eNNOUNCER January 2015

New AAPT Executive Board Members take Office

Two new Executive Board members take office at the end of the 2015 Winter Meeting in San Diego, CA. The new members who will assume the office are George Amann as Vice President and Sherry Savrda as Member at Large Representing the Two Year Colleges.

AAPT Governance Changes

Although AAPT's Executive Office is currently located in College Park, MD, the Association has been incorporated in the state of New York since 1957. Recently, the New York state legislature passed the Nonprofit Revitalization Act of 2013. Most of that Act became effective on July 1, 2014 and several parts of the Act directly affect AAPT governance procedures. The proposed changes are intended to bring AAPT's governance into compliance with New York State Law.

Read about the issues and timetable for these changes.

A general meeting of the membership will be held during the 2015 Winter Meeting in San Diego at 8:30 pm on Sunday evening, January 4^th. This meeting immediately follows the Plenary featuring Adrian Bejan, J.A. Jones Professor of Mechanical Engineering, who will be talking about constructal law of design in nature. The membership will be asked to vote to change the Certificate of Incorporation to clarify the procedure of the adoption of motions and elections when they are conducted electronically.

Call for Award Nominations

The AAPT Awards Committee invites nominations for all of AAPT's awards, citations, and medals http://www.aapt.org/Programs/awards/. This is the first year that nominations will be accepted for AAPT Fellows. Nominees are accepted from the High School, Two-Year College and Four-Year College communities on a yearly rotating basis. Nominations of Two-Year College faculty for AAPT Fellows are particularly encouraged this fall.

The Goal of Introductory Laboratories

The AAPT Area Committee on Laboratories has developed new guidelines for Introductory Laboratories. Laboratory work is essential in the study of physics. The primary goals of introductory physics laboratories have been evolving over the past century. The current impetus for changes in laboratory instruction stems from new research on student learning and technology, as well as changes in the overall goals of physics instructors.

The purpose of this document is to develop a set of common goals for laboratory instruction that can serve as a guide to those responsible for designing and evaluating introductory physics laboratory programs.

2015 AAPT PhysicsBowl Registration Open!

Registration is now open for the 2015 AAPT PhysicsBowl taking place April 1 - April 17, 2015. Read more online.

Save the Date

SM15 - Summer Meeting abstracts open Jan 21.

The next Physics and Astronomy New Faculty Workshop will be held in College Park, MD June 22-25, 2015. Participants are nominated by their department chairs, who will receive nomination information in mid-January 2015.

The next AAPT/APS Physics Department Chairs Conference will be held in College Park, MD June 5-7, 2015. More details about the conference will be available in January 2015.

Set Your Physics Today Preferences

AIPP, publisher of Physics Today makes this publication available as part of your AAPT membership. With their recent change in vendors, members may now choose to receive print or digital copies of Physics Today at no additional cost. You will continue to have online to Physics Today.
Read how to set your preferences.

U.S. Physics Team Coach Call

AAPT is seeking faculty to join the staff for the 2015 U.S. Physics Team. Learn about the qualifications and how to apply by clicking here.

New Facutly Workshop Videos

Video recordings of many of the sessions at the November 2013 Physics and Astronomy New Faculty Workshops are now available online at physport.org/nfw. The presentations introduce many aspects of interactive engagement pedagogy with a focus on undergraduate physics and astronomy education. Sessions on additional resources such as evaluation and assessment tools, online physics simulations, time management and teaching for retention and diversity are also available.

NSF Seeks Director for Division of Undergraduate Education

A permanent full-time program director position in physics is available in the National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education. The ideal candidate will have expertise in physics, physics undergraduate education, and knowledge of physics education research. The application deadline is February 23, 2015. Further information is available at www.usajobs.gov.

Wittenberg Professor Earns Statewide Honor

Elizabeth George has been named 2014 Ohio Professor of the year. The longtime physics professor and AAPT member earned the honor that is awarded annually by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Read more »

Adler Collection Catalog Announced

The Adler Planetarium (Chicago) is pleased to announce the new Adler Collections Catalog. The Adler's Webster Institute for the History of Astronomy cares for, studies, and interprets one of the largest and most significant collections of historic scientific instruments in the world. In addition, the collections include rare and modern books, works on paper, photography, paintings, models, and archives. Explore the catalog.

Free Physics Courses at Advanced Placement Level

edX.org is currently releasing a half-dozen MOOCs that follow the syllabi of the College Board's Advanced Placement physics courses for immediate use. These MOOCs are free self-contained online courses, most containing instructional text and video lectures, checkpoint questions, virtual laboratory exercises, homework, and tests. These are intended for use as supplemental online materials that AP teachers can recommend to their students, as well as for independent study by students who are not currently taking AP courses.

