Outreach

Internet resources

Index of university-level lecture demonstrations from University of Maryland.
Index of hands-on science activities from the Exploratorium
Popular demos commercially available from Steve Spangler Science
American Physical Society Outreach Pages

Some other fun videos:

The chain fountain explanation. Inspired by Mould's video that was posted in 2013. Theory paper published soon after. Picked up by NY Times in 2014.

Workshops

Peak Adventure Club - The Physics of Air (1/11/2015)
2012 SMILE workshop Nanoscience activities for the High School Classroom (8/8/2012)
Saturday Academy (7/20/2011), http://photobucket.com/MinotOutreach7-20-2011

SESEY

Summer Experience in Science and Engineering for Youth SESEY.

Ideas for 2018: Photolithography mask design. Transparent electronics on glass slides using graphene. Prove conductance. Measure transparency. A Day Made of Glass

Project Year	Project Title	Participants	Summary
2019	Build a microscopic oxygen sensor for nanotech research	Quinn and Kiara	You'll get hands-on experience building microscopic structures, and using measurement tools for the microscopic world (scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy). You'll calibrate the sensor to monitor encapsulated bacteria that have been engineered to clean up ground water.
2018	Build a nanoelectronic device	Shelby and Kevin	You will build a nanoelectronic device out of a single sheet of graphene. You'll get hands-on experience building microscopic structures, and using powerful measurement tools like scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy.
2017	Graphene nanotechnology	Chris and Ian	You will build a nanoelectronic device out of a single sheet of graphene. You'll get hands-on experience building microscopic structures, and using powerful measurement tools like an atomic force microscope.
2016	Nanotechnology: Carbon-based electronics	Ryan and Deven	You will build a transistor out of a single carbon nanotube. First we'll build an accurate scale model of the transistor, then we'll make the real thing. You'll get hands-on experience with the same processes that are used to make computer chips, and with microscopes that are powerful enough to see carbon nanotubes.
2015	Nanotechnology: Carbon-based electronics	Evelyn and Polina	You will build a transistor out of a single carbon nanotube. First we'll build an accurate scale model of the transistor, then we'll make the real thing. You'll get hands-on experience with the same processes that are used to make computer chips, and with microscopes that are powerful enough to see carbon nanotubes.
2014	Nanotechnology: Carbon-based electronics	Trey and Malerie	You will build a transistor out of a single carbon nanotube. We'll start by making an accurate scale model the transistor and then make the real thing. You will be guided through the same high-tech processes that are used to make computer chips. Once completed, you'll get hands-on experience with microscopes that are powerful enough to see carbon nanotubes.
2013	Nanotechnology: Carbon-based electronics	Stephanie and Yan	You will build an electrical circuit out of a carbon nanotube. We'll start with a hands on model of the circuit making process to show you some of the science behind nanoscale electronics. The next step is making the real thing. With the mentor's help you will go through the fabrication process which includes 1) Carbon Nanotube Growth, 2) Circuit patterning, 3) Depositing Metal Electrodes - these fabrication steps are also used by companies like Intel to make computer processors. Once completed, you'll get hands on experience with several special types of microscopes that allow you to “see” the carbon nanotubes which are so small that they are invisible to standard optical microscopes.
2012	Nanotechnology: Carbon-based electronics	Megan and Arek	You will build an electrical circuit out of a carbon nanotube. We'll start with a scale model of the process which you can build on your own, then move onto the real thing (chemical vapor deposition, photolithography, metal evaporation). Once you've made a circuit, you will get hands-on experience with several microscopes that allow you to see the carbon nanotubes (carbon nanotubes are so small that they are invisible to standard optical microscopes).
2011	Nanotechnology: Carbon-based electronics	Madeline and Elizabeth	You will build an electrical circuit out of a carbon nanotube. We'll start with a scale model of the process which you can build on your own, then move onto the real thing (chemical vapor deposition, photolithography, metal evaporation). Once you've made a circuit, you will get hands-on experience with several microscopes that allow you to see the carbon nanotubes (carbon nanotubes are so small that they are invisible to standard optical microscopes).
2010	Atomic force microscopy of carbon nanotubes	Claire and Ryan	The atomic force microscope (AFM) has revolutionized science by allowing researchers to “see at the nanoscale”. In this project you will learn the principles of AFM imaging by using a working model of an AFM. This model AFM has been built so that all the parts are big enough to see in action. Once you understand the principles of AFM imaging, your mentor will help you use a real AFM to see carbon nanotubes.

Careers in Physics

Poster from the AAPT website

Find out the career statistics of recent physics graduates, see the reports from the American Institute of Physics

Physics demo shows

Air

Hovercraft (leaf blower)
Floating beach ball (similarity with laser trap)
Fill bag with one breath (entrainment)
Drop paper cones experiment
Vacuum bell jar (marshmallows, balloons)
Air cannon
Crushing soda cans

Optics

Gas discharge lamps with Ne, He etc., viewed with diffraction glasses
Michelson Interferometer (relate to gravity waves)

Particle physics

Cloud chamber

Materials physics

Floating superconductor (needs liquid nitrogen)

Central forces

Swinging a pale of water
Rotating chair

Density/buoyancy

Fish tank of water, Coke can sinks, Diet Coke floats, prediction for grapes?

Oscillation and waves

Range of human hearing (sound waves)
Wave machine
Standing waves on a rope

Thermal

Sterling engine

Electromagnetism

Van der Graf generator
Jacobs ladder (connect to lighting, connect to speed of sound and measuring distance)

Movies:

Tacoma Narrows bridge collapse
Myth busters car crashes
High frame rate slow motion videos

Outreach resources

Nanoscale Informal Science Education (NISE) Network - Includes a collection of hands-on nanoscience activities.
Size scales in nature
Carbon nanotubes
Atomic force microscope image of a butterfly wing
Kindergarten visit
Video of the FIB lift out technique for preparing TEM samples.

AFM kits

Bring along:

laptop
CNT model
Scissors

Teaching resources

Best practices for using clickers in the classroom: collection of videos
Best practices for creating a social/functional research group: APS report

	Graphene lattice ready to be printed on transparencies and cut into smaller pieces so that participants can roll carbon nanotubes of various chiralities.
	High resolution image of a graphene lattice

Gold Wire Experiment

This activity uses two gold wires to demonstrate quantum effects in electron transport. When the wires are in contact with each other and a voltage source a current will flow through the completed circuit. But as the wires separate from one another, a small junction of gold atoms forms keeping the wires electrically connected for a brief time. This junction pulls apart similar to silly puddy where the material thins down until it breaks. When the gold junction thins down less atoms are contributing to carrying a current. This leads to discrete drops in the measured circuit current that correspond to single or small groups of gold atoms breaking off to one side of the stretched out junction. A power point explanation of the experiment can be found here.

	Photo of Setup.
	Measured current steps during break process.
	Metal Cover helps shield outside sources of electrical noise.
	The gold wires are mounted in place. One of the wires is attached to a micromanipulator to help position the wires.
	A homemade current preamplifier turns the circuit current into a scaled voltage that is measured with an oscilloscope.
	Front of electronics box with power switch and bnc outputs.