Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS March Meeting 2024
Monday–Friday, March 4–8, 2024; Minneapolis & Virtual
Session K44: How FOEP Nicholson and Fellow Awardees Engage in Public OutreachInvited Live Streamed Outreach Undergrad Friendly
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Sponsoring Units: FOEP Chair: Taviare Hawkins, Wagner College Room: Auditorium 2 |
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 3:00PM - 3:36PM |
K44.00001: Considerations for a Successful and Long Running Outreach Program Invited Speaker: Dale Stille The University of Iowa Department of Physics and Astronomy is fortunate to have two FOEP APS Fellows as coordinators of our long running “Hawk-Eyes on Science” and “Hawkeyes in Space” outreach programs. We will outline the many different aspects that must come together in the creation of a successful and sustainable outreach program. In many respects, the demonstrations and hands-on activities are of secondary importance when weighed against the problems of funding, transportation, staffing, infrastructure, departmental, school, and organization support. We will focus on those problems and some of the solutions that we have found while coordinating our outreach programs. In addition, we will show examples of demonstrations that we have chosen for their topic versatility and the variety of settings or themes in which we have used them. |
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 3:36PM - 4:12PM |
K44.00002: Making Physics Viral Invited Speaker: Tatiana Erukhimova It is easy to get people together to enjoy sports or music. Can we get large numbers of people together to celebrate physics? How can we reach out to people who are usually not interested in science and would never come to university campus on their own accord? Can physics outreach become a unique learning opportunity for university students? We have built a diverse set of informal physics programs which try to address these questions. They range from short videos to large annual physics festivals. Our programs not only attract the public of all ages and backgrounds but also provide a unique growth environment to hundreds of student volunteers who facilitate these programs. Our studies have shown that participation in informal physics programs helps our students build their identity as physicists and boost their development through a less structured, but critically important, learning environment. |
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 4:12PM - 4:48PM |
K44.00003: Engaging the public of all ages in quantum physics Invited Speaker: Emily Edwards Given the projected societal impact of 21st-century quantum information science, we must intentionally design projects that increase public awareness and engagement with this field. While new resources and programs have come online over the last three years, there remains an informational desert for many non-experts interested in quantum mechanics and its applications. In-person and/or hands-on experiences are difficult to come by for most people who are not already connected to quantum-related science outreach programs or geographically close to a quantum research program. The subject itself is not taught widely before upper-division undergraduate courses, is abstract, and has a reputation for being mystical, unfamiliar, and a synonym for unapproachable science. Additionally, many online platforms connected to real quantum devices are often too technical for people outside of STEM and are likely not designed to address this gap. In this talk, I will briefly discuss the US landscape of K-12 quantum education, and share best practices and information on resources that seek to ignite interest in QIS among novices. I will also discuss a recent project, Quander, that blends science communication with educational games. Quander aims to promote awareness among middle-grade learners and can be used in both formal and informal learning environments. |
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 4:48PM - 5:24PM |
K44.00004: A Brief History of Brief Histories: Narrative as a Tool for Engaging the Public Invited Speaker: Chad R Orzel One of the most powerful tools available for engaging the public with physics is the use of personal or historical anecdotes to construct a compelling narrative around the science. This talk will discuss the pros and cons of using this method, and offer some tips and cautions for those interested in using stories as a tool for science outreach. |
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 5:24PM - 6:00PM |
K44.00005: Astronomy Picture of the Day and other Physics Outreach Efforts Invited Speaker: Robert Nemiroff
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