A Splash of Color by John-Philip Conley Goodman
                   

eNNOUNCER January 2014

                                       

New AAPT Executive Board Members take Office

Four new Executive Board members take office at the end of the 2014 Winter Meeting in Orlando, Florida.  The winter meeting will run from January 4 - 7.  The new members who will assume the office are Steve Iona, University of Colorado, Boulder as AAPT President;  Janelle Bailey, Temple University, as Vice President;  Steve Turley, Brigham Young University, as Treasurer;  and Jan Mader, Great Falls Montana High School, as At-Large High School Representative.

2014 AAPT Winter Meeting

It's not too late to register for the winter meeting and to join us in Orlando. On-site registration will be open on Saturday, January 4th from 7:00a.m. - 4:00p.m. Learn more;

Stop by the AAPT Booth for a Chance to Win!!
Make sure to visit the AAPT Booth during the Welcome Reception to pick up your Exhibitor Passport.  Those who participate will be entered for a chance to win a $200 AMEX gift card. Stop by the booth to learn more.

Can't make it to the meeting?

Submit Your Abstract for the 2014 AAPT Summer Meeting
Abstract submission will go live on January 27, 2014.

2014 AAPT Winter Meeting Awards

AAPT will award four members with the Homer L. Dodge Citation for Distinguished Service to AAPT at the 2014 Winter Meeting in Orlando, Florida.  The recipients are Jan Mader, Taha Mzoughi, Gabe Spalding, and Lee Trampleasure.

WM14 Symposium, Plenaries, and Award Talks

The 2014 Winter meeting in Orlando will feature two great plenary speakers.  Don Pettit, Sunday’s plenary speaker, is a NASA astronaut who, while aboard the International Space Station, conducted out-of-this-world physics demos that appear as the 14-episode Science off the Sphere video series.   Phillip Metzger, a NASA physicist and lab manager, will be speaking Monday on Preparing Physicists for the Industrial Revolution in Space.

The Richtmyer Memorial Award Lecture, How Quantum Physics Democratized Music,  will be given by The University of Bristol's  Professor Sir Michael Berry on Monday January 6.

Dean Zollman, recipient of the 2014 Oersted Medal will talk on Physics Education Research and Teaching Modern Physics, Tuesday, January 7.

The 2014 AAPT Symposium on Physics Education will feature Juan-Carlos Aguilar from the Georgia Department of Education and Paula Heron from the University of Washington.

Physics Education Week

Rick Scott, governor of Florida, has named January 4 - 11, 2014 Physics Education Week.  Click here for more details.

High School Physics Teacher Day

We're looking for High School Physics Teachers who've never attended an AAPT National meeting. If that's you, make sure to join us on Sunday, January 5, 2014 for a special one day program designed for teachers just like you. Learn more and register here.

TPT Recent Poll

The January 2014 cover for The Physics Teacher is a schematic representation of the balance of "modern" and classical physics topics as expressed by about 450 TPT readers in a recent poll. The blue spheres in free-fall correspond to the topics to be omitted from, or curtailed within, the traditional introductory physics sequence, in order to make room for the four largest vibrantly colored balls, which are the topics most often selected by the survey respondents for inclusion. Does your class reflect this kind of balance, or do you have different priorities? Tell us about it by commenting on our facebook post here!

...Or, if you didn't get a chance to respond to this survey and would like to weigh-in now regarding which topics should be included in the introductory physics sequence, and which topics should be given short shrift, then go to this link to answer four short questions.

...BTW, there is a puzzle lurking within this cover image...Two of the balls apparently have great density on average than the others – can you see which two?

Finally, if you're looking for a new way to teach the Compton effect, see Steve Feller’s article on p. 12 of the January 2104 issue of The Physics Teacher.

Announcing 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.

About ALPhA (Advanced Laboratory Physics Association)

Do you teach advanced Physics labs (‘Beyond the First Year’)?  Would you like to?  Do you need help with these labs?  Would you like to help others, and to share your lab exercises with other advanced lab instructors?  Do you feel like you are the only one teaching advanced labs (which is the case at many colleges)?  If any (or all) of these apply, then you should be a member of ALPhA, the organization that is devoted to YOUR needs.

Upcoming events include the 2014 ALPhA Immersions, a series of intensive 2 – 3 day summer workshops, each dealing with a specific topic, where you get to actually DO the experiment (not just listen to others talk about it), and in July 2015 the next Advanced Lab Topical Conference “Beyond the First Year of Instruction” (aka BFY-II).

Information on these and other opportunities may be found at www.advlab.org, or by contacting ALPhA President Paul Dolan at P-Dolan@neiu.edu.

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 advanced 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, an 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.  For more details see  http://www.aapt.org/Programs/grants/aapt_alpha_award.cfm. 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, including a statement about services required to display the apparatus. An official application packet with entry form, rules of eligibility and judging, safety guidelines, and competition requirements will be available in the spring 2014 on the AAPT website.

Funding Opportunity for Undergraduate STEM Education in the Computer/Information Sciences

The Teaching to Increase Diversity and Equity in STEM (TIDES) initiative will provide up to $300,000/3years for institutions of higher education to develop and/or redesign evidence-based and culturally competent courses related to the computer/information science disciplines.  Predominantly undergraduate institutions, minority serving institutions and community colleges are strongly encouraged to apply.   A letter of intent is due on January 10, 2014.  Full proposals (not to exceed 10 pages) are due on February 18, 2014.

Free Online Access to APS Journals for Public Libraries and High Schools in the U.S.

