In a time when skepticism toward science runs high and trust in those who devote their lives to learning and teaching runs low, astrophysics continues to offer an invaluable opportunity for engagement and an inroad to teaching critical thinking. For many hears, astrophysics has led the way in open-data, opening a path for students and citizens to participate in the discovery process with...
In this talk, I will share information about the Artemis II mission to the moon. This will include information about the science the astronauts will be doing on board, the launch trajectory, and space weather mitigations. I’ll also discuss some space weather basics and show tools that teachers can use to investigate space weather and see current conditions of space weather both at Earth, at...
This overview highlights physics learning modules that AAPT, in collaboration with NASA scientists, have developed with applications pertinent to current astrophysics to excite students about physics learning, and not just heliophysics. Our outreach invites educators on the regional AAPT level to experience how utilize the online, cell-phone, and hands-on tools developed to teach physics using...
Start with the textbook underdamped circuit consisting of a capacitor, inductor, and resistor wired in series. The initial conditions are the capacitor is charged and the current is zero. Use an oscilloscope probe to measure the oscillating voltage across the capacitor as a function of time. If we now connect a diode in series with the input to that probe, we have a half rectifier but the...
I was invited to teach a new course at MICA this spring, "Visual Physics," AKA Physics and Art. Despite not being an artist (though a musician), I jumped at the opportunity to teach artists some physics that would (ideally) inform their art. This talk will discuss content, labs, and projects with which my students are engaged. I hope that it also provides high school and college teachers...
How can we transform grading from a "one-shot" stressor into a continuous journey of improvement? This presentation explores the use of Specifications Grading in introductory physics for majors to shift the focus from points to progress. By pairing clear learning goals with the opportunity for reattempts, we create a supportive framework where mistakes are viewed as essential steps toward...
This demo and hands-on experience highlights physics learning modules that AAPT, in collaboration with NASA scientists, have developed with applications pertinent to current astrophysics to excite students about physics learning, and not just heliophysics. Our outreach invites educators on the regional AAPT level to experience how utilize the online, cell-phone, and hands-on tools developed to...
This session aims at exploring practical methods to enhance accessibility for students with disabilities in your classes. The tools, activities, and practices discussed are designed to help all students learn more effectively.This work is partially supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants 2228226 & 2212807.
Upper-level undergraduate courses in relativity and quantum mechanics are often taught independently, with limited opportunity for students to explore the conceptual interplay between the two frameworks. In this talk, we present a classroom-accessible thought experiment based on entangled spin-$\tfrac{1}{2}$ systems in reflected Rindler frames that exposes a fundamental tension between quantum...
CosmicWatch is a compact, low-cost particle detector designed to make cosmic-ray physics accessible for education, outreach, and research. In this talk, I will present the design and capabilities of CosmicWatch detectors, which use scintillation light and silicon photomultipliers to detect atmospheric muons in real time.
Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is unique in our solar system. Below Titan's thick organic haze layer, rivers of methane carve channels into an icy bedrock and flow into large hydrocarbons seas. Across the landscape, water ice mountains and extensive organic sand dune fields are simultaneously alien and reminiscent of Earth. Titan’s lake mottled surface and thick, organic rich atmosphere may be...
We construct spacetime diagrams for special relativity on graph paper that has been rotated by 45 degrees. Boxes in the grid (called “clock diamonds”) represent units of measurement modeled on the ticks of an inertial observer's light clock. Many quantitative results and their physical interpretations can be read off the diagram simply by counting boxes. We use simple geometrical constructions...
Beginning in 2025, the college board made fluids the final topic in the algebra based advanced physics 1 course. The final relationship in this final unit is Torricelli’s law for the velocity of a fluid emerging from a hole in the side of tank. It is, therefore tempting, to design a capstone lab for the course based on Torricelli’s law. It turns out that this lab is fraught with difficulty...
Do you spend hours grading your student’s lab assignments? Each of these activities focuses on basic skills along with a singular physics concept. Every student has instant feedback on the correctness of their work, freeing the teacher of the overwhelming task of grading lab assignments.
