Today is Question Day when it comes to post topics, I guess. Over at Fine Structure, Nick asks about the effect of spotlighting brilliant scientists: I can’t help but think about the repercussions of looking at his clearly above average career as something that’s normal in physics. It’s a deterrent, I think, for all those… Continue reading Is Frank Wilczek Making Us Look Bad?
Category: Education
Does Pinkification Fool Anybody?
Over at Faraday’s Cage, Cherish is thinking about gender color codes: I know I may be in the minority here, but let’s look at it this way: if someone might consider getting a microscope or telescope for a girl because it’s pink rather than a traditional “girl toy” (read: BARBIE) in the absence of a… Continue reading Does Pinkification Fool Anybody?
Physics for Math Students
I gave a talk last night to the Albany Area Math Circle, a group of high-schoolers who are interested in science and math, and enter and do very well in national math competitions. I think there were 48 kids there last night, which was pretty impressive. I gave basically the same talk I gave at… Continue reading Physics for Math Students
Why Every Dog Should Love Quantum Physics 4: Lasers
How to Teach Physics to Your Dog is now listed as “In Stock” at Amazon, so it’s the perfect time to order a dozen or so copies for your last-minute holiday gift needs. “But, wait,” you say, “why do I want to teach my dog physics? Particularly quantum physics– why does anyone need to know… Continue reading Why Every Dog Should Love Quantum Physics 4: Lasers
Why Every Dog Should Love Quantum Physics 3: Computers
Quantum physics can sometimes seem so arcane that even humans don’t need to worry about it, let alone dogs. It’s actually tremendously important to our modern world. In fact, if you’re reading this on a computer (and how else would you be getting it?), you have quantum physics to thank for it. Computers are based… Continue reading Why Every Dog Should Love Quantum Physics 3: Computers
Even in Education, The House Always Wins
Harry Brighouse at Crooked Timber has a very good post about schools that appear to “beat the odds”, getting good results with populations that don’t typically do well in school. It does an excellent job of laying out the problems with the vast majority of attempts to determine which schools are “beating the odds,” let… Continue reading Even in Education, The House Always Wins
Hail to the Geek
Via Chris Mooney, a Seth Borenstein article about Obama’s love for science: Out in public, Obama turns the Bunsen burner up a notch, playing a combination of high school science teacher and math team cheerleader. Last week, for example, the president announced that the White House would hold an annual science fair as part of… Continue reading Hail to the Geek
Tenure: Threat, Menace, or Market Failure?
I’ve been a little too busy to participate, but His Holiness and Eric Weinstein on Twitter have gotten into an interesting exchange about the structure of academia, and the appropriate number of Ph.D.’s in science. As usual, I suspect I’m not fully understanding the majesty of whatever Eric is arguing in favor of, but it’s… Continue reading Tenure: Threat, Menace, or Market Failure?
Creepiness Is Contagious
It’s always kind of distressing to find something you agree with being said by people who also espouse views you find nutty, repulsive, or reprehensible. It doesn’t make them any less right, but it makes it a little more difficult to be associated with those views. So, for instance, there’s this broadside against ineffective math… Continue reading Creepiness Is Contagious
Text = Death, But Text Is Essential
The always interesting Timothy Burke has a good post about PowerPoint in classes, spinning off a student complaint. I’ve been lecturing with PowerPoint– my own slides, not something sent to me by a textbook company– since day one, so of course I have opinions on the topic. For the most part, Burke’s points on the… Continue reading Text = Death, But Text Is Essential