Physics Alive

Brad Moser
  • 5.0 (10)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY
Physics Alive Podcast

Physics Alive is the podcast where host, Brad Moser, Ph.D., sparks new life into the physics classroom. Each episode supports and shares the many forward-thinking developments that have come from physics education research and inspiring educators. Brad speaks with teachers who employ innovative and active learning styles, researchers on the frontiers of physics education, catalysts for change on important social issues in the STEM community, and students who want the most out of their education.

  1. 03/03/2023

    The Maple: Sweet Siren and Physics Phenom

    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!

    1h 3m

  2. 02/17/2023

    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.

    1h 1m

  3. 12/29/2022

    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

    1h 1m

  4. 11/02/2022

    The Physics Alive Road Journal

    The Physics Alive podcast is on the road this week! A busy semester has made it challenging to produce new episodes, so your host has taken his microphone on the road, recording while driving. Hear updates about Brad's classes and experiences this semester at his new teaching institution, Plymouth State University. The ups, the downs, the good, the frustrating -- the teacher's journey.

    28 min

  5. 08/19/2022

    The Investigative Science Learning Environment with Eugenia Etkina

    ISLE, the Investigative Science Learning Environment, is an intentional holistic learning environment for physics. It addresses two main goals: to help students learn physics by engaging them in the processes that mirror scientific practice and to improve their well-being while they are learning physics. Eugenia Etkina started this approach nearly 40 years ago and has been an ardent teacher educator in the years since. This interview with Eugenia provides the educational philosophy behind ISLE, specific examples of how the approach works, and the support network that can get you started. Show notes: www.physicsalive.com/ISLE Learn more about Eugenia and her work: www.islephysics.net Eugenia's faculty page You can email Eugenia at: eugenia.etkina@gse.rutgers.edu ISLE website: www.islephysics.net Adopting the ISLE approach Join the Facebook group -- Exploring and Applying Physics ISLE resource page on PhysPort https://www.physport.org/methods/method.cfm?G=ISLE ISLE Implementation Guide on PhysPort https://www.physport.org/methods/Section.cfm?G=ISLE&S=What Articles: 2020 - Implementing an epistemologically authentic approach to student-centered inquiry learning 2015 – Eugenia’s Millikan Lecture 2007 – ISLE guide, a chapter from “Research-Based Reform of University Physics”

    1h 4m

  6. 05/31/2022

    Diffraction of DNA and the DNA of my Physics Class

    In this episode, I talk about DNA: a simple DNA diffraction and interference experiment using the spring from a pen, and the DNA, the structure of my introductory physics class during the spring '22 semester.    Full show notes at: www.physicsalive.com/dna   DNA Diffraction and Interference Lab and/or Demonstration Figure 1: X-ray diffraction pattern of B-DNA labeled Photo 51 by Rosalind Franklin. Figure 2: Interference pattern from a pen spring. Pattern produced from a red diode laser passing through the spring from a pen. Projected on a screen 8 meters away. Here are the articles I referenced about DNA interference and diffraction experiments: DNA Science AAPT Digi Kit How Rosalind Franklin Discovered the Helical Structure of DNA: Experiments in Diffraction Revealing the Backbone Structure of B-DNA from Laser Optical Simulations of Its X-ray Diffraction Diagram X-ray diffraction and DNA optical transform from the ICE (Institute for Chemical Education) Online store at wisc.edu Optical transform demo kit DNA optical transform kit DNA of Brad's introductory physics class (Spring 2022) Star grading system: Here's the entire syllabus for the spring 2022 semester of PHYS 105: Survey of Physics II for life science majors: Moser Syllabus 2022 Spring Specifications grading: "Specifications Grading" by Linda Nilson Short article about Specs Grading by Linda Nilson Blog post on Specifications Grading by Robert Talbert

    43 min

  7. 05/13/2022

    We’re Going on a Planet Hunt with Sara Seager

    Sara Seager is Professor of Planetary Science and Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on discovering new exoplanets and characterizing their atmospheres. She hopes to find and identify another Earth and searches for signs of life. In this episode, Sara describes how we find planets around other stars and how we can possibly know how their atmospheres are composed.   Check out the full show notes at: www.physicsalive.com/exoplanets   Learn more about Sara and her work: https://www.saraseager.com/ Sara's MIT faculty page   Here are some of the great resources that Sara Seager suggested! Discover some of the great exoplanets we've found at: NASA exoplanets Eyes on Exoplanets For instance, you can check out the travel posters for some new worlds you might like to visit.   The NASA website is full of great information. You can also learn more about Sara's Venus work: Venuscloudlife.com   For some great images, a tutorial on light curves, and the data from my transit classroom experiment, go to the full show notes at: www.physicsalive.com/exoplanets

    54 min

  8. 03/31/2022

    The Future of Education with Jeff Young

    Jeff Young is an editor and reporter focused on technology issues and the future of education. He is currently the managing editor at EdSurge and the producer and host of the EdSurge Podcast, a weekly look at the future of learning. We talk about developments he’s seen throughout his career reporting on education, MOOCs and their place in education, the themes of the EdSurge podcast, and his take on the future of education. Check out the EdSurge Podcast!   Go to today's Show Notes at: physicsalive.com/edsurge   EdSurge reports on the people, ideas, and tools shaping the future of learning. EdSurge is at the forefront of reporting on changes in education and their consequences. They do this through award-winning journalism, research and analysis. They share stories that elevate the voices and experiences of educators, entrepreneurs, researchers and other stakeholders working to support equitable opportunities for all learners. edsurge.com   Check out some of Brad's recent favorite episodes of the EdSurge Podcast: Educators Have Some Pointed Advice For Tech Companies Building the Metaverse What Educators Should Know About the Latest in Brain Health Are Upstart Online Providers Getting Better at Teaching Than Traditional Colleges? The Tyranny of Letter Grades How Are Final Exams Changing During the Pandemic?   Jeffrey R. Young is an editor and reporter focused on technology issues and the future of education. He is currently the managing editor at EdSurge and the producer and host of the weekly EdSurge Podcast about the future of learning.   Learn more about Jeff and his work: Jeff's webpage Jeff at EdSurge   Twitter https://twitter.com/jryoung

    55 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Physics Alive is the podcast where host, Brad Moser, Ph.D., sparks new life into the physics classroom. Each episode supports and shares the many forward-thinking developments that have come from physics education research and inspiring educators. Brad speaks with teachers who employ innovative and active learning styles, researchers on the frontiers of physics education, catalysts for change on important social issues in the STEM community, and students who want the most out of their education.

Information

  • Creator
    Brad Moser
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2023
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Physics Alive

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