eNNOUNCER January 2017


AAPT News

2017 AAPT Winter Meeting

Conference Hotel

All rooms at the Marriott Marquis must be booked by January 27, 2017. It is recommend that you make your room reservation early, since the room block can sell out before the cut-off date. Click here for more information.

Plenary Speakers

Come listen to one of our exciting plenary speakers. Moogega Cooper Stricker a planetary protection engineer from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Ken Bloom an experimental particle physicist from the University of Nebraska. Click here

Two new plenary speakers have been added to the program. The Physics of Music, Michael Ruiz and Solar Astronomy, Stephen Ramsden. These events will take place at Georgia Institute of Technology. Transportation will be provided from the Marriott.

Workshops

It’s not too late to register for an AAPT Winter Meeting Workshop. For those that can’t attend the full meeting, you are still able to sign up for a workshop only registration. If you are already registered for the meeting a workshop can be easily added.

There are a number of exciting workshops that are available. To view a full list of workshops with descriptions, please click here.

High School Teachers' Day

A special day has been prepared on Sunday, February 19 for high school physics teachers that have never attended a national AAPT Meeting. Qualified teachers will receive a discounted registration fee of $85. Click here

Program

AAPT's leadership and area committee's have put together an exciting and informative four day program. Click here

Awards

Jay M. Pasachoff   will be recognized as the 2017 Richtmyer Memorial Lecture awardee and Jan Tobochnik will receive the 2017 Oersted Medal.

2017 Homer L. Dodge Citation for Distinguished Service to AAPT recipients are Ernest R. Behringer, Ann M. Robinson, Kenneth S. Krane, Sharon Kirby, and Richard Gelderman. The recipients will be presented their award during the 2017 Winter Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.

Childcare and Dependent Care Grants

AAPT has small grants up to $400 available for AAPT national meeting attendees who are bringing small children to a national meeting or who incur extra expenses in leaving their children at home (i.e., extra daycare or babysitting services) in order to attend a national meeting.  In addition, small grants up to $400 are available to national meeting attendees who are responsible for dependent care (elderly parents, adult children with disabilities, etc) or need assistance at the meeting because of a disability. Applications must be received by January 6, 2017.
Click here for more information

Notice of Potential Change to By-Laws: Membership Category Title Change

At its meeting in July, the AAPT Board of Directors approved a motion that the term “regular member” be changed to “professional member” in Section 3.01 of the By-Laws and any subsequent reference to regular member therein. This change reflects the professional identification and commitment of members to our organization, describing AAPT membership in a way that idealizes how a person would wish to describe themselves in their professional identification.

At its upcoming meeting at the AAPT 2017 Winter Meeting, the Board of Directors will hold a second vote, and if approved with a 2/3 majority, the new membership term will become part of the By-Laws.  As required by the By-Laws, the Board of Directors must announce this proposed change in writing to the Board at least four months in advance of such vote and to the Members at least one month in advance of such vote.  Members may submit comments on any By-Laws amendments proposed for a Board vote to the Secretary  (secretary@aapt.org ) for consideration by the Board.

eAlliances: Uniting Isolated Women Physicists and Astronomers - Registration site now LIVE!

Everyone needs mentors, but how do you find other women physicists who understand your experience-- as the only Hispanic in the department, the only PER researcher, the only full-time physicist at your TYC, the only one who brings a newborn in a sling to department meetings? Join eAlliances, an NSF-sponsored faculty development project for women physics faculty, and become part of a peer-mentoring alliance with other women who share many of your same experiences.

Why me?

• Connect with other women physicists and astronomers
• Get and give advice and affirmation
• Gather a variety of insights to help you address professional issues
• Address work-life balance issues
• Receive encouragement and support in achieving your goals

This is professional development for your career stage: whether you are teaching your first or hundredth section of intro physics; mentoring your first or hundredth research associate; or leading your first or hundredth committee meeting. Someone else has a similar experience and can share insights, frustrations and successes.

To join: Register at eAlliances.aapt.org

The Physics Teacher Journal is Seeking a High School Column Editor

The Physics Teacher (TPT) is opening a search for applicants with a background in high school physics teaching, and who are interested in providing and/or soliciting manuscripts, materials, and resources for a TPT column largely devoted but not limited to issues of concern to those teaching introductory physics in secondary school. If you (or individuals you'd recommend) are suited for the role, please contact the editors at tpt@appstate.edu for more information.

