Physics Research Experiences for Teachers

The College of William and Mary

Summer 2005

 

http://www-hep.physics.wm.edu/ret/

 

This program is intended for two junior or high school science teachers to participate in field research at the MINOS neutrino observatory with Prof. Jeff Nelson. MINOS studies neutrino oscillations using astrophysical neutrinos and a neutrino beam generated at Fermilab and directed to the MINOS detector at the Soudan Underground Laboratory (SUL). The SUL is a half mile underground in the historic Soudan Underground Iron Mine in the northeastern Minnesota.  The teachers will collaborate with Prof. Nelson and other scientists operating the MINOS detector and examining collected data. This region of Minnesota is near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area National Wilderness and offers numerous outdoor recreation opportunities.

Participants will also contribute to the laboratory's outreach mission by guiding facility tours for the general public. Each year over 4,000 visitors come underground to the SUL outreach program. The goals of this program are to inform people about the experiments currently being conducted in SUL and provide the public with an understanding of the work and goals of the scientists working in the Laboratory.

The teachers will also contribute to on-going development of classroom materials on neutrino physics and underground science. Past years have led to a number of units and materials developed for a variety of grade levels. Many of the units, however, are based around a class taking a field trip to the mine. The participants would choose one of these units and adapt it for use in a classroom too far from the Soudan site for class visits.

The field work is scheduled for the month of July and the program would include orientation on William & Mary campus before time in the field. No previous research experience is necessary to participate in the program - just a willingness to learn.

This RET is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the College of William & Mary.

Figure 1: The MINOS Far Detector in the Soudan Underground Laboratory. The octagon of steel is 26 ft across and the detector is over 100 ft long. The mural to the right was created the Joseph Giannetti, a Minneapolis artist.

Program Information

  • The program starts after June 20th and completes by August 5th.
  • Stipend of up to $3100 (depending individual teacher availability).
  • Travel and lodging for up to four weeks at the research site.
  • Supplies budget and use of computing resources.
  • Rooming for the entire program and board while on the William & Mary campus.

For More Information

Prof. Jeffrey K. Nelson                                                                               

Department of Physics,

College of William & Mary            

Email: jkn@physics.wm.edu

Phone:  (757) 221-3579

Further Reading