Seminar: Stars for schools (Robert Izzard)

Date

Dec 15, 2022

Time

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Language

en

Main Topic

Willkommen

Other Topics

Physik, Willkommen

Description

Astronomy is a primary route into undergraduate physics and mathematics. It opens doors to students fascinated by our Universe. Younger students similarly benefit from astronomy as a gateway to learning. In UK schools astronomy falls between the cracks of physics, mathematics and computing, so it is taught cursorily at best, or not at all at worst. To plug this gap we developed the “Stars for Schools” program. Combining our Window to the Stars graphical front- end to the TWIN stellar-evolution code, it is a course for 14-18 year old students which tackles real stellar-astrophysics problems. They learn to use the stellar-evolution software by examining the physics of stellar interiors graphically. Then we set short, diverse tasks that introduce the relevant physics and mathematics alongside some Python coding. These exercises improve students' problem-solving skills through activities that are quite different to their usual curriculum. The software runs on a Raspberry Pi to reduce support costs.

Our pilot Stars for Schools project at Lady Eleanor Holles school in London resulted in excellent student feedback. They loved to use a professional stellar code that was “not dumbed down”. The combination of astrophysics and computing gave the students vital experience for subsequent university or job applications. “Stars for Schools” is also a great opportunity to mentor school students and build valuable relationships. We are working to expand the project to more schools and younger students, and to further the use of “Window to the Stars” for teaching and outreach, with the help of UK and international colleagues, the Royal Society and the Royal Astronomical Society.

Links

• Termindetails auf den Webseiten der TU Dresden (https://tu-dresden.de)

Last modified: Dec 15, 2022, 7:36:56 AM