AAPT Seeks Intern for Physics Teacher Professional Development

Apply by January 15th and learn more at www.spsnational.org/programs/internships

The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) seeks an SPS intern to help design and revise resources for AAPT’s K-12 teacher professional development programs, including face-to-face and digital resources. The intern will have the opportunity to develop a suite of curricular resources, develop and moderate monthly webinars, craft blogs, learn about and contribute to federal education policy, and engage in various grant programs related to heliophysics, the integration of physics and computation, and more. The intern will have the opportunity to attend the AAPT Summer Meeting and provide hands-on programming to high school teacher attendees. The intern will also support eMentoring and online learning by assisting with pairings of mentors and mentees, program evaluation, arranging for a webinar series, and streamlining online resources.

AAPT Career Center Offers FREE Postings

The AAPT Career Center offers FREE postings to employers recruiting seasonal interns. Locate the best fit for your organization by reaching the future of the science community - the AAPT membership, as well as the members and student members of the American Physical Society (APS Physics), AVS Science and Technology, and the Society of Physics Students and Sigma Pi Sigma.

Get the word out! Your posting will also appear on the Physics Today Jobs site, which when combined with the job sites of the organizations mentioned above forms the ultimate online science, engineering, and computing career network, ensuring maximum relevant visibility for your internship.

Visit jobs.aapt.org to get started.

Department Chairs at Primarily Teaching Colleges and Universities

AAPT has established an Email listserv for physics department chairs at primarily undergraduate institutions and other primarily teaching institutions. Nancy Donaldson, Rockhurst University, will serve as listserv administrator.  To sign up for the listserv, click on the following link: mail.aapt.org/read/all_forums

Computational Physics at AAPT Section Meetings

The Partnership for the Integration of Computation into Undergraduate Physics (PICUP)  has a project for fostering faculty communities to develop computational integration at a local level. We invite any AAPT section with faculty interested in exploring computational integration into their courses to express its interest (if it has not already done so) in developing such a community. Any section member who feels that local faculty might have an interest in including computation in their courses may convey this interest. The venue for doing so is the following survey. This process begins by hosting an introductory workshop (e.g. at a regular section meeting) whose objectives are:   

  • to describe a strategy for introducing computation in courses and illustrative materials suggesting how to do so;

  • to help participants envision their own computational educational materials;

  • to formulate individual plans for each to implement these designs as materials in at least one of their upcoming courses; and

  • to introduce them to a local support network to use for mutual collaboration in and support for their implementation efforts after the workshop.
We look forward to hearing from you via the following survey.

 

AAPT Programs

2017 AAPT PhysicsBowl Registration Open!

Registration is now open for the 2017 AAPT PhysicsBowl Contest taking place March 29 - April 14, 2017. Read more


 

AAPT Membership

AAPT Member Spotlight

Tommi Holsenbeck
Alabama Science in Motion/Alabama State University, Montgomery, Alabama
Read more

Innovation and New Ideas – Available Monthly to You, as a Member

"As a HS physics teacher, the best professional development that I receive is a direct result of my AAPT membership.  The Physics Teacher provides a wealth of ideas and inspiration, and is a publication that I read thoroughly every month." Jon Anderson, Centennial High School

AAPT members just like you are using their online access to The Physics Teacher and American Journal of Physics to develop fresh material for the classroom and the lab, and to keep up to date on current research, pedagogy and physics news. And don’t forget, you have full access to current and archived journal content, making your membership a vital part of your professional development.

Do you have a colleague who you would like to refer for membership? From access to the leading publications in physics education, to discounts on meeting registrations and opportunities for recognition, we are confident that joining the AAPT community is a wise investment in the future for any physics educator.

Keeping It Fresh with AAPT Webinars

A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.                                 -Benjamin Franklin

At AAPT, we recognize that our members have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and professional development.  Understanding the challenges in finding time to devote to face-to-face learning, AAPT conducts periodic webinars on topics of interest to physics educators.

The webinars are an opportunity for you to meet with leaders in physics and science education, to learn about what’s new in educational resources, and to connect virtually with your colleagues. As a feature of your membership, you have access to the growing library of recorded webinars.

