Physics Alive is the podcast where host Brad Moser, Ph.D., sparks new life into the physics classroom. He speaks with researchers and textbook authors on the frontiers of physics education, life science and health professionals who use physics on an everyday basis, designers and engineers who learn from the natural world, teachers who employ innovative and active learning styles, and students who want the most out of their education.
Maple Syrup. Champion of breakfast, the perfecter of pancakes. Sweet addition to butter, beans, and even bacon. But how does that treat travel from tree to table? Phenomenal physics is in no short supply, and Abby van den Berg, a Research Associate Professor at the University of Vermont Proctor Maple Research Center, shares her joy and her expertise. She discusses the wonder of sap flow, long-term tree health, production methods, and the pigments associated with autumn foliage.Full show notes at:
www.physicsalive.com/mapleEpisode notes and resources:Where to go for all your maple news?Start at the Proctor Maple Research Center website:
https://www.uvm.edu/cals/proctor-maple-research-center
Also visit other University of Vermont webpages:
UVM Proctor Maple Research Center YouTube channel
UVM Extension Maple Program
Other links Abby suggested:
North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual
Mapleresearch.org from the North American Maple Syrup Council
Today's Guest:Abby van den Berg is a Research Associate Professor at the University of Vermont's Proctor Maple Research Center. Her areas of expertise and research include plant physiological ecology and maple syrup chemistry.She writes: Much of my research focuses on the ecophysiology of maple sugaring, including the effects of tapping and carbohydrate extraction on tree growth and health, the physiology of stem pressure and carbohydrates in xylem sap, and ultimately on helping to develop management practices and tapping guidelines to ensure the long-term sustainability of maple syrup production. Recently, my work has expanded to include studying the physiology of stem pressure development in birch trees, and investigating sap yields and the potential profitability of adding birch syrup production to existing maple operations in the Northeastern US.This only scratches the surface of Abby's work. Learn more about her work:
Abby van dem Berg's University of Vermont faculty profile
Listen to Abby on Science Friday!
17 Feb 2023
Universal Design for Learning and Multiple Means of Engagement
The universal design for learning (UDL) framework is an approach based on educational research that can guide the development of flexible learning environments that are supportive of and accessible to all learners. I’m speaking with Melissa Eblen-Zayas and Kristen Burson, authors on a recent paper describing their efforts to implement UDL and promote student mental health. They specifically focus on physics course modifications that provide multiple means of engagement.
Go to the full episode show notes at:
www.physicsalive.com/udl
Today's conversation is with Melissa Eblen-Zayas, Professor of Physics at Carleton College, and Kristen Burson, Associate Professor of Physics at Grinnell College. They author a paper, along with Danielle McDermott, titled "Course Modifications to Promote Student Mental Health and Move toward Universal Design for Learning." Their paper appeared in the November 2022 issue of The Physics Teacher. You can access the paper below:
Course Modifications to Promote Student Mental Health and Move toward Universal Design for Learning
The CAST website provides great resources for Universal Design for Learning. CAST's mission is to transform education design and practice until learning has no limits.
The UDL Guidelines
UDL chart
UDL checklist
Other resources that were recommened:
Book: Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone by Thomas J. Tobin andKirsten T. Behling
YouTube video: Shelley Moore: Transforming Inclusive Education
Learn more about today's guests:
Kristen Burson's faculty webpage
Melissa Eblen-Zayas faculty webpage and personal website
Listen to Melissa speak about how she uses metacognitive reflection exercises to address student biases in the podcast Tea for Teaching.
29 Dec 2022
Physics with Phones with David Rakestraw
What if I told you that you could do velocity, acceleration, friction, rotations, impulse and momentum, pressure, sound, color, and magnetic field labs all with a single measurement device? And what if I told you that almost every student is walking into the classroom with their own device already in hand? Welcome to Physics with Phones curriculum. Each lesson details activities using built-in smartphone sensors to illustrate key physics concepts, including elevation, g force, and angular velocity. David Rakestraw, a senior science advisor at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab, has put together many lessons that are freely available online. He’s here to talk about how he got involved with this technology, what sensors our students can access, and how we can use these in our classes.Full show notes available at:
www.physicsalive.com/phones
Webpage for Physics with Phones
https://st.llnl.gov/sci-ed/Physics-with-Phones
Phone apps to try out:
PhyPhox
Vieyra Software
David Rakestraw is a senior science advisor at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) in California. A multi-program national security laboratory, its primary stated mission is to enhance the nation’s defense and reduce the global threat from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Prior to LLNL, he spent 12 years at Sandia National Laboratories, where he engaged in a wide range of research and development activities. He even co-founded a company that specialized in applying microfluidics for chemical analysis.Today, he’s not going to talk about any of that! Instead, this conversation will be all about doing physics with phone sensors. Physics with Phones is a series of presentations outlining a wide range of experiments that are well-aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. These were developed for the classroom, but many can be done by students in their own homes. Learn more about David from his alumni biography:
https://www.onu.edu/alumni-profiles/david-rakestraw-bs-83
Webpage for Physics with Phones
https://st.llnl.gov/sci-ed/Physics-with-Phones
See even more opportunities at LLNL's Teacher Research Academy
https://st.llnl.gov/sci-ed/teacher-research-academy
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