Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS March Meeting 2017
Volume 62, Number 4
Monday–Friday, March 13–17, 2017; New Orleans, Louisiana
Session C53: From Physics Girl to the Physics Bus, Creating an Effective Voice for Physics in a Diverse SocietyInvited Outreach Undergraduate
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Sponsoring Units: FOEP Room: 287 |
Monday, March 13, 2017 2:30PM - 3:06PM |
C53.00001: Physics Bus: An Innovative Model for Public Engagement Invited Speaker: Claire Fox The Physics Bus is about doing science for fun. It is an innovative model for science outreach whose mission is to awaken joy and excitement in physics for all ages and walks of life -- especially those underserved by science enrichment. It is a mobile exhibition of upcycled appliances--reimagined by kids--that showcase captivating physics phenomena. Inside our spaceship-themed school bus, visitors will find: a microwave ionized-gas disco-party, fog rings that shoot from a wheelbarrow tire, a tv whose electron beam is controlled by a toy keyboard, and over 20 other themed exhibits. The Physics Bus serves a wide range of public in diverse locations from local neighborhoods, urban parks and rural schools, to cross-country destinations. Its approachable, friendly and relaxed environment allows for self-paced and self-directed interactions, providing a positive and engaging experience with science. We believe that this environment enriches lives and inspires people. In this presentation we will talk about the nuts and bolts that make this model work, how the project got started, and the resources that keep it going. We will talk about the advantages of being a grassroots and community-based organization, and how programs like this can best interface with universities. We will explain the benefits of focusing on direct interactions and why our model avoids ``teaching'' physics content with words. Situating our approach within a body of research on the value of informal science we will discuss our success in capturing and engaging our audience. By the end of this presentation we hope to broaden your perception of what makes a successful outreach program and encourage you to value and support alternative outreach models such as this one.\\ \\In Collaboration with: Eva Luna, Cornell University; Erik Herman, Cornell University; Christopher Bell, Ithaca City School District. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, March 13, 2017 3:06PM - 3:42PM |
C53.00002: Physics Girl: Where Education meets Cat Videos Invited Speaker: Dianna Cowern YouTube is usually considered an entertainment medium to watch cats, gaming, and music videos. But educational channels have been gaining momentum on the platform, some garnering millions of subscribers and billions of views. The Physics Girl YouTube channel is an educational series with PBS Digital Studios created by Dianna Cowern. Using Physics Girl as an example, this talk will examine what it takes to start a short-form educational video series, including logistics and resources. One benefit of video is that every failure is documented on camera and can, and will, be used in this talk as a learning tool. We will look at the channel’s demographical reach, discuss best practices for effective physics outreach, and survey how online media and technology can facilitate good and bad learning. The aim of this talk is to show how videos are a unique way to share science and enrich the learning experience, in and out of a classroom. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, March 13, 2017 3:42PM - 4:18PM |
C53.00003: The Art of the Motorcycle and the History of Art (and Condensed Matter Physics) Invited Speaker: Charles Falco Many topics in physics are such that they are difficult to present in ways that the general public finds engaging. In this talk I will discuss two topics I have worked on, directly related to my research in optical and condensed matter physics, that continue to have widespread appeal. In 1871 Louis Guillaume Perreaux installed a compact steam engine in a commercial bicycle and thus produced the world's first motorcycle. The 145 years since the Michaux-Perreaux have resulted in standard production motorcycles incorporating such materials as carbon-fiber composites, maraging steels, and "exotic" alloys of magnesium, titanium and aluminum that can exceed 190 mph straight from the show room floor. As a result of 'The Art of the Motorcycle' exhibition I co-curated at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum the public has learned the evolution of motorcycles is interwoven with developments in materials physics. In a second topic, discoveries I made with the renowned artist David Hockney convincingly demonstrated optical instruments were in use -- by artists, not scientists -- nearly 200 years earlier than commonly thought possible, and for the first time account for the remarkable transformation in the reality of portraits that occurred early in the 15th century. By learning a few principles of geometrical optics the public gains insight into the working process of artists such as van Eyck, Bellini and Caravaggio. Acknowledgement: Portions of this work done in collaboration with David Hockney. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, March 13, 2017 4:18PM - 4:54PM |
C53.00004: Effectively Using Social Media for Research: A LIGO Detection Case Study Invited Speaker: Amber Stuver The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) made the first direct detection of gravitational waves on 14 Sep. 2015 and publically announced its findings on 11 Feb. 2016 in a press conference that coincided with the publication of the referred result. In the intervening 5 months, while the detection was being vetted and the paper written, the LIGO Laboratory and the LIGO Education and Public Outreach working group put together a multifaceted media campaign to explain the science and significance of the event to the public. Social media played a vital role in disseminating the news and educational products of the campaign. In the days leading up to the announcement, social media (Twitter and Facebook) was used to build buzz for the announcement. On the day of the announcement, original posts were carefully planned every 10-15 minutes to promote continued interest and prevent information overload. This campaign continued until the end of the month, with decreasing post frequency. Ultimately, over 70 million aggregated Twitter posts were made with at least one of the following hashtags: {\#}gravitationalwaves, {\#}LIGO, or {\#}EinsteinWasRight. In the month following the announcement, the LIGO Facebook page reached 1.5 million people who shared information from the page over 7000 times. LIGO also made use of other forms of social media such as blog articles contributed by LIGO Scientific Collaboration members discussing different aspects of the discovery (from the science to personal experience), a Reddit ``Ask Me Anything'' (AMA) session where LIGO scientists were able to answer 90{\%} of the 923 submitted questions in the allotted time, by collaborating with the Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) to feature an educational image and caption on the detection, and an open, and still active, email address (question@ligo.org) where hundreds of questions submitted by the public have already been personally addressed. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, March 13, 2017 4:54PM - 5:30PM |
C53.00005: Finding Your Scientific Voice - Theatre Techniques for Physicists Invited Speaker: Melanie Dreyer-Lude Research talks can be dull. Scientists may be making important, ground-breaking discoveries, but their audience is often missing the message. Whether presenting a conference talk, pitching a congressman for funding, or participating in a job interview, scientists must learn how to tell their stories. Conducting research and talking about that research are separate skill sets. The curse of knowledge, too much information, or the inability to speak and move properly may all be standing in the way of turning a talk into a memorable event. Building on initiatives like those of the Alan Alda Center and Bruce Greene’s theatrical productions, our workshop helps researchers connect performing skills to the reality of presenting complex research subjects. This talk reviews key aspects of the Finding Your Scientific Voice workshop. Using digital recordings of pre and post workshop presentations, we will demonstrate what is exceptional about our workshop process and how it uses theatrical tools like Great Beginnings, the Dramatic Arc, the Core Message and Strong Endings to transform a humdrum presentation into a dynamic speaking event. [Preview Abstract] |
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