Interested in participating in the next webinar? Be on the lookout for an email from AAPT with the details!

Hot Off the Press – 2017 Physics Photo Contest Calendar

You’ve been waiting all year. Well, your patience has paid off! The 2017 Physics Photo Contest Calendar is in print and ready for a prominent spot on your wall. Each month features one of the top 100 entries from the AAPT Physics Photo Contest complete with explanatory text. If you are a subscriber to one of our print journals, you should have already received a calendar with your December issue. As a feature of membership, all AAPT members, including our digital-only members, can order up to 3 calendars free of charge (shipping charges apply) from our  Physics Store.

Is it Time to Renew Your AAPT Membership?

The majority of our members renew their AAPT membership in the Fall. Please take a moment to check your current membership status. Your AAPT membership offers flexible pricing - choose to receive print versions of one or both of our journals, The Physics Teacher and American Journal of Physics, or access them online. And don't forget - as an AAPT member, you have online access to current and fully archived content to your AAPT journals. While online, be sure to update your member profile. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Membership Department directly ( 301.209.3333, membership@aapt.org). We are here to serve you. Thank you for your continuing support of AAPT, and physics education.

Getting the most from your Membership

Journals on AAPT.org American Journal of Physics and The Physics Teacher now have a home on the aapt.org website. When you click on the "Publications" tab and select one of our journal you will go to the new journal home page.  This page will include links to the full Table of Contents for each issue as well as the cover image and description. Additional links related to the journal will be available from this home page. Past issue pages are archived here as well.

K-12 Lesson Plans based on TPT Articles. A developing library of K-12 lessons plans based on articles previously published in The Physics Teacher is now available to AAPT members at the K-12 Portal on aapt.org. Click Lessons and Resources to find interdisciplinary Lessons from The Physics Teacher.

K-12 Webinars. While you are on the K-12 Lessons and Resources page check out the growing body of content available as Webinars and Associated Resources.  New webinars are being held each month so check this page often.


 

In the News

Search for Chair of the AIP Board of Directors

The American Institute of Physics (AIP), a federation of physical science societies organized as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit membership corporation, is seeking a Chair of its Board of Directors. Read more.

ACT's Annual Nationwide STEM Report

ACT's STEM report, "The Condition of STEM 2016" was released on November 17, 2016. Nearly half (48 percent) of the 2.1 million 2016 American high school graduates who took the ACT test expressed an interest in STEM majors or careers, the report found. However, only 26 percent of those 1 million STEM-interested graduates met or surpassed the ACT College Readiness Benchmark in STEM. The benchmark is an indicator of whether a student is well prepared for first-year courses such as calculus, biology, chemistry and physics, which are typically required for a college STEM-related major. These findings are virtually unchanged from last year, the report found. Interest in teaching STEM subject areas continues to be alarmingly low. Less than 1 percent of the nearly 2.1 million 2016 graduates who took the ACT indicated an interest in teaching math or science.

Download the nationwide report here.

You can download each STATE report here.

NOTE: The states with highest percentages  of graduates who met or surpassed the ACT College Readiness Benchmark in STEM are New England states and New York; the worst percentages are in southern rural states, plus Nevada, Hawaii, New Mexico, and West Virginia.

Phys21: Preparing Physics Students for 21st Century Careers

The Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs (J-TUPP), has assembled a new report, entitled Phys21: Preparing Physics Students for 21st Century Careers, which assesses the employment landscape that physics bachelor’s degree recipients are entering and makes recommendations on how physics departments can better prepare their students for diverse employment. Learn more and read the report  on the J-TUPP website.

2017 PhysTEC Conference

Join the nation's largest meeting dedicated to the education of future physics teachers—featuring workshops on best practices, panel discussions by national leaders, and excellent networking opportunities for educators. The conference will be held February 17 and 18 in Atlanta, Georgia, immediately preceding the AAPT Winter Meeting. Learn more and register now!

Do You See Your Students In Future STEM Careers?

There are nothing but opportunities for those students thinking about careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). The field continues to shift, just as student perceptions do. That is why Destination Imagination, National Girls Collaborative, National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity and Educational Research Center of America (ERCA) are collaborating on a research project focused on high school students’ perceptions of STEM careers. 

