I apologize in advance if you get more than one copy of this.
Anyone in the area at the time is welcome to attend! Past meetings
have been very successful, and we would welcome you there.
- Roger Key, CSU Fresno (rogerk@csufresno.edu)
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MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT FOR DECEMBER 17TH, 1996.......PLEASE RSVP
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You are invited to attend the 6th semi-annual meeting of,
THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
PHYSICS TECHNICIAN ASSOCIATION
Meeting Location:
Cal Poly Univ., Pomona
Physics Dept., Room 8-241
3801 W. Temple Ave.
Pomona, CA 91768
909-869-4033
on
December 17th, 1996
HOSTS: Douglas Johnson
Jolene Houser
Mark Harnetiaux
This meeting is being held for physics (lecture, lab, stockroom)
technicians and managers. Any other interested parties are also welcome to
attend this meeting at no charge.
Our meeting will begin in building 8 room 241 at 8:30am on Tuesday
12/17/96 and will end around 2:30pm in the afternoon. The focus on this
meeting is to get to know each other better and to share any information
that would be helpful in our work.
We would like you to participate by showing your favorite lab experiment
or demonstration. Please bring any written material for others to take
home, such as plans for physics type experiments and demonstrations. We
normally have 20 or more people in attendance at these meetings. Everyone
may not want a copy, but plan accordingly. I can photocopy if the demand
is higher than expected.
A general discussion of laboratory problems and solutions will be held.
We would like to place emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages of
Computer Assisted Data collection and analysis. IF YOU HAVE A SUBJECT YOU
WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS, PLEASE CALL OR WRITE TO LET US KNOW. If there is
enough interested we will shift the focus of discussion.
We will have a special Lecture Demonstration Show of demos obtained this
last summer from a two week workshop held at Virginia Military Institute
and some other demos found at the University of Maryland at College Park
during the summer AAPT meeting. Without a doubt, it will be worth coming
to see.
PLEASE NOTIFY DOUG JOHNSON AT 869-4033 IF YOU PLAN TO BRING THINGS TO
SHOW AND TELL. WE WANT TO BE SURE YOU GET A CHANCE TO PRESENT IT.
The tentative schedule is below.
8:30- 9:00 Sign-in, Coffee and Doughnuts
9:00-10:30 Show and Tell Session (Lab Exp. & Demos)
10:30-11:30 General Discussion
11:30- 1:00 PotLuck Lunch
1:00- 2:30 Demos from VMI & Maryland
We really look forward to meeting you and hope that you will enjoy it as
much as we have in the past.
RSVP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING THIS MEETING. SINCE
WE ARE HAVING A POTLUCK LUNCH, PLEASE BE READY TO COMMIT TO BRING SOMETHING
FOR 6 PEOPLE. THANKS..
"It was Frank Nilon from Pomona College who told to me about PIRA and
Tap-l almost two years ago. Right away I subscribed to both of them.
Before that I did not know anybody who had the same kind of job as I had in
the physics labs. But things changed ever since. I felt I was not alone
and that if I needed any help there were people there who could help me.
Then I started going to the regional technicians' meetings , the first one
at Cal Poly and the second one at UC Riverside. I started seeing demos
that I had never seen before. I met wonderful people and started putting
faces on the names that I either had
seen on Tap-l or had read in PIRA newsletter. Then in December 95 the
Claremont Colleges hosted the most recent meeting which I was involved in.
Last Summer I went to the AAPT meeting in Spokane, WA. There I even
learned more about demos, met the greatest people, and had a lot of fun. I
will be going again this summer to the next AAPT meeting in Maryland."
Annie Atiyeh Harvey Mudd College
"Just talking to colleagues for a few minutes at the Riverside meeting, I
learned some techniques for lab management
that have really made my life better.".
Steve Anderson Sonoma State University
"I highly value the PHYSICS TECHNICIANS MEETINGS I have attended. My
first meeting was last June at UC Riverside, as well as the last meeting
at Claremont Colleges in December. We
are a group of people who usually work behind the scenes to serve the
faculty and students. Sometimes we feel lonely and isolated in a room full
of equipment. By attending these meetings, we have the chance to contact
many people who are doing the same type of work. I have benefited greatly
by getting to know them and learning by their experiences. I appreciate
the people who spend their time and energy to make
these meetings possible."
Clifford Chen Occidental College
"Of the most valuable features of the technician's meetings is the
sharing of techniques, workspace ideas, and demonstrations. If we can
share our best efforts with each other, we'll make our individual
departments that much more professional and efficient."
Mark Harnetiaux Cal Poly University
"I have attended the Southern California Technician's meetings thus far
and have found them both enjoyable and worthwhile. Observing how others
handle the physical set-ups of labs and demonstrations, viewing methods of
organizing and storing equipment, gaining demonstration ideas, and just
"talking shop" with other technicians are eye opening experiences."
Jolene Houser Cal Poly University
"Many years ago a friend and colleague of mine, Ina Abelar, took me with
her to visit other physics department facilities at nearby universities.
In doing so, it has made me realize the wealth of information that is out
there. This has left a deep and lasting impression on me and has changed
my way of
thinking and working with faculty and students alike. I have found my
productivity has increase by the abundance of new ideas that are
encountered at these meetings. I am very grateful for those who are hard
at work in teaching physics and are so willing to share their time and
information with me."
Douglas Johnson Cal Poly University
"In commenting on the last meeting at the Claremont Colleges,- it was
well worth the trip from NC. The lab and experimental demos that were set
up were of national AAPT meeting caliber. I know much time was put into
them and I appreciate the efforts put into setting them up for me to see
and play with. The symbiotic relationship between the Claremont Colleges
was very interesting and a strong statement about what the educational
process is all about at its best. Seeing you and Frank and Ron among the
other faithfuls also made the trip memorable, but if there was one item
which made an indelible impression on me, it was the research being done on
the Port Wine syndrome. That along with the high powered laser demos at UCR
will always be in my permanent file of unforgettable. I hope it will be
possible to make some of your future meetings. I really look forward to
seeing you folks in sunny CA as well as on my desk through TAP-L.
Gordon Shepherd Guilford Tech. Community College, NC
The purpose of this meeting with our fellow technicians, is to expand
both our knowledge and gain a better understanding of our jobs. It also
develops a better working relationship with others in our field of work.
We most importantly share our ideas and common problems. The combined
experiences of this
group, often result in prompt and effective solutions.
I have found the demonstration show at these meetings, to be very
valuable. After each meeting I take the new demonstrations and integrate
them into our lecture demonstration collection. This really has sparked new
interest in using demonstrations as effective learning tools.
This a group of problem solvers and innovators, who are constantly
creating new demonstrations or modifications to existing demonstrations or
laboratory equipment. The meetings allows a time to share these new ideas
with others. We also share our resource materials, such as: TAP-L, PIRA,
purchase catalogs, etc.
In addition, I like seeing the different facilities. I can better
understand other technician's situations and can also appraise my own
situation better. When I was hired I thought I was a lone wolf. These
meetings and my membership in Physics Instructional Resource Association,
have shown me that there is a large group of physics technicians throughout
California and the United States, and that I can call on them for help or
give assistance to them when needed.
Frank Nilon Pomona College