Wisconsin Association of Physics Teachers

Wisconsin Association of Physics Teachers

SCHEDULE UPDATE as of10/4/07

WHEN: October 26-27

WHERE: Milwaukee, WI

HOSTED BY:Marquette University

Now a Joint Meeting with the Society of Physics Students, Zone 9!

Special Guest Speaker, 5:30 p.m. Friday

Diandra Leslie-Pelecky,author of “The Physics of NASCAR”

For directions to campus: flier
Building SPEED: The Physics of NASCAR

On February 18th, 2007, almost a quarter of a million people gathered in Florida to witness the culmination of months of intensive research at the forefront of aerodynamics, materials science, and energy conversion. This crowd was not gathered to watch a shuttle launch in Cape Canaveral. They were seventy-five miles to the north in Daytona Beach, enjoying the unique combination of science and sheer guts it takes to pilot a racecar at 190 mph around the thirty-one-degree banked turns of Daytona International Speedway.

Every NASCAR fan – at one time or another – asks the same question: Why isn’t my favorite driver winning? This is your chance to learn how much more there is to NASCAR than ‘Go fast, turn left and don’t crash’. If you’ve ever wondered why super-speedways have banking, why racecars don’t have mufflers, how ‘bump drafting’ works, or what in the world ‘Let’s go up a pound on the right rear and add half a round of wedge’ means, this is an evening you will not want to miss. You’ll learn how important developments such as safety equipment, the introduction of unleaded gasoline, and the Car of Tomorrow, are changing racing. This fast-paced tour through the Physics of NASCAR will take you from behind-the-scenes of Charlotte race shops onto the race track just in time for you to really appreciate next week’s race.

Current Workshops:

CLEA Workshop

Project CLEA -- CONTEMPORARY LABORATORY EXPERIENCES IN ASTRONOMY -- develops laboratory exercises that illustrate modern astronomical techniques using digital data and color images. They are suitable for high- school and college classes at all levels. Each CLEA laboratory exercise includes a dedicated computer program, a student manual, and a technical guide for the instructor. The technical guides describe file formats, user-settable options, and algorithms used in the programs. For more info, visit:

Cracker Barrel Discussion on Physics Courses for Future Health Professionals

The discussion will be facilitated by Robert Hilborn, senior staff physicist at AAPT, who represents the physics community on the AAMC/HHMI Scientific Foundation for Future Physicians Committee. The committee had its first meeting in July and began its deliberations. The goal is to develop a series of recommendations for both undergraduate colleges and universities and for medical schools about the scientific training of physicians. The general idea is to move from criteria articulated as a series of courses to a list of competencies that the future physicians should be able to demonstrate at various stages of their careers. The hope is that most medical schools will adopt the new competency scheme as a basis for admission and for the basic science courses the students take in medical school. There will be an accompanying revision of the MCAT, which is administered by AAMC. The group is working up a summary of its summer meeting discussions. The plan is to have a draft set of recommendations sometime in mid-2008 and to make those draft recommendations available for comment from medical schools and undergraduate colleges and universities and others. Of the 22 committee members, most are deans of medical schools or medical school professors. Four members represent the undergraduate scientific disciplines.

Amusement Park Physics

An 8 hour lab at the amusement park may be the bestphysics day of your students' lives. This workshop will provide the basic information on how to prepare your students for the amusementpark and how to analyze the data. Each person will leave with apacket of material for use in the classroom and amusement park.

SPS Undergraduate Research Poster Session

Space will be available for undergraduates to share their research with the Wisconsin Physics community. Bring your students with you to the meeting, or at least bring their work to share. The students are also looking for volunteers to judge their work. Volunteer judges should contact the Marquette SPS president, Brianne Boland, for more information: .

Labs and Demos for $25 or Less

This workshop is a sharing session for all those who have particularly illuminating demonstrations or experiments using low-cost apparatus. Bring a sample of your apparatus and a set of parts-lists and procedures to share. All submissions will be on display on Friday and Saturday for folk to see and try. This session will be followed by a group shopping trip to American Science & Surplus on Saturday afternoon after the business meeting. Come and share your ideas!

Medieval Astronomical Instruments Make & Take

Many teachers look for ways to develop interdisciplinary assignments for their students. In this workshop, Participants will learn about basic scientific instruments of the period, with a focus on astrolabes and tools for timekeeping; discover how to measure short intervals of time without the "second hand" of mechanical clocks, and obtain web resources for all of this and the materials for making working paper models of some of the instruments discussed.

Middle School Science Round Table

This workshop is run by middle school science teachers for middle school science teachers. Leading the session is a nationally recognized teacher who is a product of Milwaukee schools. Please come and share struggles, successes, and best lesson plans.

Macro/Micro Physics: The Large, The Small, The Fast, The Slow and the NANO"

From a cordless Hovercraft to Quantum Particles in a Box, come and see, explore and utilize the latest physics and physical science innovations provided by CENCO Physics and Sargent Welch. Handouts, lesson plans and product descriptions will be provided. "Door Prizes" will be extensive.

PASCO WORKSHOP – BRINGING PHYSICS TO LIFE

The Midwest regional representative from PASCO is looking forward to demonstrating many of their newest sensors and data acquisition systems with us. For those who already use PASCO equipment, please come with questions and ideas to share.

Physics Photo Exhibition

This will be similar to the photo contest at the AAPT national meetings. Take a picture of a system, natural or contrived, which clearly illustrates a principle of physics. Submit your photo along with a paragraph or two describing the physics shown in the photo. Send photos to by Monday 10/22.

