Bulletin of the American Physical Society
2009 APS April Meeting
Volume 54, Number 4
Saturday–Tuesday, May 2–5, 2009; Denver, Colorado
Session C7: Teaching Physics of Energy I |
Hide Abstracts |
Sponsoring Units: FEd DNP Chair: Lawrence Cardman, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility Room: Governor's Square 12 |
Saturday, May 2, 2009 1:30PM - 2:06PM |
C7.00001: Teaching ``The Physics of Energy'' at MIT Invited Speaker: New physics courses on energy are popping up at colleges and universities across the country. Many require little or no previous physics background, aiming to introduce a broad audience to this complex and critical problem, often augmenting the scientific message with economic and policy discussions. Others are advanced courses, focussing on highly specialized subjects like solar voltaics, nuclear physics, or thermal fluids, for example. About two years ago Washington Taylor and I undertook to develop a course on the ``Physics of Energy'' open to \emph{all} MIT students who had taken MIT's common core of university level calculus, physics, and chemistry. By avoiding higher level prerequisites, we aimed to attract and make the subject relevant to students in the life sciences, economics, {\it etc.} --- as well as physical scientists and engineers --- who want to approach energy issues in a sophisticated and analytical fashion, exploiting their background in calculus, mechanics, and E \& M, but without having to take advanced courses in thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, or nuclear physics beforehand. Our object was to interweave teaching the fundamental physics principles at the foundations of energy science with the applications of those principles to energy systems. We envisioned a course that would present the basics of statistical, quantum, and fluid mechanics at a fairly sophisticated level and apply those concepts to the study of energy sources, conversion, transport, losses, storage, conservation, and end use. In the end we developed almost all of the material for the course from scratch. The course debuted this past fall. I will describe what we learned and what general lessons our experience might have for others who contemplate teaching energy physics broadly to a technically sophisticated audience. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, May 2, 2009 2:06PM - 2:42PM |
C7.00002: Use of Second Life for interactive instruction and distance learning in nuclear physics and technology Invited Speaker: The developing nuclear power renaissance, coupled with related environmental consequences, is forcing a re-examination of the manner in which nuclear science and technology is (or is not) being taught in the United States. The 20-year hiatus of the nuclear power industry has been a decided factor in the relatively stagnant growth of nuclear physics and nuclear technology instruction, from middle school to graduate education. Furthermore, the general public remains fairly ignorant of the various features of nuclear power, at best having been briefly exposed to the subject only in a middle-school course in Physical Science. Essential to this renaissance is the capacity to deal with the regulatory environment and safety standards that must be addressed prior to new plant certification. Regrettably, too few individuals who are trained in environmental science are adequately prepared in the basic concepts of nuclear physics to deal with such issues as radioactive waste storage and transportation, biological effects of ionizing radiation, geological repositories, nuclear fuel reprocessing, etc. which are of great concern to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. We are developing a master's degree, to be taught online, in the area of environmental impact assessment as it relates to these and other issues. To accommodate the need for laboratory exercises, we have adopted the virtual world developed by Linden Laboratory entitled Second Life; it is here that the student, as an avatar, will gain knowledge of the nature of ionizing radiation, radioactive half-lives, gamma and beta ray spectroscopy, neutron activation, and radiation shielding, using virtual apparatus and virtual radiation sources. Additionally, a virtual Generation III+ power reactor has been constructed on an adjoining Second Life island (entitled Science School II) which provides the visitor with a realistic impression of its inner workings. This presentation will provide the details of this construct and how it is incorporated into the distance learning curriculum. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, May 2, 2009 2:42PM - 3:18PM |
C7.00003: K-12 Math and Science Education: A Physicist Meets Reality Invited Speaker: Can professional engineers, mathematicians, and scientists have a positive impact on K-12 math and science education? The experience of the Santa Fe Alliance for Science, and several other like-minded organizations, indicates that they can indeed. But success is by no means assured. Good scientists are not automatically good educators, but they can learn enough about pedagogy, classroom, and community to do well. For example, their experiences working on research topics of great societal interest (e.g. the energy supply or global warming) can be a great attraction to young people. This discussion will be oriented around three major points: lessons learned, prospects for the future, and how our effort fits into state-wide plans for re-inventing K-12 math and science education in New Mexico. [Preview Abstract] |
Follow Us |
Engage
Become an APS Member |
My APS
Renew Membership |
Information for |
About APSThe American Physical Society (APS) is a non-profit membership organization working to advance the knowledge of physics. |
© 2024 American Physical Society
| All rights reserved | Terms of Use
| Contact Us
Headquarters
1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844
(301) 209-3200
Editorial Office
100 Motor Pkwy, Suite 110, Hauppauge, NY 11788
(631) 591-4000
Office of Public Affairs
529 14th St NW, Suite 1050, Washington, D.C. 20045-2001
(202) 662-8700