This series of conferences will focus on how research in physics and research in physics education can be used to improve the teaching of physics, primarily at the undergraduate level. The first conference will emphasize the teaching of thermal and statistical physics. Special attention will be given to areas of current research and technological interest which can be included in such courses, physics and chemistry educational research on conceptual understanding of thermal physics and probability, and innovative curricular materials and approaches. The goal is to bring together workers who are active in research in thermal and statistical physics, researchers in the new field of physics education, and people who teach courses in statistical and thermal physics.

General information about the Gordon Research Conference is available. A preliminary list of the topics and scheduled speakers is given below. Some useful information is summarized below. Also check out announcements from the chairs.

FAQ

• How do I attend? All attendees including chairs, speakers, discussion leaders, poster presenters, and others need to first send an application to GRC. An online application form is available from the GRC homepage. Apply for PHYSICS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION conference. After the GRC receives the application, the co-chairs either accept the individual or put he/she on a wait list. To allow adequate time for processing your application, please apply at least six weeks prior to the Conference. Those accepted will receive registration materials. They must then return the registration materials including the registration fee to GRC.
• Fees: $640 for a single in a University dormitory. The fees cover registration, meals, and the dorm room.
• $585 for a double if you are willing to share a room.
• $510 for a non-resident, that is, if you stay in a local motel. The fee structure is structured to encourage people to stay in the dormitory and see each other informally.
• Individuals desiring financial assistance should send a request to the co-chairs (jant@kzoo.edu or hgould@clarku.edu) in addition to sending their application to GRC. As usual, financial assistance is limited. First preference will be given to students. If grant support is not available, please ask your home institution for support. Usually, only partial support will be available from the Conference, but each request will be considered individually.
• The projector available at PSC is a Sharp XVGA, which is compatible with both Macs and PCs. (The model # is NV3XG, and the resolution is 1024x768 (XGA).) PSC has the cabling for all the latest computers but not for the older Macs that require a special adapter to hook up to an external monitor. That adapter comes with these Macs and can usually be found buried in the case.
• Directions to Plymouth State College.
• Address for packages: Plymouth State College, c/o Rebecca Allen, Gordon Research Conference Office, Plymouth, NH 03264.

• Sunday, June 11

  • 2:00 pm - 11:00 pm, Arrival and Registration

  • 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Light Refreshments - Meet the Conferees

  • 6:00 pm, Dinner

  • Evening Session, 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm, Student Conceptual Difficulties in Thermodynamics
    Discussion Leader: Beth Ann Thacker, Texas Tech University.

    • Paula Heron, University of Washington, “Research on student understanding of thermal physics.” (50 min)
    • Chris Kautz, Syracuse University, “Identifying student difficulties with the ideal gas law.” (50 min)
    • Mike Loverude, California State University, Fullerton, “Student understanding of the first law of thermodynamics.” (50 min)

• Monday, June 12

  • 7:30 am - 8:30 am, Breakfast

  • Monday Morning Session, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm, Statistical and thermal physics in the introductory course
    Discussion Leader: Norman Chonacky, Columbia University.

    • Bruce Sherwood and Ruth Chabay, Carnegie-Mellon University, “Atoms and matter: Integrating mechanics and thermal physics in the introductory course.” (50 min)

  • 10:00 am - 10:30, Conference photo session and coffee break

    • Tom Moore, Pomona College, “Teaching statistical physics in the introductory course: A Progress Report.” (40 min)
    • Wolfgang Christian, Davidson College, “Java Programming and internet technologies for undergraduate statistical mechanics,” abstract. (40 min)
    • Priscilla Laws, Dickinson College, “Combining observations of macroscopic thermal phenomena with molecular simulation analysis,” abstract (40 min)

  • 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm, Lunch
  • 2:00 pm, Informal Discussion Groups
  • 6:00 pm, Dinner

  • Monday Evening Session, 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm, Teaching Probability and Statistical Physics
    Discussion Leader: Royce Zia, Virginia Tech.

    • Giulio D'Agostini, University of Rome, “A maieutic(al) approach to teaching probability theory.” (50 min)
    • George Stell, SUNY, Stony Brook, “Teaching thermal and statistical physics: a personal odyssey thru several departments.” (50 min)
    • Peter T. Landsberg, University of Southampton, “From probability via entropy to statistical mechanics,” abstract. (50 min)

• Tuesday, June 13

  • 7:30 am - 8:30 am, Breakfast

  • Tuesday Morning Session, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm, Effective teaching strategies
    Discussion Leader: Lillian McDermott, University of Washington.

    • Harvey Leff, California State Polytechnic Institute, Pomona, “The physics of an 'empty' box: The photon gas as a teaching/learning tool.” (45 min)
    • Robert Hardy, University of Nebraska, “Why not use 'ordinary' mathematics when teaching thermodynamics?” (45 min)

  • 10:30 am - 11:00 am, Coffee break

    • Dan Schroeder, Weber State University, “The undergraduate thermal physics course: Who should take it and why?” (45 min)
    • Jeffrey Prentis, University of Michigan, Dearborn, “Undergraduate experiments in statistical mechanics.” (45 min)

  • 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Lunch
  • 2:00 pm, Informal Discussion Groups
  • 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm Poster Session
  • 6:00 pm Dinner

  • Tuesday Evening Session, 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm, Broadening the Focus of Statistical Physics
    Discussion Leader: Jon Machta, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

    • Michael Creutz, Brookhaven National Laboratory, “From path integrals to lattice gauge theory.” (50 min)
    • Beatte Schmittmann, Virginia Tech, “Contrasts between equilibrium and nonequilibrium steady states: What we can learn from simple model systems.” (40 min)
    • Daniel ben-Avraham, Clarkson University, “A simple model for teaching nonequilibrium kinetics and diffusion-limited reactions.” (30 min)
    • Craig Bohren, Pennsylvania State University, “Thermodynamics: A tragicomedy in several acts.” (50 min)