eNNOUNCER July 2009
eNNOUNCER July, 2009
Don't miss the 2009 Summer Meeting!
"Discovering the Universe: From Democritus and Galileo to Fundamental Particles and Cosmology" may seem a lofty goal for some, but attendees of the AAPT 2009 Summer Meeting will have the opportunity to experience these aspects of physics and more. Come experience new and exciting teaching techniques and enhance your professional position!
Noteworthy speakers include Robert A. Millikan Medal winner, Arthur Eisenkraft, Klopsteg Memorial Awardee, Lee Smolin, and AIP's Andrew W. Gemant Awardee, John S. Rigden.
Don't miss David Saltzberg as he discusses his time served as physics consultant for the popular television situation-comedy "The Big Bang Theory."
Be sure to sign-up for our Detroit City Tour with a stop at the Motown Historical Museum, and our Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village Tour.
Register today! http://www.aapt.org/Events/sm2009/registration.cfm
Check the events calendar for future meetings.
http://www.aapt.org/Events/calendar.cfm
Physics Education Research Conference 2009, PER Topical Group, AAPT Event
"Physics Education Research Across Paradigms," July 29-30, 2009 in Ann Arbor, at the University of Michigan
This conference will feature the leading researchers in cognitive psychology, in social and cultural studies, and in neuroscience: Kevin Dunbar, Andrea diSessa, Michael Posner, and Anna Sfard. These researchers will shed light on how cutting-edge research on learning is conducted within each framework and how different research methodologies apply to PER. One of the objectives of PERC 2009 is to identify the characteristic properties of various research frameworks and the kinds of questions each framework can answer best. By looking at the different frameworks used to study learning and the interplay between them, a goal of PERC 2009 is to build bridges between the frameworks used in PER and bridges between our community and those making use of each of these frameworks.
http://www.per-central.org/conferences/2009/index.cfm
Summer Workshop for New Physics and Astronomy Faculty
The 2009 summer workshop for new faculty was held at ACP, June 25-28, 2009. Approximately 85 undergraduate physics and astronomy faculty members attended, taking part in workshops and group sessions on subjects including Peer Instruction, Physlets, Problem Solving, Digital Libraries, and RealTime Physics. Read about New Faculty Workshops on aapt.org and see photos on Facebook.
AAPT Has Galileoscopes!
The Galileoscope is a high-quality, low-cost telescope kit developed for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 by a team of leading astronomers, optical engineers, and science educators. No matter where you live, with this easy-to-assemble, 50-mm (2-inch) diameter, 25- to 50-power achromatic refractor, you can see the celestial wonders that Galileo first glimpsed 400 years ago and that still delight stargazers today. These include lunar craters and mountains, four moons circling Jupiter, the phases of Venus, Saturn's rings, and countless stars invisible to the unaided eye. Members pay only $13. We have a limited amount so get yours today at the AAPT Physics Store!
Call for Award Nominations
Nominations for awards to be presented at the 2010 Winter Meeting are now being accepted. These are:
Hans Christian Oersted Medal
Floyd K. Richtmyer Memorial Award
J.D. Jackson Excellence in Graduate Education Award
Distinguished Service Citations
Nomination forms should be sent to Lila Adair, Awards Committee Chair, no later than July 15.
AAPT on Facebook and Twitter
Are you an AAPT Facebook fan? Are you following us on Twitter? Visit our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Association-of-Physics-Teachers/43948086085?ref=ts and become a fan! Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/physicsteachers. Share these links with your colleagues and help spread the news!
SPIN-UP 2009 Workshop Schedules Posted
AAPT, in cooperation with the APS and AIP and with support from the National Science Foundation, invites teams from physics departments to attend regional workshops. The goal of the SPIN-UP Regional Workshops is to enable physics departments in a wide variety of institutions to build the departmental infrastructure that will produce long-term improvements in undergraduate physics programs and to enhance both the number of students studying physics and the quality of student learning.
The workshops will be held at the following location:
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC: September 11-13, 2009
http://www.aapt.org/Projects/upload/NCStateSPIN-UP-Workshop.pdf
For more information and application materials visit http://www.aapt.org/Projects/spinup-regional.cfm.
Statistical and Thermal Physics
The Statistical and Thermal Physics (STP) Collection is designed to enhance the teaching of undergraduate thermal and statistical physics. Our goal is to promote innovation in all aspects of the teaching of statistical and thermal physics in the undergraduate curriculum, including computational projects, laboratory experiments, recent research developments, issues related to energy and the environment, and conceptually-based ways of presenting statistical physics and classical thermodynamics.
