Friday Flyer - November 11, 2016
Spotlight on the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) QuarkNet Center: This year was a busy and successful year for the FIT center under the leadership of mentors Francisco Yumiceva and Marcus Hohlmann. QuarkNet staff Mark Adams and fellow Robert Franckowiak led the eight participating teachers through a cosmic workshop during the summer teacher workshop week. In addition, teachers heard several talks and worked through some activities from the Data Portfolio with QuarkNet fellow Adam LaMee. Early in the year, students at nearby Palm Bay Magent High School used cosmic ray muon detectors surrounded by large tanks of water to determine the effects of the water on detector counts, winning the students first place in a regional science fair, and fourth place in the Florida State Science Fair!
News from QuarkNet Central: NEW OPPORTUNITY!! In summer 2017, CERN will hold its first ITW (International Teacher Weeks), which is a residential program open to high school science teachers from around the world to visit CERN to learn more about particle physics. More information on ITW 2017 here, including links to the application which will be open through December 31, 2016. Note that this is a separate opportunity than the three-week-long HST experience that has been in place for several years. Watch for information soon to come out about the HST application process for teachers from the U.S.
Physics Experiment Roundup: Normally, we think of the LHC as colliding proton beams with proton beams. Starting this week, the LHC is temporarily colliding proton beams with beams made up of heavy ions: the nuclei of lead atoms. Sometimes "something" can turn out to be "nothing," as in the case of the "diphoton blip" of 2015.
Using the QuarkNet Website: Did you know that when you're logged into the QuarkNet website you're able to comment on a document, even the Friday Flyer? Go ahead, give it a try! Scroll to the top of the page to log in, then scroll to the bottom of the page to comment.
Resources: Check out this short video by Fermilab's Don Lincoln on circular accelerators vs. linear accelerators and symmetry magazine on the origins of dark matter.
Just for Fun: Cup of coffee a bit too hot this morning? Wondering about the best technique for cooling this coffee? Find out what science has to say, via Wired magazine!
And a final note on this Veterans Day 2016. Thank you to all of our veterans out there for your service and dedication!
QuarkNet Staff:
Mark Adams: adams@fnal.gov
Ken Cecire: kcecire@nd.edu
Shane Wood: swood5@nd.edu