# Presentation: 113850

## Educational Outreach at the University of HoustonHouston, Texas

**Physics Department **
**University of Houston**

## Introduction

**        ****Principal Collaborators**
**	****Mission, Goals, and Strategy**
**	****Demographics–Greater Houston, TX (Region IV)**
**	****Areas of Research Interest**

- Dr. John Wilson, University of Houston                    Educational Outreach at the University of Houston

- December 12, 2005

## Current Program Overview

**	****Early Inclusion of Students in Research**
**	****Introduction to Particle Physics**
**	****Research Opportunities for Teachers**
**	****Web Pages for Teachers and Students**

- Dr. John Wilson, University of Houston                    Educational Outreach at the University of Houston

- December 12, 2005

## The Vision

**	****	****	****	****	****- Web Interactivity****	****- Student Research**
**Lead****	****	****Associate****	****- Research Experiences****	****- Middle Schools &**
**Teachers****	****	****Teachers****	****	****- Cosmic Ray Analysis****	****   Science Fairs**
**Students!****	****Students!****	****- Saturday Physics****	****	****- Elementary ****	****	****	****	****	****- GRID****	****	****	****   Schools &**
**	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****   ****Simulations**
**First Year****	****Second Year****	****  Years 3-5****	****	****Years 5 & Beyond**
**Researcher**
**Teacher****	**** Collaborative ****	**
**Student                 Community****	**** Physics Comes to Life for Students and**
**	****	****	****	****	**** ****Community**

- Dr. John Wilson, University of Houston                    Educational Outreach at the University of Houston

- December 12, 2005

## Results

** ****Teacher Activities and Resources**
** ****University Faculty, Teacher, and Saturday Physics**
**   ****Participation**
** ****Heightened Interest in Physics**
**1 Includes one private school.**

- Dr. John Wilson, University of Houston                    Educational Outreach at the University of Houston

- December 12, 2005

## A Student Responds

**05 Mar 2005**
**...****I have come to Saturday Physics all year, and these discussions**
**have really interested me in learning more about Physics and possibly**
**considering it as a future career. Saturday Physics has really shown me how**
**important Physics is to the world and how imperative it is that we continue**
**to make headway with new scientific discoveries. I especially enjoyed last**
**Saturday's discussion over the expansion of the universe. It is hard to**
**believe that discoveries like dark matter are still puzzling to even the**
**Smartest scientists. This summer I was hoping to find a job, and I would**
**love it if I could work with a Physicist...**
**A Student in Houston**

- Dr. John Wilson, University of Houston                    Educational Outreach at the University of Houston

- December 12, 2005

## i2u2

** ****Collaborate with Dr. William J. Llope, Rice  **
**   ****University in the Development of Processed Star**
**   ****Data for Excel Analysis**
** ****Introduce New Data Analysis Program in Summer**
**   ****Workshops**
** ****Extend to Live Data When Feasible**
** ****Include Houston Museum of Natural Sciences for Further**
**	**** ****Community Outreach**
** ****Include New Senior Citizens Centers**
**1 Includes one private school.**

- Dr. John Wilson, University of Houston                    Educational Outreach at the University of Houston

- December 12, 2005

## Conclusion

** ****Strong Opportunity for Empowerment of**
**   ****Teachers in Secondary Education**
** ****Increased Educational Outreach from**
**   ****University to Secondary Education**
**   ****Significantly Increases Impact of and Interest**
**   ****in Science Education**
** ****Rapid Acceptance of Quarknet by Both Teachers**
**   ****and Students Demonstrates Need and Benefit for**
**   ****Increased Educational Outreach in the Houston**
**   ****Community**

- Dr. John Wilson, University of Houston                    Educational Outreach at the University of Houston

- December 12, 2005