As a public access initiative, the American Physical Society (APS) provides free online access to its journals to all public libraries and high schools in the United States.  Librarians and high school teachers can obtain access to the APS journal collection by accepting a simple online site license and providing valid IP addresses for the computers in their libraries.   Sign up online at: http://librarians.aps.org/account/public_access_new.

Transforming the Preparation of Physics Teachers:  A Call to Action

Despite federal legislation mandating highly qualified teachers for every classroom, school districts confirm a considerable shortage of physics teachers year after year, greater than any other science discipline.  Download the T-TEP report here.

2014 PhysicsBowl Registration Open!

Registration is now open for the 2014 PhysicsBowl taking place April 2 - April 16, 2014. Read more online.

Melba Newell Phillips Medal Fund

The Melba Newell Phillips Medal Fund honors the life and legacy of Melba Newell Phillips, the first female president of AAPT. Your donations will help to endow the Medal established in her honor and recognize AAPT's next generation of leaders.

Save the Date

Applications are now open to attend the NSF-supported Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences Conference, to be held March 14-16, 2014 at the Key Bridge Marriott, Arlington, VA.  Information on the conference and a link to the online application can be found at http://www.aapt.org/Conferences/iplsc.cfm. Since meeting space is limited, please apply as soon as possible. Acceptance notices will be sent out by January 15. There is no conference registration fee, but participants are expected to pay their own travel and hotel expenses.  A list of invited speakers is available on the conference web page. Please spread the word about the conference to colleagues who may wish to attend.

Please mark your calendars for the June 6-8, 2014 Physics Department Chairs Conference, sponsored jointly by AAPT and the American Physical Society.  Conference details will be available on the AAPT website in early February.

The next Physics and Astronomy New Faculty Workshop will be held June 23-27, 2014 in College Park, MD.  Nomination forms will be available on the AAPT web site in late January.

The 5th IUPAP Conference on Women in Physics will be held August 5th - 8th at Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Canada.  The US will be sending a small delegation to the conference.   Information about the application process to be selected as a US team member will be posted at http://www.uswip.org early in 2014.

Howard University Physics Students Participate in Flight Aboard NASA’s Reduced Gravity Aircraft

Four Howard University students, along with NASA and faculty mentors, ventured to NASA Johnson Space Center’s Ellington Field in Houston to conduct experiments aboard the reduced gravity aircraft Nov. 12-13.  Read more »

National TA Workshop

The Research Corporation for Science Advancement recognizes the immense potential of graduate TAs for improving the STEM education landscape and has thus provided financial and logistical support for a national teaching assistant workshop, "Mobilizing the Forgotten Army: Preparing TAs for Leadership in STEM Education" to be held at the Georgia Institute of technology from May 28-30, 2014.

Applications for the workshop must include a letter of support/commitment from the Department Chair, as described on the workshop website.

Nominations are due February 1, 2014.  The nomination process and online form can be found here.

Registration for TARC 2014 is now open!

Check out the full rules for more details on this year’s challenge. The 2014 Application Packet is now posted on www.rocketcontest.org. If you have any questions about forming a team or filling out the packet please don’t hesitate to email me at anne.ward@aia-aerospace.org.

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

Fifty Modeling Workshops in high school physics, chemistry,  physical science, and biology will be offered in summer 2014, in many states. Modeling Workshops are peer-led. Modeling Instruction is designated by the U.S. Department of Education as an Exemplary K-12 science program. Some sites offer stipends, usually for in-state teachers.  Graduate credit is available at some sites. Pre-service teachers and TYC faculty are welcome too.
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. Modeling Instruction is designated as an Exemplary K-12 science program by the U.S. Department of Education.
More Information »

Third Conference on the Physics of Sustainable Energy: Using Energy Efficiently and Producing It Renewably

March 8, 2014 - March 9, 2014 at University of California, Berkeley
This conference will be an intense weekend short  course to enhance the background of physical scientists, especially early-career  scientists, who want to work on applied energy topics. The main audience will  be physics professors, post-docs and graduate students. Read more »

Advanced Technology Education (ATE) Workshops for Physics Faculty

The ATE Workshops for Physics Faculty is offering a new workshop in March 2014.  Information about the workshop, application, and the program can be found at the  project's website. You can also contact Tom O'Kuma or Dwain Desbien.

Help  Us Hold the Line on your Membership Dues!

Postage is a major expense  for member services.  You  can help us hold the line on postage expenses and resulting dues increases by  renewing your membership online when you receive the first notice.   Also by keeping your contact information current.  Please take a few  minutes to log into your AAPT member account, update your contact information  and demographics, and check on your member status. 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:
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ComPADRE

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 partner physics and astronomy education projects.

Physlet Quantum Physics 2E on ComPADRE

ComPADREPhyslet 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

The December 2013 Section News is now being organized. Section Representatitves should send reports to us by December 31, 2013. To list your section meeting in the AAPT Calendar of Events, e-mail the information to mgardner@aapt.org. See the July 2013 Section News.

2013 Nobel Prize Posters Available

The 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics posters in English will be available in December in the pdf-format on the Academy’s website on this link: http://kva.se/nobelprizes.

Registration Now Open for Department of Energy's National Science Bowl

Teams of high school and middle school students  across the country can now register to compete in the 24th annual Department of Energy’s National  Science Bowl (NSB). Thousands of students compete in the contest annually and  it has grown into one of the largest academic math and science competitions in  the country. More:  http://science.energy.gov/news/in-focus/2013/10-21-13/

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Thanks for your readership and your support of AAPT.

© 2014, American Association of Physics Teachers

 

In this issue

 

Featured Journal Articles

The Physics Teacher

A Non-Relativistic Look at the Compton Effect
Read online

American Journal of Physics

   

Everyday relativity and the Doppler effect
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