Friday Flyer - February 24, 2017

Spotlight on the University of Washington QuarkNet Center: In August of 2016, this center held a three-day cosmic ray studies workshop open to both teachers and high school students. During the workshop, the four teachers and 20 students in attendance had a chance to learn how the detectors work, collect and upload data, and analyze results. Check out the teachers and students as they work with the detectors. In addition to the summer workshop, the UW center hosted a masterclass last March during which 14 local high school students had the opportunity to learn about particle physics research, analyze CMS data, and participate in a videoconference. 

News from QuarkNet Central: 
Announcing International Muon Week 2017! If you have a cosmic ray muon detector, find out whether muon rates are the same all over the world. Collect data with us during International Muon Week, March 13–17, 2017. Check out the registration link and the detector set-up instructions. Videoconferences through Fermilab will be scheduled for the week after taking data so that you can discuss your results with other groups. Help is available in the Cosmic Ray e-Lab at the Help Desk (life ring). Contact Mark with any questions.

From our Notre Dame center, a recent picture of Rolf-Dieter Heuer (former director of CERN, pictured in center) visiting the Nothre Dame Digital Visualization Theater. During the visit, Ken Andert (pictured on far right) and his student Zoe (second from right) gave a brief presentation on a project they've been working on that introduces CERN and particle physics to general audiences. 

Physics Experiment Roundup: Meet MiniCHANDLER, the first mobile neutrino detector in the U.S. Learn how the use of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) technology is driving the development of particle accelerators. 

Resources: Find out how spinning black holes could fling off clouds of dark matter. With the approach of the spring equinox, you and your students can take part in Eratosthenes Experiment March 2017, an international effort for students to collect and submit data and collaborate in order to determine the circumference of Earth. Learn about the Modeling Instructional approach at one of over 60 summer modeling workshops, including the use of modeling in high school physics, chemistry, and physical science. 

Just for Fun: Watch as a fish steers its own robotic fish tank. This robotic tank built by some students at Carnegie Mellon University uses the fish's position in the water relative to the tank to determine the speed and direction of the tank's movement. 

QuarkNet Staff:
Mark Adams: adams@fnal.gov
Ken Cecire: kcecire@nd.edu
Shane Wood: swood5@nd.edu