Quantum Information Science has advanced rapidly in the last 20 years, with applications spanning computing, sensing and networking. In 2018 the Congress passed the National Quantum Initiative Act (NQIA), which highlighted the urgent need for a skilled workforce in these areas. Since that time, much of the national investment has focused on graduate education, postdoctoral training, and...
"Without promotion, something terrible happens... nothing!" – P.T. Barnum
Science explores the wonders of existence. As scientists, we’d think science should be self-promoting by its very nature. Unfortunately, that is not true. So what can we do to promote science? We can take our cue from P.T. Barnum, the greatest showman on earth. We can assemble the wonders of the ages for our...
The photoelectric effect is often presented as the definitive experiment proving that photons exist. This is a misconception. In fact, several persistent myths appear in standard treatments of the photoelectric effect, including: (i) that classical physics cannot produce a frequency threshold for photoemission; (ii) that classical physics necessarily predicts long delay times before electrons...
Come learn how to use the new PASCO Wireless Diffraction Set! Seats limited to 30 participants.
This Make-and-Take workshop will consist of three different take home projects; a simple “Spacephone” which can be used to demonstrate wave characteristics including: wavelength, frequency, period, amplitude, nodes and antinodes, transverse vs longitudinal waves, etc., a total internal reflection poster application that demonstrates road paint that glows when hit by car headlights at night,...
2024 Physics Nobel Prize award may be marked as the first sign of the
departure of the warm, deep, and historic relationship between physics and classical mathematics. Also perhaps recognizing AI and ML has implied meaning as future instruments of fast-track natural phenomena modeling tools gradually replacing traditional mathematics or even computational software tools. Even 25 years ago...
Quantum Mechanics is the upper-level undergraduate course that is often the most challenging in the core curriculum for physics majors. While active-learning pedagogical approaches such as SCALE-UP are gaining traction in introductory physics courses at institutions throughout the country, most upper-level classes are still largely taught in a conventional lecture mode. One could ask the...
With the use of an oscilloscope, inductor and a capacitor, the modulated carrier wave of an AM radio station can be seen.
In the 1930s, Erwin Schrödinger recognized quantum entanglement not only as an interesting and counter-intuitive feature of multiparticle quantum states, but also as the aspect of quantum mechanics that distinguishes it most strongly from classical physics. In today’s “second quantum revolution,” entanglement plays key roles in quantum computing, quantum information science, and enhanced...
Quantum mechanics is both conceptually difficult and mathematically demanding for physics students. They often describe it as unintuitive, abstract, and disconnected from prior classical experiences, where the largest hurdle is the mathematical barrier to entry. But are there other approaches that can help build quantum intuition without requiring the advanced mathematics?
This presentation...
Circularity is a measure of roundness of a plane shape. Circularity is a 2D measure. It has a 3D counterpart, sphericity. I will be sharing how I use the concept of circularity to engage students learning science. Students start by recording their predictions about the circularity of a list plane shapes. Students predict the ranking of the circularity of the shapes. They also make quantitative...
In April 2025, we led one-day quantum education workshops for 34 middle and high school science teachers at Morgan State University and the University of Maryland, College Park.
These workshops stood out because of their clear teaching approach. Teachers began by using classical polarizing filters to understand polarization hands-on. Then, they moved on to quantum concepts such as...
In this demo you will fold paper to make vectors in 2D and in 3D. We shall predict angles in 2D and in 3D. By measuring lengths and with vector algebra our predictions will be checked.
Using paper, we will explore learning tools I designed to help students improve their command of vectors and vector algebra.
Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow, arising from the interaction between electric currents and magnetic fields in conducting fluids, plays a central role in applications ranging from astrophysical plasmas to industrial liquid-metal processing. However, direct classroom demonstrations of MHD phenomena are often limited by the need for high currents or specialized equipment. In this work, we present...
Embodied learning involves using the body during lessons in order to illustrate ideas and energize the audience. I discuss several embodied learning activities in which students play the role of atoms or electrons in a "force theater," to illustrate the microscopic interactions behind macroscopic models of forces (such as the normal force, friction, and tension) and other phenomena like...
This talk presents a practical, data‑driven approach to improving student engagement and mastery in physics laboratories using the 5 A’s of Alignment: Aim, Actions & Assessment, Answers, Analysis, and Adjustments. Drawing on real examples from introductory physics labs including lab objectives, student performance distributions, and authentic student feedback, the talk illustrates how...
