eNNOUNCER April 2014
AAPT 2014 Summer Meeting
The 2014 AAPT Summer Meeting.
This meeting will be held at the University of Minnesota from July 26-30, 2014. Join over 1,000 of your colleagues from early career professionals to those more seasoned, for networking and professional development on a host of topics. Learn more about the meeting and reserve your hotel room today! Registration will open this month.
Post deadline abstracts can be submitted until May 16th. Submit yours today!
Win $100 in AAPT's T-Shirt Contest!!
We will host the 2nd Annual AAPT Summer Meeting T-Shirt Design contest beginning April 15th. The prize will be a $100 AMEX gift card and a t-shirt featuring the winning design. View the contest rules here.
2014 Paul W. Zitzewitz Excellence in Pre-College Teaching Awardee
The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) announced today that the 2014 Paul Zitzewitz Excellence in Pre-College Physics Teaching Award winner is Bradford Hill, a high school physics teacher from Beaverton, Oregon.
This award is in recognition of contributions to pre-college physics teaching and awardees are chosen for their extraordinary accomplishments in communicating the excitement of physics to their students. Read more »
2014 Millikan Medal Awardee
AAPT has announced that Eugenia Etkina will receive the 2014 Robert A. Millikan Medal during the 2014 Summer Meeting in Minneapolis, MN.
This award recognizes educators who have made notable and creative contributions to the teaching of physics. Read more »
Summer 2014 Homer L. Dodge Citations Announced
AAPT has announced that the Summer 2014 recipients of the Homer L. Dodge Citation for Distinguished Service to AAPT will be awarded to Paul (Joe) Heafner, Dyan Jones, Martha Lietz, and Evelyn Restivo.
The Frederick and Florence Bauder Endowment
The Frederick and Florence Bauder Endowment provides grants to support special activities in the area of physics teaching. The deadline for applications to request funds is July 1, 2014.
2014 High School Physics Photo Contest
 The 2014 contest is open to high school students in grades 9-12. Teachers register on the AAPT website and receive a confirmation code that their students can use to submit their entries (essay and photo). Photos may be entered in either the Natural photo or Contrived photo category. The top 100 entries will be displayed and judged during the 2014 Summer Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Learn more!
Women in Physics Pre-publication Sale
Women in Physics: A collection of reprints in honor of Melba Newell Phillips, is now available in a pre-publication sale. The collection includes eighteen articles on women in physics, presented in four parts:
- Gender Issues in Physics and Physics Education
- Gender-related Physics Education Research
- Biographical Articles
- Analysis of the Role of Women in Science
Articles are reprinted from the American Journal of Physics, The Physics Teacher, Physics Today, and Physical Review Special Topics. Proceeds from the sales will support the endowment of the Melba Newell Phillips Medal.
Order your copy at The Physics Store
Limited print run. Order by April 30, 2014 to assure availability of your copy in June.
Paul Zitzewitz to Receive Posthumous Award
Dr. Paul Zitzewitz will be posthumously awarded the Carleton College Alumni Council Distinguished Achievement Award in June at what would have been his 50th reunion. Read more ».
The Mary Beth Monroe Memorial Scholarship
In memory of Mary Beth, friends and colleagues have expressed interest in supporting an endowed scholarship in her name. SPS and AAPT members are now invited to contribute to the Mary Beth Monroe Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship recognizes the outstanding academic and leadership accomplishments of physics majors who began their studies at a regionally accredited community college and who intend to pursue a career in physics education.
This scholarship will memorialize and honor Mary Beth Monroe’s inspiring lifelong commitment to the support and encouragement of physics students and her dedication to service at all levels in the Society of Physics Students and the American Association of Physics Teachers. Friends and colleagues are encouraged to assist in the endowment of the scholarship by donating through either SPS or AAPT, with the designation "Mary Beth Monroe SPS Student Scholarship."
For an article about Mary Beth, please see the fall SPS Observer, http://www.spsobserver.org/2013/fall-singularities.pdf.
AAPT and GIREP Agreement
The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the Groupe International de Recherche sur l'Enseignement de la Physique (GIREP) have reached a cooperative agreement that will allow each group's members to attend the other organization’s conferences at the member registration rate. Thus, GIREP members will be able to attend AAPT conferences at AAPT member rates and vice versa.
