Lecturer and Advisor
Sukalpa Basu is a lecturer and advisor for the Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate Programs responsible for teaching the General Physics sequence (PHYS 101 and 102) and Calculus I (MATH 104). She earned her PhD in physics (theoretical condensed matter) from Temple University under the guidance of Professor Peter Riseborough, where she conducted research in phase transitions and spin waves in cerium. Research in heavy fermion and strongly correlated electrons systems continue to be her topics of interest.
Before joining the University of Pennsylvania, Sukalpa taught at Valley Forge Military College for ten years. During her tenure at VFMC, she served as a faculty advisor and as the Director of Assessment, responsible for overseeing institutional assessment methods and processes.
As an academic, Sukalpa is interested in exploring different pedagogical methods and has been a proponent of active learning in the classroom for her courses. As an academic advisor, she believes that effective communication and proactive mentoring are fundamental to student success.
In 2022, Sukalpa was awarded Penn’s College of Liberal and Professional Studies Award for Distinguished Teaching in Undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate Programs as well as a 2022 Excellence in Teaching Award from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) Mid-Atlantic awards program. Read the full story about Sukalpa's awards and her experiences teaching in the Pre-Health Programs.