PAN 2006: Program Description

The Physics of Atomic Nuclei (PAN) program is a non-residential program for high school students and middle and high school physical science, chemistry, and physics teachers. Participants in the PAN program explore topics in modern science, astrophysics, and nuclear physics, for which Einstein laid the groundwork in 1905.

The program introduces teachers and students to the fundamentals of the extremely small domain of atomic nuclei, pioneered by Einstein's work. Lectures and hands-on experiments are led by NSCL faculty and senior staff.

What you do: Lectures, discussions, demonstrations and hands-on experiments are the signature of PAN. For example, past participants have built their own diffusion cloud chambers and cosmic ray detectors.

When: Teachers are at the NSCL for two weeks. Students join them for the second of these weeks. Daily activities last from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some evening entertainments are arranged.

Requirements:

Cost: Free, unless teacher-participants want to receive Continuing Education credits from MSU; in that case, they must register as for any university course. Participating teachers and students receive stipends ($500 for teachers and $100 for students) to offset travel costs and local expenses. The PAN program will pay dormitory fees for those who wish to stay on campus. Participants who choose to stay at a local motel or hotel do so at their own expense.

For more information, read the PAN FAQ

Sponsors: JINA, the NSCL and the U.S. National Science Foundation

The Schedule for PAN 2006

Week 1	Monday July 24	Tuesday July 25	Wednesday July 26	Thursday July 27
9:00	Orientation	Orientation	Orientation	Orientation
9:15	Introduction to JINA	Cosmic Rays	Detector Physics	Nuclear Experiments
	Zegers	Schatz	Morrissey	Thoennessen
10:00	Q&A	Q&A	Q&A	Q&A
	break	break	break	break
11:00	Tour of the NSCL	detector	detector	Cosmic Ray
11:30				experiment
12:00	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
	in the NSCL Atrium		in the NSCL Atrium	in the NSCL Atrium
13:00	Perfect liquid at RHIC	detector	detector	Decay Lab
	Westfall			Zegers
14:00	Q&A
	break
15:00	Orientation			Discussion
	Planning	reflection	reflection	Reflection
16:00
Week 2	Monday July 31	Tuesday August 1	Wednesday Aug 2	Thursday August 3	Friday August 4
9:00	Orientation	Orientation	Orientation	Orientation	Orientation
9:15	Welcome	Astronomy	Theory talk	cosmic rays	Nuclear Astrophysics
	McCreight	Beers	Zelevinsky	experiment	Schatz
10:00	Introduction + Q&A	Q&A	Q&A		experiments
	Duguet				Q&A
11:00	Tour/Video	create working	decay prelab	Honors College	Photo
11:30		groups	Zegers
12:00	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
	in the NSCL Atrium				in the NSCL Atrium
13:00	Tour/Video	Cosmic ray	Decay Lab	cosmic rays	experiments
		detector	Zegers	experiment	report
14:00	Cosmic Rays				group presentations
	Seminar
15:00	Q&A
	reflection
16:00