In previous research, we found that the majority of STEM students (51%) saw their STEM courses as “extremely” or “very important” to their future careers.  Our ultimate objective is to stimulate a dialogue on career pathways among parents, teachers and students. 

By including your students as part of this important research project, you can help them:

• further consider their strengths, interests, and the career options open to them;
• receive targeted information from colleges, universities, career and technical schools, and other postsecondary institutions seeking to recruit students with their specific interests, talents, skill sets, and career goals; and
• gain more access to postsecondary scholarship opportunities.

Please watch your in-box during the back-to-school season for a package from The Research Consortium on STEM Career Pathways.  If you want to make sure you receive this package, please fill out this simple on-line form or email us at info@studentresearch.org to make sure you’re on the list!  Please visit our websites for postings about our research and for other useful information.  Thank you for participating!

Arizona State University Master of Natural Science Degree for High School Teachers

Arizona State University has an interdisciplinary Master of Natural Science (MNS) degree in physics for high school teachers. Courses are in summer, and the degree is founded on Modeling instruction. Teachers in 15 western states can apply for IN-STATE tuition; the deadline is APRIL 1.
For more details
For information: Jane.Jackson@asu.edu

Rocketeers Wanted!

Registration is now open for the world’s largest student rocket contest, the 2017 Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC).  Through TARC, teams of middle and high school students design, build and fly model rockets in a process modeled on the aerospace industry’s engineering design cycle. The top 100 teams in the country will compete outside of Washington, D.C. in May for more than $100,000 in cash and scholarships.  For more information or to register, visit   rocketcontest.org. TARC is organized by the Aerospace Industries Association and the National Association of Rocketry.

Celebrate the OSA Centennial with the Explore Optics Kit and Free Lesson Plans

Join The Optical Society (OSA) in celebrating its centennial with a number of new resources to bring the wonder of light and color to students of all ages. The Explore Optics OSA 100 Kit provides a unique collection of resources to help students investigate geometric optics with a Pepper's Ghost apparatus, a Reflect View screen, and an Invisibility Kit. The kit is available for purchase at an over 50% discount to teachers for a limited time. Access free lessons from the OSA's Kit Activity Guide and check out the collaborative AAPT/OSA lesson templates inspired by articles from The Physics Teacher journal. Learn more at the AAPT K-12 blog.

APS National Mentoring Community: Call for Mentors

The American Physical Society (APS) established the National Mentoring Community to provide mentoring for underrepresented minority (URM) physics undergraduates in the US. Current physics faculty are invited to sign up for free as an APS NMC mentor and nominate a URM physics student to participate as your mentee. This is a great way to support our students and connect to a larger group of faculty concerned with these issues. For more information, please visit the APS website.

PhysPort.org: Supporting Physics Teaching with Research-based Resources

PhysPort is the go-to place for finding resources based on physics education research (PER) to use in your classroom. Free resources on PhysPort include:

• Guides to 50+ research-based teaching methods
• Guides and downloads (for verified educators) of 50+ research-based assessments
• Video workshops for TA/LA training and faculty professional development
• Expert Recommendations by PhysPort staff and experts in PER
• The Data Explorer for instant analysis and visualization of your students results on research-based assessments

Analyze your Concept Inventory Data with the PhysPort Data Explorer

Do you have piles of data from research-based assessments lying around waiting to be analyzed? Try out a new tool that will help you quickly:

• Analyze results for the FCI, FMCE, BEMA, CSEM, CLASS, or MPEX
• Match and score your raw data
• Chart and analyze: histograms for your class, your course over time, breakdown by topic, or compare multiple courses
• Split and group by grade, major, and other student information

The PhysPort Data Explorer is now available in open beta to U.S. college physics faculty. You can sign up to be beta tester today through our easy verification process.

Questions? editor@physport.org

ALPhA Announcements

1. Barbara Wolff-Reichert Grants will provide up to $7,500, with a 50% departmental match, toward the purchase of a TeachSpin instrument successfully mastered by a participant in an ALPhA Immersion. Read more.

2. ALPhA Mining Actualization Grants were created by the Jonathan Reichert Foundation to underwrite the construction, testing and dissemination of advanced lab experiments that are closely related to current research in physics. These are first come, first serve equipment grants with a maximum of $2,000 per school. Apply now!

