Communicating the Nature of Scientific Practice in Introductory Astronomy Courses

As the interaction between the scientific community and broader cultural spheres becomes more prominent and intricate, it is essential that future K-12 science teachers have a thorough understanding of the nature of scientific practice and theory.  This interdisciplinary research project involves a careful, creative examination of the character of scientific practice and theory along with the methods to communicate this to future educators in the context of introductory astronomy courses.  Funded by the Michigan Space Grant Consortium, the study involves an examination of literature in the philosophy of science and science education, state educational benchmarks, and introductory astronomy textbooks.

Sponsor: Professor Diane Jacobs

Designing and Testing an Optical Probe for Advanced Plasma Studies

Understanding how ions move in a plasma is crucial to understanding overall plasma behavior and properties.  One powerful diagnostic technique is Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF), which makes ions "glow" depending on their velocity.  Observing ion movement in a non-perturbative manner is necessary in order to obtain useful results.  Because the plasma used in these experiments was large (18 m long and 0.75 m in diameter), a fiber optic probe could be used to spatially resolve the LIF signal.  Two optical probes were built and subsequently tested inside the plasma.  The success of these probes indicates that one or more fiber probes could be used to pinpoint ion motion and gain a better understanding of overall plasma behavior.

Sponsor: Professor James Carroll

Noon, 339 Strong Hall.

Bring a sandwich!
Juice, soda pop, and dessert will be served.