construction session for new members
MIT Museum outreach for engineering careers
MIT Corporation Development Committee poster presentation

MIT ESP Teaching

Splash 2022 - The Atom: Theory and Experiment
Splash 2017 - What's the Matter
Spark, Splash 2018-2019 - Atomic Theory I-III
Spark 2018 - Broad History of American Politics
Splash 2018 - What is a Vector
Spark 2019 - Geometry

General STEM Outreach

Boston Public Schools Move and Groove Festival Exhibitor, 2025
MIT Commencement Guest Services Volunteer, 2023-2025
Cambridge Science Festival volunteer (2022)
ClubChem magic shows at USASEF (2018) and MIT Parents Weekend (2019)
Physics at career fair for HS students (2019)
MIT Museum presentations about Rocket Team
Consulting for physics demos for MIT programs
MIT Northeast Regional Science Bowl: timekeeper (2018), administrative volunteer (2023)
MIT Science Olympiad volunteer: Picture This (2018, 2019), WiFi Lab (2023)

High School Achievements

Scholastic Art and Writing Silver Key in Critical Essay
Best of Show - Ebensburg Christmas Gingerbread Contest
1st, 1st, 2nd, 2nd Holiday Window Painting Contests
CACCC + Allied Artists Art Achievement Award at CACCC Young Artists Exhibit
Senior Computer Science, Engineering Technology, Math Awards
The Challenge Program Academic Excellence, STEM Awards
1st, 2nd Penn State Altoona Math Competition
1st IU8 PA STEM Competition (2016)
Student of the Month (April 2015, February 2016)
AP Scholar with Distinction
National Merit Commended Student

Technology Student Association

PA-TSA State Conference Judge (2022) for:
- Data Science and Analytics HS
- Technical Design
- Electrical Applications
PA-TSA Region 8 Judge (2018-2025) for:
- Coding (x3)
- Software Development (x3)
- Technical Design (x2)
- Microcontroller Design
- Virtual Reality Visualization
Former PA state finalist (2014-2017) in:
- Software Development (x3 [twice 2nd place])
- Electronic Research and Experimentation (x2)
- Tech Bowl Written (MS)
- Tech Bowl (MS+HSx2)
- Energy Sources (MS)
- Engineering Design
- Scivis
- Electrical Applications (MS)
- PA-Robotics
- Video Game Design (MS+HS)

Technologies/Media

Technologies

Python (numpy/scipy/matplotlib data analysis, Jupyter notebooks, vpython)
MATLAB (Computational ODEs, fitting/plots)
C++ (Arduino, Atmel+TI MCUs, I2C/SPI interfaces, SFML game engine, Win32 GUI)
LaTeX, beamer
Mathematica
Java - AWT/Swing
Common CLI tools (make,git)
HTML, basic d3.js visualization, Wordpress
Basic Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, InDesign)
Excel, Word, Powerpoint
Electronics: circuit analysis (theory, LTspice), basic PCB Design + fabrication, SMT soldering, active filters, RF mixers
General digital fabrication: CAD (OnShape, Fusion360, Inventor), design for 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC embroidery
Machining: basic manual mill and lathe operations

Media

Animatronics (rigging, driving motors/lights/pumps, embedded programming)
Fused and slumped glass (design, firing, mold-making, leading workshops)
Metals (wire, cutting, enameling, hot work)
Stained glass (cutting/grinding, soldering, scouring)
Ceramics (slab/strip construction, underglaze and glaze selection, firing)
Silkscreen (design, paint-on and photo emulsions)
Casting (plaster, alginate, clay)
Acrylic, Oil, Watercolor, Tempera window paint
Performance (walking then writing about it)

Contact

bowties (at) alum (dot) mit (dot) edu

I wear bowties on Tuesdays.