Outreach and Education

O.K. Baker

Endowed University Professor of Physics

Hampton University

NSF LHC Meeting, Feb 21, 2003

Education and Outreach

• The Challenge– Intellectual pursuit at the

energy frontier in particle physics.

– Engage the best and the brightest minds

– Ensure the long term vitality of the field

– Education and Outreach

Education and Outreach

“We have been relying on the education other countries provide to their citizens. There is something wrong when American schools cannot produce enough good workers for valuable American jobs.

“We need [improved science education] not just for our economy, but also for our national security.”

"Where have the Americans gone?“

"Our Nation is failing to produce both a scientifically literate citizenry and the kind of workforce we will need in the 21st Century."

U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige

Office of Science Director Ray Orbach

Education and Outreach

• The Plan

– Education and outreach to high schools– Education and outreach to groups traditionally

underrepresented in the field; HBCU example

– Education and outreach to Africa

Education and Outreach to . . .

high schools:

Quarknet

Education and Outreach

Project Principal Investigators

O. Keith Baker, Hampton University

Marjorie G. Bardeen, Fermilab Project Spokesperson

R. Michael Barnett, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

Randal C. Ruchti, University of Notre

Dame

Project Staff

Thomas Jordan, Project Coordinator, Fermilab (formerly at Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Illinois)

Beth Beiersdorf, University of Notre Dame

(formerly at LaSalle High School, Indiana)

Kenneth Cecire, Hampton University (Warwick High School)

Andria Erzberger, Lawrence Berkeley

National Lab (Palo Alto High School)

Teacher Ken Andert (La Lumiere College Preparatory

School, LaPorte, Indiana)

QuarkNetQuarkNet

Education and Outreach

Each center has:• 2-6 physicist mentors• 2-12 teachers*

* Depending on year of the program and local variations.

QuarkNet has 50 centers nationwide (60 planned).

Education and Outreach

Average teacher has 5 classes with 28 students. For 60 centers with 12 teachers each:

60 12 5 28 = 108,000 students each year

After ten years, over one million students!

The focus of this program is and was to involve in our experiments:

Teachers: do research with us and bring that excitement and experience to their classrooms;

Students: analyze web-data in their classrooms.

Education and OutreachTeacher in the "most racially diverse school system in Indiana"

“This program has enriched my teaching. I have many resources to tap into now. I have a broader knowledge base as a result of lectures and research.

“I have a warm web of friends across the United States who have the same goals as I do and who are eager to help with encouragement and advice. I feel a part of something larger and I don't feel like I am alone in the classroom any more.

“I have had several students express an interest in becoming a high school science teacher like me because what we do is so interesting.”

Education and Outreach

“The level of activity on education and outreach in the field should be doubled, in order to ensure a viable, effective and sustainable program.

“This extra effort will significantly increase our impact on education and society without adversely affecting our research program.”

HEPAP Subpanel 2001HEPAP Subpanel 2001

Education and Outreach

HEPAP Subpanel 2001HEPAP Subpanel 2001

“We urge that all experiments incorporate project-specific education and outreach programs as part of their mission. [ QuarkNet enables 11 experiments at 7 DOE labs to do this. ]

“Such efforts, linked very closely to the research programs, represent key investments in the future and must be given sufficient priority.”

Education and Outreach to . . .

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

Education and Outreach

•~100 HBCU’s in US (~3% of total)•mostly undergraduate•traditionally underrepresented in particle physics research

Education and Outreach“The single most important factor that determines whether or not an undergraduate student at an HBCU goes on to graduate

school is whether they participated in undergraduate research”

F. Humphries, Director of NAFEOand

N. Francis, Xaviar University President

ATLAS students at Hampton University since ‘98

Historically Black Colleges and Universities

•40 percent of this country's Black college graduates• 75 percent of all Black Ph.Ds• 46 percent of all Black business executives • 50 percent of Black engineers • 80 percent of Black federal judges• 85 percent of all Black doctors. • 75 percent of Black military officers • 75 percent of the nation's Black veterinarians

•compiled by NSBP

HBCU’s are responsible for the undergraduate and graduate careers of:

AIP Statistics

Table 8. Number and percent of physics degrees granted to Uscitizens by minority/ethnic group status, class of 2000.

Bachelor's Exiting Master's PhD's

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

African-American 170 5 26 7 17 3Hispanic-American 103 3 18 5 14 2

White 3114 85 327 86 595 88Asian-American 176 5 9 2 32 5

Other 94 2 2 0 15 2Total US Citizens 3657 100% 382 100% 673 100%

AIP Statistical Research Center: Enrollments and Degrees Report

HBCU's granted 44 percent of all bachelor's degrees in the sciences that were awarded to African-Americans

41 percent of the mathematics degrees38 percent of the degrees in computer sciences and life sciences25 percent of the engineering degrees

compiled by NSBP

HBCU students and postdocs: wire chamber construction

Education and Outreach to . . .

Africa

Education and Outreach

Ian Tolfree, left, and physicist Jeremy Dodd (Columbia University), right, demonstrate static electricity for a South African student.

"This year's pilot program gave us a solid base of experience

to build on," Dodd says. "We saw that it was effective and

makes a real impact. Africa has a huge number of bright, excited

minds, and we'd like to encourage more of them to take part in physical science."

"Scientists at CERN are eager to increase sub-Saharan Africa's representation on its international team," Dodd says.

Columbia University

Education and Outreach

• Outreach to (to date):– Zimbabwe– South Africa – Zambia– others to come

Education and Outreach

• Travelling physics demonstrations in Africa

• Hosting of African teachers in US

• Extended visits by US scientists to Africa

Education and Outreach

Request sustained NSF support for LHC Physics outreach and education