Indiana University QuarkNet

HEP FAX: (812) 855-0440

E-mail: rvankoot@indiana.edu

Dear Sir/Madam:

As a science faculty member at a high school in Indiana, we would like to invite you to apply to participate in the ongoing Indiana University QuarkNet Project this coming summer 2000. We also urge you to provide copies of this letter to other science faculty in your school that you believe may be interested to notify them of this exciting opportunity.

We sent out many letters two weeks ago to high schools in southern Indiana, and this FAX is an effort to provide even greater coverage, so apologies if your school receives duplicates.

QuarkNet is a program funded by the National Science Foundation to involve teachers and students in frontier research of the 21^st century by partnering them with some of the largest experimental collaborations in the history of physics. These particle physics experiments are searching for the answers to fundamental questions about the origin of mass and about the nature of symmetries that govern physical processes. QuarkNet will provide valuable research experience to teachers to enhance their ability to teach basic concepts of introductory physics in a context that students find exciting.

Under a five year program begun last year, QuarkNet has started to establish twelve new science centers each year in physics departments at universities and laboratories participating in collaborations at facilities including Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois and CERN Laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. Indiana University (Bloomington) was selected to participate as part of the first group of twelve universities last year. According the program plan, two lead teachers, David Blair (Bloomington South High School) and Matthew Hitchings (Edgewood High School) held eight-week summer research appointments at Indiana University (including a week-long program at Fermilab) last summer working under the guidance of physicists on research related to experiments at Fermilab and elsewhere.

This year as part of the continuing program, these lead teachers and mentor-physicists will be leading a yearlong program at Indiana University for up to ten local "associate" teachers. The local research program will include two components — a three-week research experience and ongoing communication via e-mail, and discussion forums on the WorldWide Web. This invitation to apply is for these associate teacher positions.

In succeeding academic years the teachers can then extend their research experience to the classroom. Through inquiry-based techniques, students will learn about the structure of matter and the forces that govern our universe. QuarkNet will provide instructional materials to support activities. Experimental particle physics collaborations will give access to real online data as it is first recorded. Students at different schools will be able to work together to request and analyze different types of data. Ultimately, QuarkNet will involve 100,000 students from 600 U.S. high schools in such activities as web-based analysis of real data, collaboration with students worldwide, remote control of television cameras in experimental areas, and visits by student representatives to the experiments.

The local program will be held at the Physics Department at Indiana University in Bloomington and consists of a two-week Summer Institute from June 12—June 16 and June 19—June 23. Another week of support will be covered through five additional contact days in the following academic year, typically on Saturdays, but will be scheduled to best fit the schedules of the selected lead teachers. Financial support includes a staff development stipend for each teacher of $300 per week for the three weeks of contact plus $250 for instructional materials for each teacher. Teacher support for the following years includes for each year a staff development stipend of $300 per week for one week and $250 for instructional materials. Teachers that participate in this program must have an e-mail account and access to the WorldWide

Web.

The program of the Summer Institute is currently under development with the final program to follow in a second mailing in January. The agenda will typically consist of presentations by speakers, hands-on activities, and preparing lesson plans in the mornings, then working on a research project in the afternoons. There is an expectation that some of the materials prepared during the Summer Institute will be used during the next school year. Research projects under consideration are working on a tabletop low energy electron beam line or constructing a cosmic ray telescope.

Credits will be available for continuing education and arrangements are being made for the number of credit hours and cost. For those teachers living too far away to allow easy commuting, dormitory rooms on campus at reasonable rates will be organized. Details on these items will also be included in the second mailing in January.

Additional information about the project can be obtained at the web site:

http://needmore.physics.indiana.edu/~rickv/quarknet/IU_quarknet.html

If you are interested in joining us in this exciting project, please send an "expression of interest" by e-mail (preferred so we can get your e-mail address) or by regular mail to the indicated addresses. Please also submit the enclosed application. Applications will be accepted until Feb. 15, 2000. Applications will be accepted after this deadline only if all ten positions are not yet filled. If it is more convenient for you, you can fill out the form electronically by e-mailing the address above and an e-mailable form will be sent to you.

Sincerely,

Rick Van Kooten

Associate Professor of Physics

Mentor-Physicist

David Blair

Lead Teacher

Matt Hitchings

Lead Teacher