The foundational resources of the STP Collection are open source simulations with curricular material linked to the textbook, Thermal and Statistical Physics by Harvey Gould and Jan Tobochnik. The text will be published by Princeton University Press, but will remain freely available in the STP Collection. http://www.compadre.org/stp/
In Memoriam
Isabel Gonzalez Fabian de Norscini, died May 14, 2009
The board, management, and teaching staff of the Asociación Argentina ORT pay tribute to this outstanding teacher who was in the ORT Technical School and professor emeritus at the institution. Her identification with the objectives of institución and their commitment and dedication to her students, were an example for others. Ms. de Norscini was a member of AAPT since 1983.
Member in the News
Camp Sheds New Light on Learning
About 45 Plano Independent School District female students are taking part in a camp meant to increase their confidence and open their eyes to new careers. The fourth-annual Plano ISD physics camp for women targets those who have completed either Algebra II as sophomores, and are eligible to take pre-Advanced Placement Physics, or who have completed pre-AP Physics as juniors. Students are recruited during March and April. Plano ISD recruits those entering their senior year who have already signed up for AP Physics; or females who did well in pre-AP Physics, but didn’t sign up for AP Physics or any other AP science course. Plano ISD also recruits females entering their junior year, who have already signed up for pre-AP Physics.
Linda Antinone, lead instructor for the camp, said they choose women in science-related fields. Antinone is a national award-winning teacher and co-author of five books on mathematics and physics and their connections. She has taught 23 years, mostly teaching AP physics and AP calculus. She is currently an instructor for the TI professional development department. Cherie Lehman is the second instructor for the camp. She is a College Board consultant, who served on the committee to redesign the AP Physics B course. She has been involved with the American Association of Physics Teachers, serving on several committees and developing curricula for the Physics Teaching Resource Agents. She taught high school physics for 32 years and now teaches physics at Eastern Illinois University.
The camp has two expected outcomes for the female students: to give them the skills and attitudes necessary to help them succeed in AP and pre-AP physics courses, and to encourage more young women to consider careers in mathematics, physics and engineering.
"It's fun and exciting to help these girls become more confident," Antinone said. "Confidence is a big name of the game. We're trying to tell these girls that they can do this and that it's okay to make mistakes." More at http://www.scntx.com/articles/2009/06/18/plano_star-courier/news/641.txt
New Major in Physics Education Approved
The University of California, Santa Cruz, has approved a new major in physics education to prepare students for California teaching credentials and teaching careers in science and mathematics at the high school level.
The new major, leading to a B.S. degree, will be overseen by the Physics Department, with extensive collaboration from the Mathematics and Education Departments. Students can declare the major starting in Fall 2009.
"As part of UC's effort to train more science teachers, we wanted to create a program designed to meet the needs of students interested in teaching physics and math in high school," said David Belanger, professor and chair of the Physics Department.
NSF Announces STEM Scholarship Program
The program announcement for the NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program is now available. This is an opportunity for institutions to submit an interdisciplinary proposal to provide significant scholarship support for their undergraduate STEM students. Check here for rapidly approaching deadlines. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09567/nsf09567.htm?govDel=USNSF_25
Also, it is possible to receive e-mail alerts on funding opportunities available at NSF by registering at http://www.nsf.gov/funding/
XXIVth International Conference on Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems (ICMBRS XXIV) Conference
August 22-27, 2010, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. Organized by Ray Norton.
http://physicsworld.com/cws/event/14246
Year of Science 2009 Celebrates Astronomy
Ever hear of a quadricentennial? Well, astronomy is one of the oldest sciences and 2009 marks the 400th anniversary of Galileo's use of a telescope to study the skies. In commemoration of that and other astronomical events, the world will celebrate the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (www.astronomy2009.us), and we will plan to highlight their activities.
So, reach for the stars, and celebrate ASTRONOMY! http://www.yearofscience2009.org/themes_astronomy/celebrate/
2009 Weightless Flights of Discovery
"Out-of-this-World" Experience Gives Teachers The Hands-On Knowledge to Bring Science and Math Lessons to Life and Inspire and Energize Students
The Northrop Grumman Foundation is accepting teacher applications for the 2009 Weightless Flights of Discovery. This annual professional development program allows teachers to prepare for and participate in micro- and zero-gravity flights to test Newton's Laws of Motion with the purpose of taking the experience back into their classrooms to energize their students in science and math subjects during the formative middle-school years.
Middle-school math and science teachers are welcome to seek additional information and apply for the program by visiting http://www.northropgrumman.com/teachers.
National Science Digital Library Resource Center's What Works Series
What Works Series: Enhancing and Sharing Lessons Using The Physics Front Digital Library Collection
Tuesday, July 21 at 1:00 PM EDT. Brush up and invigorate your teaching with resources from the Physics Front online collection of resources for teaching physics and physical science at all grade levels K-12. We'll explore some of the resources, simulations, interactives, images, and teacher materials available for free to teachers and how to maximize their use in the classroom.
Hosted by the National Science Digital Library Resource Center and the ChemEd Digital Library.
Register for the meeting at: https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=lrfam8yw5ikc
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Copyright © 2009, American Association of Physics Teachers
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