Save the Date
Physics Department Chairs Conference
The annual AAPT/APS Physics Department Chairs Conference will be held June 6-8, 2014 in College Park, MD. Please register for the Workshop before Friday, May 2.
Experienced Faculty Workshop
AAPT, APS and AAS are hosting the second Physics and Astronomy Experienced Faculty Workshop July 24-26, 2014 in Minneapolis just before the AAPT Summer meeting. The workshop is open to tenured faculty members who did not attend any of the Physics and Astronomy New Faculty Workshops. More information about the workshop will be available on the AAPT website by the end of April.
Physics and Astronomy New Faculty Workshop
AAPT, APS and AAS are hosting a Physics and Astronomy New Faculty Workshop, June 23-26, 2014 in College Park, MD. Department chairs can nominate their new tenure-track faculty members here. The workshop can also accommodate a small number of full-time lectures (or the equivalent). Nominations should be made prior to April 11 for primary consideration.
NGSS for Physics and Physical Sciences: Forces and Interactions
Prepare yourself for the Next Generation Science Standards with the help of AAPT's Physics Teaching Resource Agents, June 16-27, 2014 at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Take "Forces and Interactions," the first three courses focused on content and activities that meet the new NGSS criteria. The course may be taken for Continuing Education or 3 graduate credits. Read more »
The University of Maryland-College Park is hosting a symposium April 11-12, 2014 on 50 Years of Quarks and Color, recognizing the introduction of two of the most important ideas in particle physics in the 20th century. The program features talks by many distinguished theoretical physicists including three Nobel Prize winners. More information about the symposium and registration procedures is available here.
The 2014 Gordon Research Conference on Physics Research and Education will focus on "The Complex Intersection of Biology and Physics." The conference will be held at Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA June 8-13. The application deadline is May 11, 2014. Read more »
Reinventing the Physicist: Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education for the 21st Century
APS is hosting a conference which will focus on strategies for implementing physics innovation and entrepreneurship (PIE) education into undergraduate classrooms. The event will be targeted at physics department leaders, and will be held adjacent to the 2014 Physics Department Chairs' conference on June 5-6, 2014. The conference is co-sponsored by Carthage College and the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA). For more details »
Announcing the AAPT-ALPhA Award
AAPT and ALPhA (Advanced Laboratory Physics Association) announce the AAPT/ALPhA Award for undergraduate physics students who have executed, mastered, and left as a legacy for future students an advance laboratory experiment. Do you have a student (or team of students) who might be interested in taking up the challenge to build an experiment new to their own department and possibly receive national recognition, a trip to a national AAPT meeting, and invited talk, and a check for $4,000? Nominations for this award must be submitted, with extensive documentation, by September 1, 2015. If qualified candidates are proposed, we anticipate presenting the first award at the 2016 AAPT Winter Meeting in New Orleans. Read more. Funding for this award, for the first five years, is provided by TeachSpin, Inc.
Consider Submitting an Entry to the Apparatus Competition
The AAPT Apparatus Competition recognizes, rewards, and publicizes worthwhile contributions to physics teaching through lecture demonstrations, instructional laboratory equipment, and interactive exhibits. The Competition is held annually during AAPT's summer meeting and is open to all members with entries targeting all levels of physics education from K-12 to undergraduates to the general public. See the entry selection criteria. Entrants must notify the Apparatus Competition Director in June 2014 of their intention to enter the 2014 Apparatus Competition. An official application packet is available on the AAPT website.
Texas State's David Donnelly Receives Physics Education Award
Professor of physics at Texas State University, David Donnelly has been awarded the Robert N. Little award for Outstanding Contributions to Physics Higher Education in Texas by the Texas Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers during its spring meeting at Abilene Christian University. The award was initiated in 1976, and since then has only been given 15 times, the last being in 2006. Donnelly has served as officer of the Texas Section of AAPT and as President of the Society of Physics Students in 2012-2013. The Texas State press release noted that "Donnelly has been a vocal champion of physics education, particularly at the undergraduate level, and continues to work to support excellence in higher education in physics at all institutions in Texas."
AAPT Members Receive Recognition from the American Physical Society
Colleen Megowan, David Hestenes, and Jane Jackson, all associated with Arizona State University, have received the Excellence in Physics Education Award from APS for their work developing and promoting Modeling Instruction pedagogy for both K-12 and college and university physics education.
