eNNOUNCER November 2011

Call for Action to Support NSF Funding

AAPT members in the United States are urged to contact their senators and representatives to urge support for the full requested level of funding for NSF for fiscal year 2012. See the full  Call for Action!
          The sample Letter of Support is a downloadable document designed to be personalized prior to sending.        

WM2012, The Wave Nature of Light and Matter

Registration is now live for the 2012 Winter Meeting. The Early Bird Registration Deadline is December 7.
            Register early and save!
            Hotel reservations deadline is January 1, 2012.
          Reserve a room!
          The post-deadline for abstracts is December 9. Submit a post-deadline abstract.
          Charles H. Holbrow, 2012 Oersted Medal Awardee, Brian Greene, Richtmyer Memorial Award winner, and Kip Thorne, 2012 winner of the John David Jackson Award for Excellence in Graduate Physics Education, will be delivering plenary talks. Workshop information, session topics, and additional plenary session are available under the Program tab on the WM2012 web page.
                        Follow the development of this meeting.
          The Southern California Section has created a presentation designed to be shared during Fall Section Meetings. It has some very helpful answers to questions about the Ontario area and plans for the Winter Meeting. Read online.

Save the Date:
Summer Meeting 2012, July 28-August 1 (Philadelphia, PA)
Winter Meeting 2013, January 5-9 (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Summer Meeting 2013, July 13-17 (Portland, Oregon)

Plenary Sessions and Award Lectures from the Summer Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska can now be viewed online. Watch the videos.

November 9, A Day of Giving

AAPT has registered with "Give to the Max," a nonprofit fundraising program. This is a day of giving on November 9. Please use this opportunity to donate to AAPT at http://give2max.razoo.com/story/Physics-Education-Aapt or through http://aapt.org/Donations. Although this campaign specifically targets the greater Washington D.C./Baltimore area, your donations will support physics teachers throughout the Association.

AAPT National Election Ends November 4

The election of officers for Executive Board service beginning in 2012 is in progress until midnight (eastern daylight time) November 4. You should have received instructions on how to access the ballot and vote electronically via your email box. If you don't have an email address, your instructions on how to vote electronically were mailed to you in September.
        Nominations are open for the 2013 election. Information on positions up for the 2013 election, including a link to the Nomination Form, is available at http://aapt.org/aboutaapt/nominate.cfm.

2012 F=ma Contest Open

Each year, AAPT and the American Institute of Physics (AIP) sponsor a competition for high school students to represent the United States at the 2012 International Physics Olympiad Competition. The mission of the U.S. Physics Team Program is to promote and demonstrate academic excellence through preparation for and participation in the International Physics Olympiad. Register online.        

PhysicsBowl Registration

Registration for the 2012 PhysicsBowl will open December 1, 2011.
        Each year, approximately 10,000 students take a 40-question, 45-minute timed, multiple-choice test under their school’s supervision. The 2012 exam will be given between March 28 and April 11, 2012. More information online.

Live Conversation with Brian Greene

Join a live conversation with Brian Greene, exploring how scientists are piecing together the most complete picture yet of space, time, and the Universe. Held at Columbia University’s Miller Theatre, the event begins November 4 at 9 PM with the premiere broadcast of the first episode of NOVA's The Fabric of the Cosmos, followed immediately by a live Q&A hosted by Greene, with special guests including renowned theoretical physicist Leonard Susskind and Saul Perlmutter, winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics.

AAPT 2010 Annual Report

The 2010 Annual Report is now available online. The report serves as a yearbook, providing a snapshot of the Association for 2010. AAPT 2010 Annual Report.

Deadlines for AAPT Grants and Scholarships

The application deadline for the following grants and scholarships is December 1, 2011.
        The Barbara Lotze Scholarships for Future Teachers eligibility includes undergraduate students enrolled, or planning to enroll, in physics teacher preparation curricula and high school seniors entering such programs. Successful applicants receive a stipend of up to $2,000. The scholarship may be granted to an individual for each of four years. 
            The Fredrick and Florence Bauder Endowment  provides grants to support special activities in the area of physics teaching.
        The High School Physics Teacher Grant    provides funds to kick start the implementation of improving teaching practice that increases physics enrollment and excitement among students.

