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
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.
| 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:
devereaux@physics.kent.edu