Gabriel Spalding, professor of physics at Illinois Wesleyan University, has received the Jonathan F. Reichert and Barbara Wolff-Reichert Award for Excellence in Advanced Laboratory instruction. The citation reads "For introducing contemporary concepts and significant enhancements to "beyond-first-year" physics laboratory courses, and for playing a key role in organizing the nation-wide Advanced Laboratory Physics Association and being its first president."
Paul Dolan (Northeastern Illinois University), David Hall (Amherst College), Randall D. Knight (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), Leo Piilonen (Virginia Tech University), Michael Schatz (Georgia Institute of Technology), Gabriel Spalding (Illinois Wesleyan University), and Stamatis Vokos (Seattle Pacific University) have all been elected as 2013 Fellows of the American Physical Society.
Physics for the Life Sciences Conference
The AAPT Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences Conference, supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation, brought together more than 180 physicists and biologists to talk about reforming introductory physics courses aimed at students in the life sciences. Further information about the conference, including poster abstracts, posters, course syllabi, and the slides from the plenary speakers are available at http://www.compadre.org/ipls.
3rd Annual Learning Science Workshop
This workshop entitled: "Research and Innovation of Enhancing Achievement and Equity" will be held June 14-15 at Carnegie Mellon University. Application are due May 15, 2014. No cost to attend.
Chautaugua Short Course
Research-Based Active Learning in Introductory Physics
Chautauqua Short Course, June 15-17, 2014, Portland, OR -- Designed for those who teach introductory physics at universities, colleges and high schools. Up to two hours of graduate credit will be available from the University of Oregon.
This hands-on course is designed for those interested in making learning in their introductory course more active either within a traditional course structure (lectures, labs, and recitation hours), or by re-structuring their course (e.g., into a workshop or studio course).
For more information and to register go here or contact David Sokoloff, Department of Physics, 1274 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1274, E-mail: sokoloff@uoregon.edu, Phone: (541) 221-6543, Fax: (541) 346-5861.
ELECTRIC FIELD Visualized with Crystals
In this video crystals of potassium permanganate dissolve and flow toward the positive electrode. This is because the manganate ion is negative. WARNING - the very high voltages in this experiment pose a significant danger, even the salt water on the filter could conduct to your touch. Watch »
Anderson High School Physics Teacher in Demand
Anderson High School physics teacher Jeff Rodriguez is increasingly in demand by high schools looking to introduce students to serious, high-level research opportunities in the area of cosmic rays. Rodriguez is an eFellow with QuarkNET. In that role he conducts workshops and advises other physics high school teachers on how to use cosmic ray detectors in the classroom. This past winter, Rodriguez traveled to Mexico City to share his knowledge with a group of high school teachers. Read more »
Physics Teacher Wins Technology Award
High School Physics Teacher, Michael Flood, has received the Instructional Technology Featured Teacher award from Central New York Regional Information Center, CNYRIC. He received this award for his “flip class” method of teaching in which he posts lectures online for students to watch before attending class. The class spends more time focusing on interactive problems instead of taking notes. Read more »
NSF Seeks Physics Program Director
The National Science Foundation is seeking qualified candidates for a permanent full-time Physics Program Director position in the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE), Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), Arlington, VA. The ideal candidate will have expertise in physics, physics undergraduate education and knowledge of physics education research. For further information about the position and the procedures for application, please go to www.usajobs.gov »
2014 International Year of Crystallography
The International Year of Crystallography 2014 (IYCr2014) commemorates not only the centennial of X-ray diffraction, which allowed the detailed study of crystalline material, but also the 400th anniversary of Kepler’s observation in 1611 of the symmetrical form of ice crystals, which began the wider study of the role of symmetry in matter. Links to posters and other promotional materials and resources are available on the IYCR website. Read more »
Science in the Classroom
"Science in the Classroom" is a collection of annotated research papers and accompanying teaching materials designed to help students at the advanced high school, community college, and undergraduate level understand the structure and workings of professional scientific research. Read more »
Modeling Workshops Nationwide
Modeling Workshops in high school physics, chemistry, physical science, and biology will be offered this summer. Modeling Workshops are peer-led. Modeling Instruction is designated by the U.S. Department of Education as an Exemplary K-12 science program.