Call for AAPT Awards Nominations

Recognize excellence in physics education. The Awards Committee is seeking nominations for all of our awards, citations, and medals. AAPT members are urged to review the descriptions on the AAPT website and then, following instructions, to nominate individuals who should be considered for any of these awards. Nominations remain active for five years.

Call for Editor

Physical Review Special Topics: Physics Education Research
        The American Physical Society (APS), in coordination with the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the APS Forum on Education (APS FEd), is conducting a search for a successor to the current Editor of Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research (PRST-PER).
          The initial appointment is for three years with renewal possible after review. Salary is negotiable.  The desired starting date is 1 January 2012.  The APS is an equal employment opportunity employer and specially encourages applications from or nominations of women and minorities.  The search is not limited to residents of the United States.  Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be sent by 15 November 2011 to: Paula Heron, Search Committee Chair, edsearch-per@aps.org.
        Read online.

Team America Rocketry Challenge Registration Opens

Registration for the world's largest rocket competition, the Team America Rocketry Challenge, is open to student teams in grades 7-12 from any U.S. school, home school, or non-profit youth organization. Registration for the 2012 spring contest is open through November 30, 2011. Read online.

Visit AAPT in Dallas!

On November 17-19, 2011 the AAPT national office together with the Texas Section will participate in the Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST), in Dallas, Texas. The local section will host several hands-on workshops throughout the meeting and there will be an informative display in the exhibit hall. View the official CAST website for more information about the program. While you're there stop by exhibit booth #5 and explore our exciting selection of resources and publications designed to strengthen and support your physics instruction. Don’t forget to pick up some exciting giveaways!

        Adopt-a-Physicist Fall Session

The Fall 2011 session of Adopt-a-Physicist begins this November!
  Adopt-a-Physicist connects high school physics students to people with bachelors degrees or higher in physics via online discussion forums. Through their interactions, students can find out about the careers, educational backgrounds, and lives of current physicists.
  The goal of the project is to expose high school physics students to the range of careers open to people with degrees in physics, advance the dialogue between the physics and the high school education communities, and introduce physicists and teachers to the ComPADRE network and its resources.
  The Adopt-a-Physicist program is led by Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society, with aid from the American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers. Technical support is provided by the ComPADRE Digital Library.

Are You a New Physics Teacher? Could You Use a Little Help?

The AAPT eMentoring program is designed to connect pre-college physics educators in need of additional guidance with experienced pre-college physics educators. Learn more.

What is the Story Files Project?

AAPT is preserving audiovisual files from members on topics including the teaching and learning of physics, collaborations and interactions between members, historical and personal reminiscing about physics related experiences and careers, the value of being an AAPT member, and much more. If you wish to contribute your own video to this project, please contact Dave Wolfe for details.

Section News

AAPT Sections Host Physics Day at 2011 NSTA Area Conferences
        AAPT offers a full day of physics content at these NSTA Area Conferences.
          2011 Area Conference in New Orleans, LA - Friday, November 11
        2011 Area Conference in Seattle, WA - Friday, December 9

November Fall Meetings
Northern California-Nevada Section, November 4-5, 2011
  NCNAAPT online
  Southern California Section, November 5, 2011
        SCAAPT online
        Iowa Section, November 5, 2011
        Iowa Section online
        Kentucky Section, November 5, 2011
        in conjunction with the Kentucky Academy of Science
        Kentucky Section online
        North Carolina Section, November 18-19, 2011
        NCSAAPT online
        To list your section meeting in the AAPT Calendar of Events, e-mail the information to mgardner@aapt.org. See the July 2011 Section News.

Registration Now Open for the 2012 Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics

The Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWIP), three-day regional conferences for undergraduate physics majors, will be held January 13-15, 2012. The application deadline is November 15, 2011.
        Read online.