3. The Jonathan Reichert Foundation announced the recipients of its inaugural grant program, supporting the advanced laboratory physics association (ALPhA) immersions. This year, the Foundation funded twelve out of sixteen applications, with a total funding of about $38,000.  Congratulations to the individuals and institutions who received grants for advanced labs! Read more.

American Modeling Teachers Association

Modeling Instruction was developed for high school physics teachers and has since expanded to physical science, chemistry, biology, and middle school. Each year, Modeling workshops are held at universities and high schools across the United States. Last year, more than 70 Modeling workshops were offered to high school and middle school teachers in more than 20 states.

For information on 2017 Modeling Workshops, please visit the American Modeling Teachers Association (AMTA) website: modelinginstruction.org  For questions:  wendy@modelinginstruction.org or gheheman@asu.edu

Inclusive Excellence: 2017 Undergraduate Science Education Grants

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute recently announced a new competition for science education grants to colleges and universities called "Inclusive Excellence: Engaging all students in science."

 

Scholarship Opportunity

Do you know any high school seniors looking to major in physics? Simpson College recently received a NSF grant that will provide 15 financially needy incoming students with financial assistance ($33,600 over four years), mentorship, and research opportunities as they pursue a degree in a mathematical STEM field. For this reason, we are recruiting talented high school seniors to come to Simpson as undergraduates.

For information on the Carver Bridge to STEM Success Scholarship Program visit the following website: http://simpson.edu/carver-bridge-scholars/

If you know any students who might be interested in this opportunity, we are more than happy to discuss more over email or phone. Contact Professor Aaron Santos at aaron.santos@simpson.edu or call at 515-961-1826.


 

Physics Careers

Jobs Announcements from the Career Center

Renewable Term, Assistant Professor in Physics
University of Oklahoma - Norman
Click here for job description

Teacher of Physics
Deerfield Academy
Click here for job description


 

More Physics Resources

The AAPT Committee on History & Philosophy in Physics

The AAPT Committee on History & Philosophy in Physics suggests a good way to enliven your classes with some historical tidbits. The regularly published This Month in Physics History section in the October 2016 APS News is entitled, "October 19, 1955: Discovery of the Antiproton Announced." Did you know that the Bevatron at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory was built to be energetic enough to create antiprotons, and thus test the hypothesis that every particle has a corresponding antiparticle? Indeed, experimenters Emilio Segre and Owen Chamberlain—who subsequently shared the Nobel Prize—successfully used the Bevatron to detect the antiproton! You can read the fascinating details here. A host of other interesting physics history columns, published from 2000 onward in the APS News, are linked here. Enjoy

CERN Beamline for Schools Competition

CERN is famous for the Large Hadron Collider, but there’s much more to the laboratory than that. A large part of CERN’s research and development is carried out using fixed-target beamlines, which are used for a variety of experiments that range from investigating the inner workings of protons to probing the mysteries of antimatter. As part of the beam line for schools competition, CERN is making a fully equipped beamline available for a team of school students to run an experiment. Read more

The 2016-2017 Community College Innovation Challenge

What: Teams proposing innovative, STEM-based solutions for real-world problems they identify within one of three themes:
• Maker to Manufacturer
• Energy & Environment
• Security Technologies

Who: Teams of three to five community college students, a faculty mentor and a community or industry partner.

When: Submission window is open October 17, 2016 to 11:59 p.m. EST, February 15, 2017. Finalists receive an expense-paid trip to attend the Innovation Boot Camp in Arlington, VA, June 12-15, 2017.

Where: Visit www.nsf.gov/CCchallenge

Why: To stimulate STEM innovation, foster entrepreneurial and professional skills and win prizes.

Questions? Contact the CCIC team at innovationchallenge@nsf.gov.


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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Section News

Please submit your Section Report for the AAPT Section News. To list your section meeting in the AAPT Calendar of Events, e-mail the information to dwolfe@aapt.org. See the July 2016 Section News.


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© 2017, American Association of Physics Teachers

In this issue

 

Featured Journal Articles

The Physics Teacher

 

An Introduction to the New SI

Read online

American Journal of Physics

 

Coherence and information in a fiber interferometer

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