More Information »
Workshop descriptions »
ASU Modeling Workshops in Physics and Chemistry
Four Modeling Workshops (June 9-27, July 7-25) for high school physics, chemistry, and physical science teachers nationwide are offered by Arizona State University in Tempe. The program can lead to a Master of Natural Science degree. Low-cost family housing is available.
More Information »
More from your Membership!
Did you know that you can connect with your collegues by joining an AAPT Email Discussion List? There are more than 20 different lists/communities available. Find the list that matches your career interests at http://www.aapt.org/Resources/lists.cfm. Contact your Member Services Department at 301-209-3333, or by e-mail at membership@aapt.org if you need assistance, or have further questions.
Career Learning Center
Professional development is a work in progress, and constantly gaining new skills and knowledge is essential to the success of any career. The latest enhancement to the AAPT Career Center - the Career Learning Center - is a career-guidance companion to searching the latest science teaching jobs. Equipped with four career-centric seminars, the AAPT Career Learning Center is a user-friendly virtual platform that satisfies the professional needs of AAPT members at all points on the career spectrum.
This helpful content is ONLY available to registered users with the AAPT Career Center, a free job seeker service provided by AAPT. Quickly login or create your job seeker account, and take control of your future by building a stronger presence among our industry's top employers.
Free Internship Job Posting on AAPT Career Center
AAPT has an online jobsite that offers free 60-day internship job postings. To post internships online at AAPT visit http://jobs.aapt.org/. Locate the best fit for your organization by reaching the future of the science community – AAPT members. Valid intern-level opportunities are defined as limited-term (up to 12 weeks) employment for current undergraduates or recent bachelor degree recipients with financial compensation (if any) in the form of a modest salary or stipend. "Internship" Job Level must be selected when posting to access this offer.
Social Media @ AAPT
AAPT wants to connect with you on social media! Stay abreast of the latest AAPT and physics-related news. We invite you to like us, follow us, connect with us, and pin us. You can find us here:
      
SPS and ComPADRE Undergraduate Research Database
The SPS and ComPADRE partner each year to make availiable a list of research opportunities and internships for undergraduate students. This year there are more than 150 research sites from across the country and around the world. We encourage you to direct your students to the database. Deadlines for applications are approaching.
ComPADRE Digital Library
The ComPADRE Digital Library is a network of free online resource collections supporting faculty, students, and teachers in Physics and Astronomy Education.
Each ComPADRE collection contains a catalog of materials for teaching and learning that are selected by the editors for the target user community. The collections also provide information resources and community collaboration tools to support the needs of our users, usually in collaboration with partnerp physics and astronomy education projects.
Physlet Quantum Physics 2E on ComPADRE
 Physlet Quantum Physics contains a collection of exercises covering modern physicsand quantum mechanics topics at the sophomore to senior levels. These interactive exercises use computer animations generated with Physlets (Physics content simulated with Java applets). This is a companion site to Physlet Physics 2E, a collection of over 800 exercises spanning the introductory physics sequence.
The second edition of Physlet Quantum Physics represents a major change in how these 200 Physlet-based interactive materials are delivered to teachers and students alike. Instead of accessing materials off of the CD that came with the printed first edition, now users simply access the Physlet Quantum Physics 2E ComPADRE site at http://compadre.org/PQP. This new edition is compatible with Java 6 and 7 and offers improved speed and security. The materials will be updated as needed to provide the best learning experiences.
Section News
April 2014
- Alabama Section
Apr 5, 2014
Spring Meeting
University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL
Email: Justin Sanders
Chesapeake Section
Apr 5, 2014
Spring Meeting
American Center for Physics
College Park, MD
Email: David Wright or Email: Tim Knudson
Long Island Section
Apr 5, 2014
Spring Conference
St. Mary's High School
Manhasset, NY
Email: Tania Entwistle;
North Carolina Section
Apr 11, 2014 - Apr 12, 2014
Spring Meeting
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC
Email: Mario Belloni
Indiana Section
Apr 11, 2014 - Apr 12, 2014
Spring Meeting
Decatur Central High School
Indianapolis, IN
Email: Elaine Gwinn
To list your section meeting in the AAPT Calendar of Events, e-mail the information to mgardner@aapt.org.
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© 2014, American Association of Physics Teachers
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