Physics Theorynet Outreach Program

物理学理论网是一个由国家科学基金会支持并自2003年以来由主要研究人员协调的外展项目。Theorynet活动的主要组成部分是波士顿地区的理论家和高中生之间的直接互动，通过在正常上课时间和课外进行的演讲演示、演示和问答环节。演讲主题可以包括新闻中的科学(如暗能量、大型强子对撞机或系外行星)、年轻理科学生感兴趣的传统主题(如黑洞、时间表或额外维度)，或与高中物理课程相关的概念。该计划旨在增加学生对科学的理解，并提高他们对基础研究重要性的认识。尤其是Theorynet计划试图强调教授所谓的“科学的本质”(NOS)的重要性。简而言之，NOS可以被描述为这样一个概念，即科学知识的获取是一个集体的、人类的事业，它通过一个不断演变的物理世界模型框架进行。最近的研究表明，除非刻意将NOS引入课程，否则学生将无法充分理解它。具体地说，学生不会仅仅通过学习高中课程中通常教授的知识来欣赏科学的真正本质。因此，物理理论网推广计划旨在向波士顿大都市区的高中生提供关于NOS的指导。理论网计划的教师参与者除了东北大学外，还来自麻省理工学院、哈佛大学、塔夫茨大学、波士顿大学、布兰代斯大学、罗德岛学院和新汉普郡大学等大学。Theorynet项目的高中教师代表了城市、郊区和农村地区公立和私立学校的多样化领域，目前有15所高中分布在三个州。Theorynet计划的运营成本包括为参与计划的高中教师提供象征性的津贴，教师参加计划会议的旅费补偿，购买和维护讲座演示和演示设备，以及在针对物理教师的地区性活动上做广告。据估计，Theorynet物理学家每年接触到2000名学生，这些学生分布在城市、郊区和农村地区多样化的公立和私立学校。该项目得到了老师、学生和家长的高度赞赏。通过与大学教职员工的直接互动，学生们对科学专业人员的负面先入为主的观念得到了纠正。学生们经常被鼓励学习，即使是一些幻想的猜测也可以在理论物理中找到归宿，在那里真的没有愚蠢的问题。弦理论或希格斯机制等概念被揭开神秘面纱，基础科学作为一种职业的重要性再次得到肯定。由于高中和当地报纸的报道，以及学生报告探望父母，这甚至对波士顿地区的社区产生了更广泛的影响。Theorynet计划的一个主要组成部分是在高中生继续上大学时推动物理作为一个学习领域，并建议将理论物理作为学生合理的长期职业目标。

Physics Theorynet is an outreach program supported by the National Science Foundation and coordinated by the Principal Investigators since 2003. The main component of Theorynet activities is direct interaction between Boston area theorists and high school students, through lecture presentations, demonstrations, and question and answer sessions conducted during regular class hours and after classes. Presentation topics may include science in the news (such as dark energy, the Large Hadron Collider, or exoplanets), traditional subjects of interest to young science students (such as black holes, timetravel, or extra dimensions), or concepts related to the high school physics curriculum. The program aims to increase students' understanding of science and to raise their awareness of the importance of fundamental research. In particular the Theorynet program seeks to stress the importance of teaching what is referred to as the "nature of science" (NOS). Very briefly, NOS can be described as the notion that the acquisition of scientific knowledge is a collective, human enterprise which proceeds through an evolving framework of models for the physical world. Recent research indicates that students will not adequately understand NOS unless it is deliberately introduced into the curriculum. Specifically, students will not come to appreciate the true nature of science simply by learning the body of knowledge commonly taught in high school curricula. Therefore, the Physics Theorynet outreach program seeks to deliver instruction about NOS to high school students in the Boston metropolitan area.Faculty participants in the Theorynet program come from universities such as MIT, Harvard, Tufts, Boston University, Brandeis, Rhode Island College and the University of New Hampshire, in addition to Northeastern University. High school instructors in the Theorynet program represent a diversified cross-section of public and private schools in urban, suburban and rural areas, with fifteen high schools currently represented across three states. Operational costs of the Theorynet program include a nominal stipend for high school instructors who participate, compensation for the travel that instructors undertake to attend program meetings, acquisition and maintenance of lecture demonstrations and presentation equipment, and advertising at regional events aimed at physics instructors.It is estimated that 2,000 students are reached by Theorynet physicists each year, in a diversified cross-section of public and private schools in urban, suburban and rural areas. The program is highly appreciated by teachers, students and their parents. Students have had negative pre-conceived notions of science professionals corrected by direct interaction with university faculty. Students are often encouraged to learn that even some fanciful speculations can find a home in theoretical physics, where there truly are "no dumb questions." Concepts such as string theory or the Higgs mechanism are de-mystified, and the importance of fundamental science as a vocation is re-affirmed. There is even a broader impact on Boston area communities due to the coverage in high school and local newspapers, as well as to students reporting visits to their parents. A major component of the Theorynet program is promoting physics as a field of study when high school students go on to college, and suggesting theoretical physics as a plausible long-term career goal for students.