Physics Theorynet Outreach Program

Physics Theorynet是一个由国家科学基金会支持的外展计划，自2003年以来由主要研究人员协调。Theorynet活动的主要组成部分是波士顿地区理论家和高中生之间的直接互动，通过常规课堂和课后进行的演讲、演示和问答环节。演讲主题可能包括新闻中的科学（如暗能量，大型强子对撞机或系外行星），年轻科学学生感兴趣的传统主题（如黑洞，时间旅行或额外维度），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。特别是Theorynet计划旨在强调教学被称为“科学的本质”（NOS）的重要性。非常简单地说，NOS可以被描述为这样一种概念，即科学知识的获取是一项集体的、人类的事业，它通过物理世界模型的不断发展的框架来进行。最近的研究表明，学生不会充分理解NOS，除非它是故意引入到课程。具体来说，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，Physics Theorynet推广计划旨在向波士顿大都市地区的高中生提供有关NOS的指导。Theorynet计划的教师参与者来自麻省理工学院，哈佛，塔夫茨大学，波士顿大学，布兰迪斯大学，罗得岛学院和新罕布什尔州大学等大学，以及东北大学。Theorynet计划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元化横截面，目前有15所高中代表了三个州。Theorynet计划的运营成本包括为参与该计划的高中教师提供象征性的津贴，教师参加计划会议的差旅费，讲座演示和演示设备的购买和维护，以及针对物理教师的区域活动的广告。据估计，Theorynet物理学家每年可以接触到2，000名学生，在城市、郊区和农村地区的公立和私立学校的多样化交叉领域。该计划受到教师，学生和家长的高度赞赏。学生们对科学专业人员有负面的先入为主的观念，这些观念通过与大学教师的直接互动得到纠正。学生们经常被鼓励去了解，即使是一些异想天开的猜测也可以在理论物理中找到一个家，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解除神秘化，基础科学作为一种职业的重要性被重新肯定。由于高中和当地报纸的报道，以及学生对父母的访问，波士顿地区社区甚至受到了更广泛的影响。Theorynet计划的一个主要组成部分是促进物理学作为高中生上大学时的一个研究领域，并建议理论物理学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.