Physics News from the AIP Term 1, No 4, 2012
Table of Contents
1. Conference Proceedings: Addresses, Chief Assessors' Report and Workshop material
2. AIP Travelling Scholarship: Applications due by 13th March
3. ASTA Survey on Support needed to teach Nanotechnology and Biotechnology in Years 7 - 10
4. AIP Physics Decadal Plan – Draft available for public comment
5. Forthcoming events for: Students and the General Public *
a) Physics Days at Luna Park: Excursion bookings closed, but Dataloggers can be booked
b) The Nucleus: its make-up and break-up: 6pm, 15th March, University of Melbourne
c) Electronics and Photonics: our modern world: 6pm, 29th March, University of Melbourne
d) Latest Research in Space Biology: 6pm, 29th March, VSSEC
e) The Supermassive Black Hole at the centre of our Galaxy: 6:30pm, 29th March, Swinburne University
f) MoonKAM for Years 5 - 8 , March to May
g) Australian Gemini School Astronomy Contest - Entries close 11th May
h) 2012 Victorian Young Physicists' Tournament - New Format, New Topics
6. Forthcoming events for Teachers *
a) Beginning Physics Teachers In-Service: 1, Saturday morning, 17th March, VSSEC
b) Beginning Physics Teachers In-Service: 2, 9:30 - 3:00pm, Monday, 2nd April, Kew High School
c) Climate Change and Extreme Events: Understanding and Managing the Risks, 6:30pm, 19th March, State Library of Victoria
d) AIP Meeting: Nonlinear photonic circuits transforming the new information age: Faster, smaller and smarter, 6:30pm, 27th March, University of Melbourne
e) Science Teachers for Climate Awareness: Monday, 2nd April, Kew High School
f) AIP Meeting: Atomic resolution imaging in two and three dimensions, 6:30pm, 18th April, University of Melbourne
g) Robotic Mission to Mars - Teacher PD: Weds, 18th April, 9:00am – 4:30pm, VSSEC
h) Melbourne hosts NASA International Space Apps Challenge: 21st, 22nd April, VSSEC
7. Physics News from the Web
a) Cells dine on nanotubes with dire results
b) Uterus contractions caused by electrical coupling
c) Invisibility cloaking goes thermodynamic
* Events listed for the first time are in bold with details below. The details of the other events can be found on our website at www.vicphysics.org/forthcomingevents.html or in previous newsletters at www.vicphysics.org/aipnews.html
This newsletter is compiled by the Australian Institute of Physics (Victorian Branch) Education Committee.
This year the AIP Education Committee will be meeting at Kew High School, normally on the second Tuesday of the month from 5pm – 7pm, the next meeting is on Tuesday, 13th March. All teachers are welcome to attend this or any other meeting. You don't need to be a member of the AIP to get involved. If you would like to attend, please contact the chair, Sue Grant, at .
1. Conference Proceedings: Addresses, Chief Assessors' report and Workshop material
Material from the following lectures and workshops is on our website at www.vicphysics.org/conf2012.html . Audio files of most presentations, both the full session and just the first 10 minutes, can also be downloaded.
· Opening Address by Dr Derek Muller: 'Misconception Alchemy - Turning thought lead in to thought gold' (Video also available)
· Oration by Prof Tanya Monro: 'New ways of controlling light; photonic crystals, metamaterials and beyond'
· The Chief Assessors' Report by Bruce Walsh and Geoff Davies
· Kinaesthetic Activities to teach Waves and Optics in Senior Physics: Louise Mason, St Leonard's College
· Beyond the Filing Cabinet - delivering VCE Physics Online and Interactive: Bruce Carpenter, Bendigo SSC
· StudyON for VCE Physics: Neale Taylor, John Wiley & Sons
· Teaching Further Electronics: Murray Anderson Camberwell Grammar School
· Practical Activities for Light: Helen Lye, ACER and Dan O'Keeffe, AIP Ed Comm
· Technology in the Physics Classroom, Phil Jones, Technology Interface
· Circular Thinking, Dr Ken McGregor, RMIT
· Electricity Ideas for the Classroom, Bronwyn Quint, Scienceworks
· Drive the VSSEC Mars Rover' Naomi Mathers, VSSEC
· SACs and Pracs from the $2 Shop: Paul Fitzgerald, Ivanhoe Girls' GrammarSchool and Paul Fielding, Billanook College
2. AIP Travelling Scholarship: Applications due by 13th March
The AIP Education Committee is offering a scholarship to support one teacher to attend an international Physics Conference or event until the beginning of the 2013 school year. The scholarship is worth up to $2000.