National Teaching Assistant Workshop

Mobilizing the Forgotten Army: Preparing TAs for Leadership in STEM Education
Physics departments are invited to send a team to a national workshop on physics and chemistry graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). Sponsored by Research Corporation for Science Advancement and co-sponsored by the American Physical Society, the American Chemical Society, and the American Association of Physics Teachers, the workshop offers the opportunity for a small group of departmental teams to interact together with colleagues who have expertize in supporting GTAs in physics and chemistry.
Date: May 27-29, 2015
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Who: Departmental teams consisting of one "mentor/master" TA and one faculty member.
Nomination deadline: February 13, 2015.
Online nomination form and additional information.

STEM Education Resource

The National Science Board has released an interactive, online STEM Education Resource website, where you can discover the answers to important questions on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and careers using the information from the National Science Board's Science and Engineering indicators report.

Explore these questions through interactive charts and maps that focus on different topics across all levels of education and the STEM workforce. View a quick demo at here.

Meggers Project Award

The William F. and Edith R. Meggers Project Award of the American Institute of Physics is a biennial award designed to fund projects for the improvement of high-school physics teaching in the United States.  The Award was made possible by an endowment created by the gift of a stamp and coin collection from William F. and Edith R. Meggers to the American Institute of Physics. Application submission deadline: March 31, 2015

Project InTeGrate Call for Proposals for Implementation Programs

Project InTeGrate, funded by the National Science Foundation, invites institutions, or clusters of institutions, to apply for grants of up to $50,000 to develop and evaluate programs that model innovative ways of 1) increasing the number and diversity of students developing Earth literacy and/or 2) preparing a diverse workforce equipped to bring geosciences (taken broadly) to bear in addressing societal issues, particularly those focusing on sustainability Faculty in any STEM discipline may apply for the grants. Information about the types of programs suitable for responses to this call can be found at this website.

To apply, please use the online application form to submit a 3 to 5 page proposal describing the goals, a description of what "success" will look like at your institution (how progress toward your goals can be observed at the end of 2-3 years), and plans for evaluating the impact of the project.  The deadline for submissions is January 30, 2015.

The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein

The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein - including the translations - is now available online for free, although with a two-year lag between the print publication and the online appearance.

Master of Natural Science Degree at Arizona State University

The Master of Natural Science (MNS) degree in physics at Arizona State University is a summer program for high school teachers. Teachers in 15 western states can apply for IN-STATE tuition; the deadline is April 1, 2015.
Details & application form:
For Information:Jane.Jackson@asu.edu

Summer 2015 Workshops

The American Modeling Teachers Association (AMTA) has posted their Summer 2015 workshops. Workshops are scheduled for the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas. Internationally in Hong Kong. The information is subject to change so check the site every so often to see if now your state offers a Modeling™ workshop!

Seeking Calculus-based Physics Instructors to Join Open Textbook Project Writing Team

Instructors are selected to work with our acquired materials for one or more chapters to create an updated, high-quality University Physics free and open digital text.  The manuscript work will be done in MS Word and this project is in development now through 2015. Interested parties must have experience teaching this course and possess a PhD in physics or related content area for assigned chapters. Instructors are compensated with a per-chapter honorarium and receive billing in the published text.
If you are interested in contributing to this project, please submit your CV to our content team.

2015 Guide to STEM Programs Offer from TeenLife

High school physics teachers are invited to request free digital and print copies of TeenLife's upcoming Guide to STEM Programs, to be published in February. This annual guide for college-bound high school students, parents, and educators will feature inspiring articles about STEM opportunities as well as descriptions of summer programs and colleges that focus on science, technology, engineering and math. Opt-in today to receive TeenLife's communications and be notified when the guide is available. You can also visit TeenLife.com anytime to search for, find, and connect with a wide range of STEM-related (and other) opportunities!

Online Matching Game from the National Academies

Fundamental discoveries in physics and materials science have enabled numerous everyday products, from traffic lights to cellphones.  A new online matching game from the National Academies explores a few of these discoveries.
Teachers can find additional information about these discoveries in the related booklet, also available online.

