Lawrence D. Woolf is a materials physicist and technical fellow at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. He received a Ph.D. in low temperature condensed matter physics from the University of California, San Diego in 1980 and a BA in physics (with high distinction) from Rutgers College (with highest honors) in 1975. After a post-doctoral appointment at the Exxon Corporate Research Science Laboratory, Woolf joined General Atomics (GA) in 1982. At GA, he has been involved in the development of thin film coatings and other novel materials, high temperature ceramic superconducting wire, electromagnetic turbulence control components, nuclear thermionic energy conversion, high temperature electrical insulators, thermophotovoltaic energy conversion, electronic properties of graphite fibers, and neutron transmutation doping of silicon. He has been project manager or lead scientist for over 50 programs involving the design, development, and production of a variety of advanced materials. He is the author or co-author of 73 scientific publications in the area of materials physics and energy conversion systems, has given 43 scientific presentations, and holds 24 patents. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi, is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, and received the 2004 San Diego Science Alliance Partner of the Year Award.
General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation
Since 2007, Woolf has also been President and Chairman of the Board of the General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation. He initiated the Foundation web site in 1997 and has been responsible for all content. In 2010, he initiated the GASSSS program to involve more employees in education outreach; more than 1,100 have participated. In 2017, he initiated a Foundation partnership with Chapter One (TutorMate) to promote literacy and to help at-risk students learn to read by the end of first grade; over 135 GA employees have participated in this tutoring program. The General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation received the San Diego Section of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Outstanding Corporate Contribution to the Community Award for 2024.
UCSD
In 2019, he helped develop a partnership between GA and the UCSD Division of Physical Sciences that resulted in GA supporting multiple undergraduate summer research experiences and mentorships via the Student Success Center. He has worked with the UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering to foster closer relationships with GA, resulting in support for the Guided Engineering Apprenticeship in Research program; Woolf is a member of the Executive Board of the Jacobs School of Engineering Corporate Affiliates Program and a member of the School of Physical Sciences, Dean’s Leadership Council. He is also on the Education Advisory Committee of the UC San Diego Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (UCSD MRSEC).
American Physical Society
Woolf served on the executive committee of the American Physical Society (APS) Forum on Education (FEd) from 2004-2007 as a Member-at-Large. He served as FEd Past Chair (and Chair of the Fellowship Committee) from 2011-2012, FEd Chair from 2010-2011, FEd Chair Elect (and Chair of the Program Committee) from 2009-2010, and FEd Vice-Chair (and Chair of the Nominating Committee) from 2008-2009. He co-edited the Summer 2006 and edited the Summer 2007 and Summer 2008 FEd newsletters. He co-organized 2 FEd sponsored invited sessions on undergraduate materials physics education for the 2008 APS March meeting and organized an invited session on preparing physics students for careers in industry for the 2009 APS March meeting. At the March 2010 APS meeting, he presented a tutorial on Physics Careers in Government Contracting: Defense and Energy and organized a session on Science Literacy, the Nature of Science and Religion. At the April 2011 APS meeting, he participated in a panel on student careers in physics, and organized an invited session on Educating and Exciting the Public about Physics.
He was a member of the APS Committee on Education from 2009-2011. Woolf was selected to be the APS representative to the US Physics Team Advisory Board in 2009. He was a member of the organizing committee of the Second Graduate Education in Physics Conference, where he organized sessions on preparing graduate students for non-academic careers and co-wrote the final report. He was a member of the APS/AAPT Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs that issued the report Phys21: Preparing Physics Students for 21st Century Careers; he also led the development of the Phys21 Supplement: J-TUPP Summary of Background Reports on Careers and Professional Skills.
He was a member of the APS Development Advisory Committee from 2015-2018, a member of the APS Excellence in Physics Education Award selection committee for 2020-2021, and a member of the APS Mission, Vision, Values Working Group in 2023. He was a participant in the 2022 APS Annual Leadership Meeting session on Broadening Our Community.
Woolf was a task force member of the APS Effective Practices for Physics Programs (EP3) Project from 2016-2022. He is currently a member of the EP3 Editorial Board for 2023-2026 and will be chair in 2025. Woolf is a member of the APS Committee on Education for 2022-2024 and was chair in 2023.
American Institute of Physics
Woolf is a member of the 2024-2025 American Institute of Physics (AIP) Advisory Panel for Visioning Engagement with Undergraduate Students (VENUS).
National Science Foundation
Woolf has been a member of 22 National Science Foundation (NSF) review panels. He chaired the 2002 Committee of Visitors (COV) Review Panel for the NSF Instructional Materials Development Program, served on the 2005 COV panel, as well as the 2005 Expert Panel on the Future of the NSF Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education. He was on the steering and writing committees of the Workshop on the Future of Materials Science and Materials Engineering Education. He has performed site reviews on behalf of NSF for the following programs: GEMS Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading (2004); SRI Nanosense Program (2005-2007); National Center for Learning and Teaching in Nanoscale Science and Engineering (2005, as chair); Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) (2012); National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (2014), Center for Integration of Modern Optoelectronic Materials on Demand (2024)
International Union of Pure and Applied Physics
Since 2020, Woolf is the US member of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physical Science's Working Group 16 on Physics and Industry and is a Member-At-Large of the National Academy of Sciences/U.S. Liaison Committee for the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics for 2023-2024.
Department of Energy
He has been a member of 5 Department of Energy review panels, twice as chair.
Science Curricula and Outreach
Woolf has been actively involved in education outreach activities at GA for grades K-12. He developed the following education modules: It's a Colorful Life; Seeing the Light: The Physics and Materials Science of the Incandescent Light Bulb; Line of Resistance: Using a Graphite Pencil to Explore the Electrical Properties of Materials and Circuits; Staying Alive: The Physics, Mathematics, and Engineering of Safe Driving; and The Seasons: A Tale of the Sun, Earth, and Two Cities. He was one of the co-developers of the Exploration of Materials Science and Chromatics: The Science of Color modules. He has also developed education modules on electric energy bills, the Color of Ice, and the scientific research paper.
He has given over 100 workshops to teachers and students and has developed numerous educational materials and posters, particularly in the area of color theory and has written numerous science education related articles. He was curriculum advisor/technical reviewer for the Lawrence Hall of Science FOSS middle school modules on Electronics as well as Force and Motion. Woolf was a curriculum advisor/technical reviewer for all 3 years of the BSCS Science: An Inquiry Approach high school program. He was on the advisory board of Across the Sciences, a multimedia professional development series for high school teachers. Woolf also played an active role in trying to improve California state science education standards, framework, and instructional materials selection. He has been a reviewer for the following publications: EPIC: Educating Physicists for Impactful Careers – Equipping Physics Students to Change the World Through Physics Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education; Advanced Light Sources and Crystallography: Tools of Discovery and Innovation; Improving Defense Acquisition Workforce Capability in Data Use.
Personal
Woolf enjoys hiking, reading, and playing with his grandchildren. He has been a science consultant for numerous screenwriters as part of the Science and Entertainment Exchange, including for David Goyer and Alan Taylor. He also enjoyed his experience as an extra on the Big Bang Theory TV show, where his science posters were often displayed.