, ▁who ▁has ▁been ▁with ▁Ph ET ▁since ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁Per kins ▁hopes ▁that ▁the ▁simulations ’ ▁access ibility ▁and ▁interactive ▁nature ▁will ▁increase ▁scientific ▁liter acy ▁and ▁promote ▁student ▁eng agement ▁in ▁the ▁class room . ▁ ▁Organ ization ▁▁ ▁Ph ET ▁Inter active ▁Sim ulations ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Colorado ▁B ould er ▁which ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Association ▁of ▁American ▁Univers ities . ▁The ▁team ▁changes ▁over ▁time ▁and ▁has ▁about ▁ 1 6 ▁members ▁consisting ▁of ▁profess ors , ▁post - do ctor al ▁students , ▁research ers , ▁education ▁special ists , ▁software ▁engine ers ▁( s ometimes ▁contract ors ), ▁educ ators , ▁and ▁administrative ▁assist ants . ▁The ▁current ▁director ▁of ▁Ph ET ▁is ▁Dr . ▁K atherine ▁Per kins . ▁ ▁Design ▁and ▁educational ▁impact ▁Ph ET ▁Inter active ▁Sim ulations ▁incorpor ates ▁research - based ▁practices ▁on ▁effective ▁teaching ▁to ▁enh ance ▁the ▁learning ▁of ▁science ▁and ▁mathematics ▁concepts . ▁The ▁simulations ▁are ▁designed ▁to ▁be ▁flexible ▁so ▁that ▁they ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁as ▁lecture ▁demonstr ations , ▁l abs , ▁or ▁home work ▁activities . ▁ ▁They ▁use ▁an ▁intuit ive , ▁game - like ▁environment ▁where ▁students ▁can ▁learn ▁through ▁scient ist - like ▁expl oration ▁within ▁a ▁simplified ▁environment , ▁where ▁dynamic ▁visual ▁representations ▁make ▁the ▁invisible ▁visible , ▁and ▁where ▁science ▁ideas ▁are ▁connected ▁to ▁real - world ▁phen omena . ▁ ▁A ▁Ph ET ▁simulation ▁starts ▁with ▁three ▁to ▁five ▁people