2015 SPS Scholarships and Summer Internships

2015 SPS Summer Internships — Applications due February 1
Twelve physics majors who are selected for this 10 week summer program will live in downtown Washington, D.C. and work in a broad range of areas and locations in the DC area, including scientific research at NASA Goddard and NIST, science policy on Captitol Hill, physics history at AIP, and science outreach and education with SPS and AAPT. Internships include a $5000 stipend, free housing, travel and commuting expenses, and support to attend a professional physics meeting in the year following the internship to present their work. Several internship positions are especially suited to future physics teachers!

2015 SPS Scholarships — Applications due February 15
Each year, SPS awards scholarships to undergraduate physics students recognizing academic achievement and SPS participation. Special scholarships are available for leadership, financial need, two-year college attendees, future teachers, and students from groups that are underrepresented in physics and engineering.

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.

Jobs Announcements from the Career Center

Physics Teacher (Grades 9-12)
Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools
http://jobs.aapt.org/jobs/6707916

Full Time Visiting Faculty
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
http://jobs.aapt.org/jobs/6685091

2015 PhysTEC Conference (Feb.  5-7) Register Now

The PhysTEC will feature talks by national leaders, networking, workshops, and a pre-conference half-day introductory workshop on Learning Assistants. The fee for the conference is $170 for PhysTEC members and $325 for non-members. The Learning Assistant workshop is an additional $45 fee. Faculty from minority-serving institutions are eligible to apply for travel grants.

2015 Building a Thriving Undergraduate Physics Program Workshop (Feb. 6-8) Register Now

The workshop will assist departments in developing strategies for increasing enrollment of physics majors. Participants will analyze their current departmental situation and decide how to take actions that will help them sustainably achieve their goals. Departments are encouraged to send teams of two or more faculty for maximum effectiveness. The fee for the workshop is $250 with a $100 discount for PhysTEC Conferences attendees.

Modeling Workshops Nationwide

Fifty Modeling Workshops in high school physics, chemistry, physical science, and biology will be offered in summer 2015, 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

Increase Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Do you or does your department have a practice, funding strategy, internship placement strategy, or course with research embedded in it that, if adopted by other physics or astronomy departments, would help increase the number of undergraduate research opportunities? AAPT along with the Council on Undergraduate Research, the American Physical Society, and the Society of Physics Students are collecting articles that will be published on-line to serve as a resource to departments, faculty, and students as they work to meet the challenge put before the community that all undergraduate physics and astronomy majors at all colleges be provided with a research experience. AAPT’s statement on research experiences for undergraduates is available on our website. We invite you to submit an article for publication in this new resource that highlights any practice that encourages, leads to increases in, or enhances research experiences for undergraduates. We strongly encourage faculty members at two-year colleges to consider submitting a highlight. Please contact Executive Officer Beth Cunningham (eo@aapt.org) for more information.

AAPT-ALPhA Award is Now Open for Nominations

AAPT and ALPhA (Advanced Laboratory Physics Association) have announced 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, attend a national AAPT meeting, present an invited talk, and receive a check for $4,000? The nomination process is now open.  Applications need to be completed 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 or Apply. Funding for this award, for the first five years, is provided by TeachSpin, Inc.

New α-Miners Program

Having determined that the topic of a given talk has the possibility of being imported into the advanced lab, the job of these so called "α-miners" will be to approach the presenters and research groups with the following questions in mind:

• Are they willing to share special techinques or electronics?
• Are they willing and able to provide any necessary samples?
• Are they willing to mentor other faculty?
• Are they willing to help design the new experiments?
• Are they willing to lead an ALPhA Immersion on this experiment

The alpha-miners will be responsible for documenting the successful discoveries and submitting their reports to the COMPADRE website for use by the general physics community.

Those faculty interested in applying for this program should email Jonathan Reichert at jfreichert@teachspin.com

APSIT Selects New Group Insurance Program Plan Administrator

The American Physical Society Insurance Trust (APSIT) has selected Pearl Insurance to be the new, exclusive program administrator for its Life and Health Insurance offerings. With 60 years of industry experience, Pearl Insurance is a nationally recognized third-party insurance administrator and will be responsible for the brokerage, administration, and marking associated with the group insurance program. This new partnership will lead to additional coverage options and enhanced service for its members. Pearl Insurance's team is available at 800.272.1637 Monday - Friday 8 am to 5pm CST. Learn more »

More from your Membership, Join your AAPT Community

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.

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:

Section News - January 2015

Section Meeting: Alabama Section
Jan 31, 2015
Annual Meeting
Huntingdon College
Montgomery, AL
Email: Tommi Holsenbeck

To list your section meeting in the AAPT Calendar of Events, e-mail the information to mgardner@aapt.org.

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