Brian Jones Dan Claes Susan Pfiffner

Gavin Polhemus Colorado State Univ

Andrew Warnock Center for Science, Mathematics,and Technology Education (CSU)

Robert Stencel Denver University

Barbara Monday

Victor Stenger

Science DiscoveryUniv of Colorado

Colorado Citizens for Science

Saturday, February 25Colorado State University

Over 4500 attendees!

Little Shop of PhysicsAnnual Open House

Dan R. ClaesUniversity of Nebraska, Lincoln

Department of Physics & AstronomyDENVER AREA PHYSICS TEACHERS MEETINGThe Denver Area Physics Teachers group is pleased to sponsor a presentation by:

Speaking on:

Deep Space Meassages Deep UndergroundTuesday, April 11, 20065:00 - 6:30 PMUniversity of DenverOlin Hall Room 105

The meeting continues from 6:30 - 8:00 PM with a presentation on:

Building a Cloud Chamber. Brian Jones, Colorado State UniversityThe Little Shop of Physics at CSU has developed a great hands-on activity. During the presentation, participants will build a simple cloud chamber with a glass salad bowl and tin pie plate.

Location on Campus. Olin Hall at the University of Denver is located on East Iliff Ave. Iliff is five blocks (approximately the 5th traffic light) south of exit 205 (South University Blvd) from I-25 (Valley Highway). Turn west from University Blvd. onto Iliff Ave.; three blocks to the building with the dome. Parking. Campus parking is limited. Campus regulations require that all cars parked on campus lots have a permit. General parking permits may be as high as $5. If you do not display the permit, you risk receiving a ticket for up to $30 and possible towing. The new Performing Arts Center at Iliff and University may have metered parking available; there is also parking available in the structure across from Olin Hall. Some parking on the street is time limited.Contact. For additional information, please contact Steve Iona 303-871-2873.

The Henderson Molybdenum mine (Clear Creek County, Colorado) is one of two finalist sites forthe NSF’s proposed Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory. DUSEL would be

A large multi-disciplinary laboratory studying deep subsurface microbial life, geological ore formations, mining engineerign studies and underground neutrino work. An enormous Underground NeutrinoObservatory (UNO) may anchor this laboratory, conducting its studies where it will be shielded by

aarth from cosmic ray backgrounds. A brief history of radiation and introduction to neutrino physics will be followed by a discussion of the neutrino community’s interest in Henderson and the opportunities

It could mean to Colorado science teachers and students.

• Teachers truly eager to learn about the science of DUSEL! lesson plans tying current research to basic science concepts

• The main element separating DUSEL from other similar visitor facilities is the site. Both the physical setting and scale will mean a significant draw for the laboratory.

• Science museums and other facilities may offer professional development opportunities for teachers, but DUSEL would uniquely offer an experience tied to real, exciting science at the facility where it is being conducted!

• DUSEL lab will be interdisciplinary a plus for schools looking to integrate the sciences.

• DUSEL will have a strong earth science focus. Colorado’s science standards stress earth science many teachers are weak in this area in particular.

•Summer/weekend workshops for teachers. •Training in content areas to include•engaging classroom activities directly related to material/objectives already covered in classroom•with credit hours available through university members

•Summer research programs for students & teachers. •Engaging them in projects related to DUSEL research

•REU experiences for undergraduates•Bringing in student groups/underrepresented through some sort of residential program?

•Web-available instructional materials •Providing examples of teaching science concepts using information/ideas from DUSEL experiments

Task EO-1 Develop an E&O component that is truly integrated with the operations and research programs of the multi-disciplinary Henderson DUSEL. We will devise new initiatives developed in consultation with the project scientists, K-12 teachers, and members of the local communities. There will be an emphasis on the local schools, but instructional materials will be distributed nationally.

•Broader Impacts/architects reviewing Visitors’ Center plans. • Arapaho has supplied attendance figures for several regional visitors centers/attractions• Conservatively estimate 50,000-65,000 annually (peaking Summer)

• Unused 100-ft drift potentially offers the world’s 1st underground hands-on science center. A subterranean setting allows the development of interactive exhibits inaccessible to surface museums.

• cosmic ray shielding• transmission of vibrations thru rock• rock temperature at different levels• water sampling and analysis

A core of rock with a slot down the center is a great way to demonstrate that rocks

are elastic! This is counterintuitive to most people, but is the basis for earthquakes.

Depending on the underground room’s structural geology,there may be opportunities to demonstrate how geologists measure orientations of fractures, fabrics, folds, and faults.

The Geothermal Gradient is approximately 25°C/km. Within a room with a 15’ ceiling, a temperature gradient of 0.1°C might be measurable if temperature probes are imbedded deep enough into the wall to get away from the local effects of the room.

Using polarized light and a large thin section of the wall rock, a visitor can see the interlocking crystals that make up the rock.

Paleomagnetic sampling techniques could be demonstrated along with how rock magnetic properties are measured.

Outreach to regional schools (Standards based)

Onsite lab/classroom space • with a program of packaged presentations or activities• teachers bring entire class Traveling program / mobile lab• employing undergrad presenters (internship)• graduate students (GK-12 program of internships/fellowships)

Curriculum development• Teachers develop, pool lessons • DUSEL maintains repository/clearing house

Teacher career development: getting teachers "Highly Qualified"• lab sponsors online courses /hosts remote courses• summer/weekend program for teachers

credit hours available through collaborating university members

Outreach to Scientists Encourage all to participate in and contribute to outreach efforts.

• Elevating outreach workshop sessions from optional parallel activities to more highly visible and attended plenary sessions.

• Formal educational presentations/demos prepared or sponsored by DUSEL outreach office Integrated into scientific plenary sessions of workshops and regularly scheduled colloquia held at the lab

evolution and Intelligent Design global warming genetically modified foodstem cell research cloning bio-terrorism and the public health

REU mentors recruiting, training, and help sessions

How to DO effective outreach - invited speakers from successful outreach programs - outreach guidelines (speakers from funding agencies)

Proven teaching practices and methods(classroom - all levels)

Demos of classroom technology

How-to primers on controversial topics

DUSEL will be an interdisciplinary laboratory we will encourage cross-disciplinary exposure and exchanges

Exposure to DUSEL efforts across disciplines to ALL scientists weekly newsletter - featuring a "find" of the week - highlighting an experiment or collaborating institution - promoting the lab's calendar of events - distributed across lab and electronically posted - electronically distributed to registered schools, organizations - regular “Ask-a-scientist” feature weekly generally audience lab-wide colloquia - independent of group-specific or area-specific colloquia - open to the public - encouraging scientists to be informed across the curricula of the exciting science taking place at the lab

3 hoursin-service

credit!