Current Talks:

Robert HilbornFuture Directions for AAPT

Candice KlugStudying Proteins Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Kathleen SchmaindaUsing MRI to Study Brain Tumors

Matt Mewes Testing the Limits of Relativity

Ramesh MisraStability of a System with a Function called Jerk, J(r,t)

Erik Hendrickson Why Smart People Believe Strange Things

Mike Politano Modeling in Middle School Science

Ken MendelsonThe case of the missing secretaries: A curious acoustic illusion

Jim MallmanProblems, Problems, Problems

Mel Sabella The Chicago Physics Bus

Chris Stockdale Involving Students in Undergraduate Research

Ruth HowesFour Models of Undergraduate Research

Will CantrellResearch as an Essential Part of Undergraduate Physics

Talk submissions will be accepted via the WAPT website until Monday, 10/22/07, 5pm CDT.

Tables will be available in the Registration Room for those with information on Physics programs around the state and for other resources for physics and physical science teachers. Please bring info to share.

Preliminary Friday Schedule

12:00 – 4:30 p.m.Registration & WelcomeWW 150

1:00 – 4:00 p,m.TalksWW 153

1:00 – 4:00 p,m.Physics Photo ViewingWW N/S Hall

1:00 – 2:50 p,m.CLEA WorkshopWW 216

1:00 – 2:30 p.m.Macro/Micro PhysicsWW 223

2:30 – 3:20 p.m.Best Labs & Demos Sharing SessionWW 223

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.Amusement Park PhysicsWW 223

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.SPS Poster SessionWW E/W Hall

4:00 – 5:15 p.m.Crackerbarrel – Science for PhysiciansWW 216

5:30 –6:30 pm Diandra Leslie-Pelecky, NASCAR PhysicsWeasler Auditorium

7:00 – 9:00 pm Banquet & Awards Ambassador Hotel

9:00pm and after Social – enjoy the sights and tastes along the Lakefront & River Walk

Preliminary Saturday Schedule

8:00 – 8:30a.m.Registration & WelcomeWW E/W Hall

8:30 – 10:30 a.m.TalksWW 141

8:30 – 10:30 a.m.PASCO WorkshopWW 239

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.Middle School Science RoundtableWW 216

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.Medieval Science InstrumentsWW 216

8:30 a.m. – noonPhysics Photo ViewingPhysics Main Hall

10:30 – 11:30 a.m.The Future of AAPTClarke Hall

12:00 – 1:30 p.m.Business Meeting & Box Lunchroom TBA

1:30 – 3:00 p.m.Shopping Trip to American Science & SurplusShuttle or Vans

Banquet Menu, Served Buffet Style by the Chefs of the Ambassador Hotel ($30)

Appetizers:Smoked Chicken Quesadillas, Relish Tray with Dips

Salads:Roasted Red Potato Salad with Bacon, Apple, & Red Onion, Roasted Corn & Orzo Pasta Salad, Green Salad with Choice of Homemade Dressings

Entrées:Whisky Peach BBQ Spare Ribs, Chili-style Chicken Sandwiches, Bratwurst with Caramelized Onions & Peppers, Vegetarian Lasagna

Deserts:Chocolate Pecan Treats

Beverages:Coffee, Tea, Milk

Saturday Box Lunch from Jimmy Johns – order forms available at the check-in desk ($8)

Hotel Rooms are still available at the Ambassador Inn at Marquette. Please reference the WAPT meeting to get the conference rate! The Ambassador is within walking distance of the meeting and also has shuttles available to bring folk to and from campus or to other destinations around Milwaukee.

Contact -OR- Calltoll-free: 888-322-3326

For more information contact:

Zone 9 Meeting – Fall 2007

Tentative Schedule
Friday, October 26th
12:00PM - 1:00PM / Registration Room 370, Snacks
1:00PM - 2:00PM / Ice Breakers (Place TBD)
2:00PM - 3:15PM / View Physics Photos, Attend the Demo Workshop, Listen to Presentations
3:30PM - 4:30PM / SPS Poster Section, Room 239
4:30PM - 5:30PM / BREAK
5:30PM - 7:00PM / FEATURED SPEAKER
Diandra Leslie-Pelecky, “The Physics of NASCAR®”
7:00PM - ? / Dinner in Room 370
Saturday, October 27th
9:00AM / Reconvene in Room 370, Breakfast (Bagels and Coffee)
9:00AM - 10:30AM / Business Meeting, Undergraduate Research Talks
10:30AM - 12:00PM / Physics Scavenger Hunt
12:00PM-? / Lunch (Boxed from Jimmy John's) Room 239
Scavenger Hunt Presented Room 239
Prizes Awarded
? / Adjourn

Registration:Please register using the WAPT website:

The $10 registration fee goes to cover the cost of room reservations on campus and to bring our special guest speakers to campus. Meal fees are assessed separately.

Housing: or Toll-free: 888-322-DECO (3326)

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Ambassador Hotel at Marquette for $89. Within walking distance Please reference the WAPT meeting to get the conference rate! The Ambassador is within walking distance of the meeting and also has shuttles available to bring folk to and from campus or to other destinations around Milwaukee.

Physics Photo Exhibition: send photos to by Monday 10/22

This will be similar to the photo contest at the AAPT national meetings. Take a picture of a system, natural or contrived, which clearly illustrates a principle of physics. Submit your photo along with a paragraph or two describing the physics shown in the photo. Send submissions electronically 1 week prior to the meeting to assure that the images are mounted for presentation.

For directions to Marquette’s campus: