Based in Idaho

Justin GahleyCuriosity, in practice.

I’m a physics PhD candidate, learning designer, and father. I explore how the world works—and how we learn to understand it.

Justin Gahley
A life of asking questions.

What I’m exploring

A few threads of my work.

01 / Research

Physics & foundational questions

At Idaho State University, I work on the ShowerMax detector for the MOLLER experiment, measuring the weak mixing angle.

Explore MOLLER
02 / Learning

Making room
for learning

A year in an Instructional Design PhD program shaped how I think about learning. Today, I put those ideas into practice homeschooling my children.

An ongoing, everyday practice
03 / Conversations

Simple
in Theory

Conversations about ideas, questions, and the things that interest us, with my brother and longtime collaborator, Jordan Fife.

Watch the podcast

A little background

My path wasn’t
a straight line.

I grew up in Boise, Idaho, and left high school at 15. Curiosity kept me learning: I taught myself calculus, computer programming, and whatever else caught my attention.

In 2017, I returned to school. I earned a BS in physics, graduating magna cum laude, followed by a master’s in physics—all while raising three children as a single father.

Today, I’m pursuing a PhD in physics at Idaho State University. Research, learning, and family continue to shape my days.

Studying physics and conducting research since 2017

Say hello

Good questions start
good conversations.

For research, learning design, or a shared curiosity.

justingahley@gmail.com