The Tesla coil is arguably one of the most iconic physics demos. They exist in many forms large and small. I will show and tell a collection of coils that we typically use in our physics classrooms, both the classic spark gap Tesla coil (SGTC) and the more modern solid state Tesla coil (SSTC). These include handhelds for vacuum testing & gas discharge, small toys that emit gentle sparks...
The Quantum Collaborative Research Corps (QCoR) is a research organization based at the University of Maryland College Park (UMD-CP) and embedded within the LPS Qubit Collaboratory (LQC). In addition to advancing quantum information science and technology towards quantum computing, developing the next generation quantum workforce through education and public outreach is one of the core...
We examined a heterogenous group of students’ perspectives on roles, tools, and labs in small group during discourses in an introductory electricity and magnetism course within a studio physics format. We employed focus group interview to explore the perspectives of the group of two white men and one White woman. Results suggest that participants’ positively perceived the role of presentation...
Physics educators must develop students' scientific abilities through structured inquiry while engaging them in authentic applications—yet integrating these goals remains challenging. This practitioner action research examines the implementation of a two-phase model across 3.5 years in a Career and Technical Education high school (140 students annually across Earth and Space Science, Honors...
Friends' Central School is a Quaker N-12 day school just outside Philadelphia city limits. In 2025, we introduced the practice of week-long non-credit, elective courses for 9-11th grade students to take place at the end of the school year: "May Term." This presentation will describe activities in our inaugural year of a Backyard Astronomy camp as well as plans for the second year. We...
This talk introduces the Advanced Laboratory Physics Association ([ALPhA][1]), a group dedicated to supporting the advanced laboratory instruction. It is intended for physics faculty who are seeking for both technical and financial support to enhance their advanced laboratory courses. The presentation will provide an overview of ALPhA’s mission, along with updated information on its recent and...
Incorporate these demonstrations into your curriculum that will captivate and razzle-dazzle every student. Each demonstration is easy to do with readily available materials and clearly illustrates specific physics phenomena.
The Organization for Physics at Two-Year Colleges (OPTYCs) was funded by NSF starting July 1, 2022, and administered under AAPT. NSF abruptly terminated our grant on May 9, 2025 during its spring wave of cancellations. However, the two-year college community is resilient, and we have been continuing our programming. In this talk, I'll share what we have accomplished since grant termination,...
I will show some of my favorite items from the Figuring Physics column in The Physics Teacher and use them to generate discussions.
This presentation examines grading practices in the high school classroom with a focus on standards and standards-referenced grading as alternatives to traditional point-based systems. It explores how educational standards can be translated from state or district expectations into clear classroom learning goals and assessment criteria for students with a growth mindset. The presentation...
For over a decade, the international IceCube Collaboration has hosted an annual Masterclass at multiple universities. This presentation highlights the 11th iteration of the program organized at the University of Delaware. The program is designed for advanced high school students, but especially juniors considering University STEM programs. It provides students with hands-on exposure to...
3JCN Physics Simulation is a free, web-based platform featuring over 330 interactive 3D physics simulations designed to support teaching and learning across a wide range of topics, from classical mechanics to quantum physics. These simulations provide intuitive, visual representations of complex physical phenomena, helping students develop deeper conceptual understanding.
In this...
I will talk about how to explore concepts from Fourier series and Fourier transforms without getting too deeply into the math, suitable for an early undergraduate (pre- differential equations) or high school audience. We will discuss beats and bandwith, modulation, harmonics, and other topics.
We present a set of introductory physics (Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism) activities that can be used as supplements or replacements for traditional labs or group activities. Each assignment poses a relatively complex problem to the students, but with a straightforward target quantity to calculate. Students have a choice of either solving the problem theoretically, or engaging with...
What do the words ellipsis, parable, and hyperbole have to do with planetary motion? More than you might expect. This talk traces an unexpected thread connecting language, conic sections, and orbital physics, revealing how a single mathematical structure appears across seemingly unrelated domains. Along the way, we will revisit a familiar classroom “parabola” and ask whether it truly deserves...
