QuarkNet@UNM, the QuarkNet Center at the University of New Mexico, 2017 Annual Report

The University of New Mexico joined QuarkNet in Fall 2016.  Our  activities are reflected on our website, http://physics.unm.edu/QuarkNet@UNM/.  First efforts to install a cosmic ray detector at Rio Grande High School in Albuquerque were led by RGHS Lead Teacher Gordon Zwartz and his 10th grade physics students.  We hosted an LHC Masterclass on April 8, 2017, which was attended by 5 teachers and 32 students drawn from 4 schools throughout the cities of Albuquerque and Rio Rancho (Rio Grande High, Sandia High, New Futures High, and Rio Rancho High).  The masterclass was based on analysis of ATLAS data and supplemented this with demonstrations of electromagnetic and cosmic ray phenomena, tours of UNM laboratories, and lectures about contemporary science topics.  Two lead teachers are attending Fermilab Data Camp in July 2017, Elizabeth Scharrer (Sandia HS) and Don Bennett (Atrisco Heritage HS).  During June - August, Don Bennett conducted research in the Seidel particle physics instrumentation laboratory at UNM.  At mid-summer, plans were put into place to integrate the UNM QuarkNet Center with the Taos STEMarts Lab founded by Agnes Chavez.