High
School Outreach Program
Local high school science classes are invited to take part in our
Physics Department Outreach Program.
We believe that
campus visits by students can create a better understanding of the career opportunities
a degree in Physics can achieve. Also, the students can get a taste
of what it's like to do research, and of the academic atmosphere at
Kent State University in general.
Our goal is to increase enrollment, and we believe that exposure to
our program will be both educational and informative. Explanations of
different degree programs and job marketability
of graduates with a B.S. in Physics are also part of the discussion.
There are several ways to format the visit, and high school teachers
are encouraged to contact us to discuss the different programs that
we offer. We usually begin the day with a Planetarium Show, which includes
explanations of basic physics principles. The show is held at the KSU Planetarium, which
is located in Smith
Hall. We continue with a ``Fun with Physics'' demonstration given
by faculty and graduate students. One highlight of this is the ``bed
of nails'' demonstration (see middle image below).
Superconductivity
|
Bed of nails |
Nuclear Physics
|
Students will be
able to purchase lunch at the Hub
(Student
Center) where they can mingle with the Kent students and get their
first taste of ``college life''. After lunch, we continue with an hour
tour of our research labs and students are able to discuss topics and
question graduate students and faculty to see what it's really like
to study physics. The day usually begins at 8:30 A.M. and ends at 2:00
P.M. We serve refreshments (donuts and juice) in the morning, either
right at 8:30 A.M. or in the break between
the Planetarium Show and the ``Fun with Physics'' demonstration.
For high school freshman
classes, we offer a shortened program without the lab tours. We like
to keep the groups around 30 to 40 students. That way we can give the
full tour and the students have time to ask questions.
Sample
Schedule for Physics Visit
9:00 - 9:30
9:30 - 10:15
10:15 - 10:30
10:30 - 11:15
11:15 - 12:15
12:15 - 1:30
|
Students
Arrive - Introduction
Planetarium Show
Break
Fun with Physics
Lunch Break
Tours of Research Labs |
We have lab tours
that include light scattering, liquid crystal physics, superconductivity,
hot nuclear matter, and theoretical physics. We will individualize this
program to fit the level of students. The best times to schedule these
programs
are either Tuesday or Thursday mornings, as the Planetarium is available
then.
Contact information:
This page maintained
by D. Mark Manley. Last updated on October 11, 2007.
