2019 Joint Spring Meeting of the NES and the New England Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)

General Information

Dates/Location: March 22 & 23 at Springfield College, Springfield, MA
Meeting Theme: How Physics Research and Physics Teaching Can Inform Each Other
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Natasha Holmes of Cornell University

Saturday invited speakers include Dr. Bethany Johns of the American Institute of Physics and Dr. Andrew Duffy from Boston University. Registration and abstraction submission links to follow, in an upcoming announcement.

Tentative Schedule

Friday, March 22, 2019

3:30 p.m.	Registration & Vendor Exhibits (to 6:30 pm)
4:00 p.m.	Session A: APS Contributed Talks
5:00 p.m.	Session B: Poster Session & Vendor Exhibits
6:30 p.m.	Dinner
7:30 p.m.	Plenary: Keynote Speaker
9:00 p.m.	Astronomical Observing (weather permitting)

Saturday, March 23, 2019

7:30 a.m.	Breakfast, Posters, Registration & Vendors
8:30 a.m.	Sessions C, D, E, F: Parallel AAPT and APS Contributed Talks
10:15 a.m.	Coffee Break & Vendor Exhibits
10:30 a.m.	Session G: APS/AAPT Invited Talks
12:00 p.m.	Box Lunch. Posters & Vendors (AAPT-NES Board Meeting during)
1:30 - 4:30 p.m.	AAPT Teaching Workshops A, B, C, D (3 hour sessions) & Vendors

Note: APS members are welcome to enroll in workshops (extra $20-$30 charge). Register for the meeting as usual at the APS link (when it goes live, in the next few weeks), then register for the workshop at the AAPT site (to come) under the Special APS category.

Abstract Submission

Abstract submission is now open. The deadline to submit abstracts is Tuesday, March 12, 2019.

Submit an Abstract

Sorting Categories:
01. Astrophysics
02. Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics
03. Biological Physics
04. Condensed Matter Physics
05. High Energy Physics
06. Materials Science Physics
07. Physics Education
08. Quantum Physics
09. Other

Registration Information

Registration is now open. Registration deadline is Thursday, March 14. After March 14, you must register onsite.

Register Now

Mail or Fax Pre-Registration Form
Please mail or fax the Meeting Pre-Registration Form by Thursday, March 14, 2019. Faxed registrations must be paid by credit card.
Meeting Pre-Registration Form

Registration Category	Pre-Registration Fee (Up to March 14)	After March 14 Onsite Only
Faculty/Postdoc Registration	$85	$85
Graduate Student	$55	$55
Undergraduate Student	$55	$55
Retired/Emeritus	$70	$70

(A) the cost includes a banquet ticket; (B) onsite registration is the same price but has no banquet ticket; (C) a second banquet ticket can be purchased in advance for $40.

AAPT Teaching Workshops

Workshop A 
1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Learning Physics Through Gaming by Jim O'Brien, Springfield College — This is a fun and interactive workshop where participants will play one or two physics board games that we have developed for teaching basic physics concepts.

Workshop B 
1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
 Gravity Waves and Planck's Constant (PTRA) by Steve Henning, AAPT-PTRA — This PTRA workshop features Perimeter Institute activities.  Founded in 1999 to foster breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of our universe -- from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos -- Perimeter is the world’s largest hub devoted to theoretical physics.  It conducts its research motivated by understanding that fundamental science advances human knowledge and catalyzes innovation, and that today’s theoretical physics is tomorrow’s technology.  Located in Ontario's Region of Waterloo, the not-for-profit is a unique public-private endeavor, including the Ontario and Canadian governments, that enables cutting-edge research, trains the next generation of scientific pioneers, and shares the power of physics through award-winning educational outreach and public engagement. Two activities will be explored: a)Gravity Waves will look at what a gravity wave is and how they are detected. b)Planck's Constant is a lab exercise using inexpensive materials to verify Planck's Constant.

Workshop C
1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
 Teaching with Telescopes by Andria Schwortz, Quinsigamond CC.— Do you have a telescope just gathering dust? Are you looking for ways to integrate it into your curriculum?   Or do you just want to take some students out at night to look at the stars?  This workshop will include hands-on time with reflecting and refracting telescopes, examples of class activities, time to brainstorm and lesson plan with colleagues, and resources for maintaining or purchasing telescopes.  If you have access to a telescope, you are encouraged to bring it (and any accessories)!  You will learn to use it or assess the maintenance needs.

Workshop D
1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Biomechanics: Modeling and Analyzing Human Motion in Introductory Physics Labs  by Jeff Gagnon and Zenobia Lojewska, Springfield College.  — Do you have students interested in sports, exercise, or the health sciences?  Are you looking for new physics lab activities to engage students?  If so, then this workshop is for you.  We will share several experiments that focus on the human body and human motion. These experiments include finding the center of mass of the body, investigating the biceps force during an isometric contraction, and analyzing a maximal vertical jump using motion analysis and ground reaction force data. A brief introduction and background theory will initially be given for each experiment.  This will be followed by breaking out into small groups where the labs will be performed by participants.

Housing

30 rooms are reserved for Friday night for $99 at the Tower Square Hotel, 2 Boland Way, Springfield MA 01115.  Reservations: (413) 781-7111 thetowersquarehotel.com through MARCH 1, please identify as part of the PHYSICS GROUP.  (Estimated taxes $14. Onsite overnight garage parking $17.)