November 2002
From DOE/Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Plasma Sciences Expo and Science Teachers' Day in Orlando About 1,500 students and more than 80 teachers from the Orlando area are expected at the 2002 Plasma Sciences Expo and Science Teachers' Day at the Rosen Centre Hotel the week of November 10th. At the Expo, students and members of the public will have a chance to make lightning with a Van de Graaff generator, observe their fluctuating body temperatures with a special monitor, and use magnets to manipulate plasma -- the fourth state of matter.The Expo is free and open to the public on Thursday, November 14, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. All ages are encouraged to attend. Additionally, it is open to students and teachers who have preregistered on Thursday and Friday, November 14-15, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be presentations, hands-on displays and scientific demonstrations from a variety of industrial exhibitors, national laboratories, and academic institutions. In addition, scientists will be on hand to discuss fusion -- the process that powers the Sun and the stars -- and plasma science research. Plasmas are gases composed of charged particles that make up all stars. In addition to the Expo, a Science Teachers' Day for area middle and high school educators is scheduled for Tuesday, November 12, at the Rosen Centre Hotel. The day includes workshops, where teachers will learn how to incorporate the science of plasmas into their classrooms. The Expo and Science Teachers' Day are part of an effort to build a bridge between educators -- as well as the public -- and plasma physicists. The Expo and Science Teachers' Day are being held in conjunction with the American Physical Society-Division of Plasma Physics (APS-DPP) annual conference in Orlando November 11-15. The events are sponsored jointly by the APS Office of Education, DPP, DPP member/institutional contributions in support of DPP education and outreach, and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), funded by the DOE and managed by Princeton University, is a collaborative national center for science and innovation leading to an attractive fusion energy source. PPPL is leading the local arrangements efforts among the organizations and institutions coordinating the Expo and Teachers' Day events. Members of the media are invited to all events. Event spokespersons will be available in Orlando. Please contact Anthony DeMeo to arrange interviews. | |