In 2009 Barry Homewood from Braemar College was accepted for the Perimeter Institute's 'EinsteinPlus' workshop in Toronto, Canada. In January this year Adrian Camm now with Quantum Victoria attended and presented at the Association for Science Education (ASE) Conference in the UK. In 2011 Kim Northmore travelled to CERN for a three week Physics Teacher Program.
Possible conferences that teachers might like to consider are:
· World Conference on Physics Education (WCPE 2012) to be held in Istanbul from 1st to 6th July this year, the event is held every four years. The program includes sections on secondary physics, primary physics, teaching and learning concepts, IT and multimedia, laboratory activities, etc. Participants can present posters, 15 minute talks or run workshops. The recipient would be expected to present in some capacity. http://www.wcpe2012.org/
· The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) conference in Philadelphia from 28th July to 1st August this year or in New Orleans from 5th to 9th January 2013. There would no expectation that the recipient would present. http://www.aapt.org/Conferences/meetings.cfm
· The CERN Physics Teacher Program. A three week program from 1st to 21st July, 2012. http://teachers.web.cern.ch/teachers/
· The Perimeter Institute EinsteinPlus Workshop, 8th - 14th July, A small group of participants are selected from applicants drawn from across the world. http://www.einsteinplus.ca/
More details listed on our website at www.vicphysics.org/scholarship.html
The successful teacher is expected to actively participate in the event, if possible by offering a workshop, and to also present a session about the experience at a following Physics Teachers Conference.
Applications for the scholarship should show evidence of innovative teaching and activity in professional development and be supported by a letter of recommendation from the applicant’s school. The applications should state the chosen international conference and indicate how the applicant might participate. Other things being equal, the committee will give preference to applicants applying for an event that scholarship recipients haven't previously attended.
Scholarship applications should reach the AIP at PO Box 304, Glen Waverley VIC 3150 by 13th March to enable the Committee to make a quick decision, so that the successful applicant can begin planning.
3. ASTA Survey on Support needed to teach Nanotechnology and Biotechnology in Years 7 - 10
The Australian Science Teachers Association invites and encourages secondary science teachers to participate in an online survey to determine the support they need to teach biotechnology and nanotechnologyas required in the new Australian Curriculum: Science Years 7-10.
This online survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete. By completing and submitting the survey you will be entered into a draw to win* one of two iPad 2 with Wi-Fi (16GB) valued at AU$579 to thank you for your time.
The research is being conducted by ASTA on behalf of the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE). ASTA will use the information you provide only to frame the advice DIISRTE has requested and will not pass your information to any third parties. The report to DIISRTE will identify neither individuals nor schools.
The survey will be open until 20/04/2012 at the following link: http://tinyurl.com/ETTS2012
4. AIP Physics Decadal Plan – Draft available for public comment
The Federal AIP has been working under the auspices of the Australian Academy of Science to produce a strategic overview of physics in Australia, looking both at the current state of physics and at opportunities for the next decade, known as the Decadal Plan. The Federal President, Prof Marc Duldig, issued this statement.
"In February we released an Exposure Draft of the Decadal Plan, called “Building on Excellence in Physics: Underpinning Australia’s Future” for public comment. It can be downloaded from the Decadal Plan website at http://www.physicsdecadalplan.org.au/home/physics-decadal-plan-exposure-draft-september-2011.
I encourage all professional physicists, physics teachers and others in the physics community to provide input on the draft until the end of March with the release of the final plan at the end of May.
Some of the areas highlighted for action are (Ed'n Comm: those relevant to physics teachers are in italics):
· physics education: supporting a physics-enabled workforce and community, and raising awareness of the value of physics in all aspects of society
· physics research investment: increasing capacity and recruiting the best and brightest.
· physics in industry: developing stronger relationships between the higher education and research sector with industry and business
· capturing the full human potential in physics by providing clear career paths and enforcing equitable access to sustainable careers
· making international research participation central to Australian physics
· supporting the participation of physics in interdisciplinary consortia to address problems of national importance
· increasing research productivity and improving the way in which productivity is measured.