APS Minority Scholarship Announcement

The American Physical Society is once again pleased to announce the APS Scholarships for Minority Undergraduate Physics Majors.  African American, Hispanic American, and Native American students who are college freshmen or sophomore physics majors, and who are US citizens or permanent residents are invited to apply.  The online application opens on November 1, 2011 and the deadline is February 3, 2012.  Awards are $2000 and $3000 per academic year.
        More information.

"Descubrimientos en Ciencias Planetarias": Classroom PowerPoints Available in Spanish

The Division for Planetary Sciences of America Astronomical Society announces the release of "Descubrimientos en Ciencias Planetarias", the Spanish translation of the "DPS Discoveries" Classroom Powerpoints. These classroom-friendly computer "slide sets," intended for colleges and high schools, are succinct summaries of discoveries too recent to appear in "Intro Astronomy" college textbooks. Each set consists of just three slides to be shown: the discovery itself, a basic explanation based on good planetary science, and the "big picture" context. Powerpoints and pdf's can be downloaded. For more information, contact Nick Schneider & Dave Brain at         dpsdisc@aas.org.

Posters on the Hill

In the Spring of 2012 the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) will host its 16th annual undergraduate poster session on Capitol Hill. This event will help members of Congress understand the importance of undergraduate research by talking directly with the students whom these programs impact.
CUR is calling for students to submit an abstract of their research that represents any of CUR's disciplinary divisions (Arts and Humanities, Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, Health Sciences, Mathematics/Computer Science, Physics/Astronomy, Psychology, and Social Sciences). CUR membership is required to submit an application. Either the student's home institution must have an institutional membership, or the faculty mentor or student must have an individual membership.
        Posters on the Hill.

SOFIA Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors - Applications Now Open

NASA’s SOFIA mission is pleased to announce SOFIA Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors (AAA) Cycle 1 team applications are due November 15 2011.  Details and applications.

Report on Turnover Among High School Physics Teachers

The AIP Statistical Research Center recently posted a new report on turnover among high school physics teachers.  They found that about 4% of those who taught at least one high school physics course during the 2008-09 school year planned to retire at the end of the school year.  This is consistent with planned retirement rates seen in early surveys.  They also examined sources of "new" high school physics teachers finding that over half of the teachers teaching physics for the first time have prior high school teaching experience in other subjects.
The report also looks at the aging of the physics teacher corps.
Read this report and other reports on high school physics in the U.S.

Knowles Science Teaching Fellowships

KSTF awards Teaching Fellowships in the three disciplinary areas of biology, mathematics, and physical sciences to individuals who demonstrate exceptional content knowledge in the area they intend to teach, a commitment to teaching high school in U.S. schools, professional ability, and the potential for leadership.
If you are passionate about teaching high school math and science, and dedicated to challenging and supporting all students, the KSTF Teaching Fellowship could help you succeed in ways you've never imagined.
        Learn more. Apply online. Deadline:  Wednesday, January 11, 2012, 5:00 p.m.

Microsoft Releases National Survey Findings on How to Inspire the Next Generation of Doctors, Scientists, Software Developers, and Engineers

Microsoft Corp. has announced the findings of two national surveys of college students currently pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degrees and of parents of K–12 students. The goal of the surveys was to gain insight about what can better prepare and inspire students to pursue post-secondary education in STEM subjects. The results provide implications for nurturing interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers.
        Read the Article.

Science Standards

The Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative (SMTI) as an APLU project put out a discussion paper on the impact of Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards on teacher preparation at higher education institutions.  An  electronic copy of the paper is available online.
The existing Framework will be used to develop standards with 20 states taking the lead. More information.

Get Smart, Get Paid, Get Ahead

The Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program has been established by the Department of Defense (DoD) to support undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The program aims to increase the number of civilian scientists and engineers working at DoD laboratories.
        Read online

Einstein Fellowship Program

The application for the 2012-13 Einstein Fellowship program is open.
        Details including this year's timeline.

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