Bulletin of the American Physical Society
19th Annual Meeting of the APS Northwest Section
Volume 63, Number 6
Thursday–Saturday, May 31–June 2 2018; Tacoma, Washington
Session G1: Physics Education II |
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Chair: Paula Heron, University of Washington Room: Thompson Hall 175 |
Saturday, June 2, 2018 3:30PM - 4:00PM |
G1.00001: Fixed and growth mindsets in physics graduate admissions Invited Speaker: Rachel Scherr Considering the evidence that standard physics graduate admissions practices tend to exclude women and traditionally marginalized racial and ethnic groups from the discipline, we investigate (a) the characteristics of students that physics graduate admissions committee members seek to admit to their programs and (b) the practices associated with these admissions goals. We find that some faculty express elements of an implicit theory of intelligence known as a ``fixed mindset,'' in which intelligence is understood as an inherent capacity or ability primarily measured by standardized test scores and grades. Some also express elements of a ``growth mindset,'' in which intelligence is understood in terms of acquired knowledge and effort. Overall, most faculty interviewed expressed elements of both mindsets. A fixed mindset in physics graduate admissions is consistent with research identifying physics as a ``brilliance-required'' field, whose members tend to believe that raw, innate talent is a primary requirement for success in the discipline. Such a mindset directly affects the participation of women and some racial or ethnic groups, who are stereotyped as lacking such high-level intellectual ability.\\ \\ In Collaboration with: Monica Plisch, American Physical Society; Kara Gray, Seattle Pacific University; Geoff Potvin, Florida International University; Theodore Hodapp, American Physical Society [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, June 2, 2018 4:00PM - 4:12PM |
G1.00002: Solar photovoltaics design and installation at an undergraduate college. EJ Zita, Matt Booth, Alan Deufel, Nelson Haffner-Ratliffe, Michael Joseph, Scott Morgan, Matthew Strickland We will describe strategies for integrating education with the design and creation of sustainable infrastructure on campus.~ Teams of students in our Energy Systems classes, working together over 3 years, drove the design and installation of a major photovoltaic (PV) system on the Evergreen State College campus. We collaborated with solar power professionals, campus staff, and funding agencies.~ Student teams performed solar power capacity analyses using diverse methods and tools.~ They measured and calculated the production capacity of campus buildings and sites for PV, solar thermal, and other power production options.~ They studied each building for suitability, working with campus Facilities staff.~ Students continued the work through summer research and several classes, mentoring new students over the years. We prepared feasibility, engineering, and cost-benefit analyses.~ The student-funded Clean Energy Committee and the Department of Commerce jointly supported this project for {\$}150,000.~ In 2017, Evergreen's 20 kW photovoltaic system was completed on our Tacoma campus.~ [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, June 2, 2018 4:12PM - 4:24PM |
G1.00003: Incorporation of Antenna Construction and Measurement in Teaching Electro-magnetic Course David Lowry, Mohamed Osman David Lowry, Mohamed Osman, Washington State University-Tri Cities An Electrical Engineering course in Electricity and Magnetism diverges from the corresponding Physics course after the topics of Maxwell's equations and radiation: transmission lines and antennas are studied rather than special relativity. In order to keep students engaged, they model, build and test their own antennas. The operation frequency of designed antennas ranged from 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi down to antenna for receiving radio stations and TV station signals. The hands on design of the antenna design also allows students to make use of transmission line matching circuits they learnt in the first electrostatics and magneto-statics. The current antenna designs are both standard and novel. The students gain practical experience with NEC-2 modeling, TINA-TI, impedance matching, network analyzers and antenna gain measurements. Here, we present two of the novel designs that have emerged from this effort: a trekking pole configured as either an omni-directional or directional radiator. The antenna is designed for 2m communication in Search and Rescue missions. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, June 2, 2018 4:24PM - 4:36PM |
G1.00004: Puzzling Out Nucleosynthesis in Introductory Astronomy Courses Sean O'Neill The formation of chemical elements in the Universe is a fundamental yet challenging topic to treat in general education astronomy courses. Students in such courses are typically fascinated by the notion that the vast majority of everyday elements originate in stars and stellar explosions, but these students often lack the scientific and/or mathematical backgrounds to appreciate even the simplest particle physics calculations. Furthermore, many astrophysically significant nuclear reaction channels, such as the proton-proton chain or CNO cycle, are sufficiently intricate that students can easily fail to appreciate the overall effects of the reactions. In this talk, I will introduce a method of teaching nucleosynthesis tailored to a group-learning environment, such as an introductory astronomy lab. The basic structure of the lesson consists of having students 1) identify common elements, 2) assemble a visual puzzle that traces the lineage of these elements to astrophysical fusion processes (and ultimately the Big Bang), and 3) utilize the completed puzzle to draw inferences about both the nucleosynthetic reactions and the astrophysical contexts in which they occur. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, June 2, 2018 4:36PM - 4:48PM |
G1.00005: Student ability to relate quantum formalism to real-world phenomena: An example from relative phase in superposition states Tong Wan, Paul J. Emigh, Peter S. Shaffer In quantum mechanics, the probability amplitudes are complex and the relative phases in a superposition state can have measurable effects. We have been probing student ability to relate quantum formalism to real-world phenomena in the context of superposition states. In particular, we examine the extent to which students are able to make a connection between relative phase and experimental results. We present data from student written work on questions involving complex numbers either in the context of superposition or as purely mathematical exercises. The data shows that many students do not recognize the role of relative phase in superposition states, even though they can correctly answer corresponding questions that require algebraic procedures only. This suggests that many students do not make physical meaning with mathematical expression in the context of superposition. The findings motivate future work on how to help students relate formalism to physical phenomena. [Preview Abstract] |
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