The Decadal Plan is our chance to influence the future of physics in Australia - the final plan will provide a strong foundation for arguing for increased funding and other support for physics, a science that is fundamental to so much in our modern world. Send your feedback to "
5. Forthcoming events for Students and General Public *
a) Physics Days at Luna Park: Excursion bookings closed, but Dataloggers can be booked
Pasco and Vernier dataloggers can be booked, limit of one per school, for either a half day or a full day by contacting the AIP at with subject 'Datalogger booking' with brand, the day of the Luna Park visit, and how long the booking is for.
Teachers may also wish to let their students know about SPARKVue, which is an app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. It is an alternative to the more traditional datalogger. Note: For safety reasons, students will have to securely place their device in a pocket during the rides as Luna Park does not allow any hand held objects on its rides This app records the acceleration data from the built-in accelerometers in the devices. The standard dataloggers also measure altitude. To access the apps just go to the App Store or iTunes and search for "SparkVue" and elect to install. It's small and free so installs quickly. There's some preset experiment for x, y, z and x/y/z resultant accelerations.
b) The Nucleus: Its make-up and break-up: 6pm, 15th March, University of Melbourne
The third in a series of lectures specifically designed to cover the Years 11 and 12 VCE Study Design. The lectures, of about 1 hour duration, are held on Thursdays at 6pm in the Laby Theatre of the School of Physics. Some light refreshments are available before the lectures.
The speaker for this lecture is Assoc. Prof. Max Thompson. Details about the lecture series can be found at http://outreach.physics.unimelb.edu.au/VCE/Lecture-Series
c) Electronics and Photonics: our modern world. 6pm, 29th March, University of Melbourne
The fourth in a series of lectures specifically designed to cover the Years 11 and 12 VCE Study Design. The lectures, of about 1 hour duration, are held on Thursdays at 6pm in the Laby Theatre of the School of Physics. Some light refreshments are available before the lectures.
The speaker for this lecture is Assoc Prof. Alex Mazzolini from Swinburne University. Details about the lecture series can be found at http://outreach.physics.unimelb.edu.au/VCE/Lecture-Series
d) The Supermassive Black Hole at the centre of our Galaxy, 6:30pm, 29th March, Swinburne University
The lecture by Andrea Ghez from UCLA, will be in EN715.
To book contact: Liz Thackray on or (03) 9214 5569 or go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGJ5RVJwNlFZdHFBNmZXeUROTWZGcWc6MQ
e) Latest Research in Space Biology, Thursday 29th March, 6:00-7:00pm, VSSEC
Dr. Richard Wassersug, is a professor at the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology of Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is interested in how the space environment affects living organisms. He has been Principal Investigator for an impressive number of experiments flown on the U.S. Space Shuttle. Richard is visiting Melbourne and has agreed to share his experience during this one speaking engagement at VSSEC.
The event is free but booking is required .
6. Forthcoming Events for Teachers
a) Beginning Physics Teachers In-Service: 1, Saturday morning, 17th March, VSSEC
b) Beginning Physics Teachers In-Service: 2, Monday, 2nd April, Kew High School
An in-service program of a half-day in-service on Saturday morning, 17th March and a full day in-service on Monday 2nd April. The two events are free and travel coverage is available for country participants. The two events will be complementary, so people can come to both. .
The Saturday morning event will be held at the Victorian Space Science Education Centre at Strathmore and the Monday event will be held at Kew High School.
To register please email the AIP at with subject “Registration: New Physics Teachers” and include in the email, not only your contact details, but your reason for applying and which events you are applying for.
c) Climate Change and Extreme Events: Understanding and Managing the Risks, 6:30pm, 19th March, State Library of Victoria
A preview of the soon-to-be-released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation.
Hosted by the Monash Sustainability Institute (MSI), RMIT University, NCCARF Emergency Management Network, and the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society
Date: Monday, 19 March, Time: 6:30pm–8:00pm
Venue: Village Roadshow Theatrette, State Library of Victoria, Entry 3, 179 La Trobe Street, Melbourne
RSVP: None
Is climate change responsible for an increase in extreme weather events? And what can society do to reduce the impacts of these events?
Over the past two years, over 200 experts from around the world have been working to answer these and other questions as part of then IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation. The report provides an assessment of the latest scientific knowledge on the relationship between climate change and extreme weather and climate events. It looks at how climatic, environmental and human factors combine to create disasters and other impacts on society, and what we can do to reduce their risks. The full report will be released in late March 2012.