Newswise — WASHINGTON, D.C., July 15, 2016 -- During the American Association of Physics Teachers’ (AAPT) summer meeting, being held July 16-20, 2016, PASCO is hosting AAPT at its facilities in Roseville, California on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. PDT. Transportation from the Sheraton Hotel to PASCO will be provided.
The evening will include a picnic dinner, tours of PASCO’s physics equipment design and manufacturing facilities, and feature the highly acclaimed David Maiullo who recently performed physics demonstrations on Live with Kelly! and That Demo Show.
That Demo Show is a celebration of physics -- showcasing many of the physics demonstrations and effects seen in both That Physics Show and on the Weather Channel’s Strangest Weather on Earth -- and is performed by some of the best physics demonstrators of the Physics Instructional Resource Association (PIRA), a subgroup of AAPT’s Apparatus Committee.
Back in 2004, AAPT held its summer meeting in Sacramento, California, which happened to coincide with PASCO’s 40th Anniversary. So PASCO invited AAPT to hold its dinner picnic and That Demo Show at their facility in Roseville.
“It was a most enjoyable evening for all -- especially the tours of PASCO, so AAPT members could see how our equipment is designed and manufactured,” said Paul Stokstad, founder of PASCO. “Since AAPT chose California State University Sacramento as the site for its 2016 summer meeting, we’re again delighted to be able to host AAPT’s picnic dinner and That Demo Show.” PASCO is “thrilled that its employees, who design and manufacture PASCO physics equipment will have the opportunity to meet and visit with the teachers who actually use our equipment within their student labs,” Stokstad said. “And concluding the evening with That Demo Show is … frosting on the cake.”
That Demo Show will bring “the beauty and fun of physics to a large audience at the PASCO facility,” said David Maiullo. “The audience will be comprised of PASCO employees and their families, as well as AAPT and American Institute of Physics members, who can expect an enlightening, entertaining, and educational show.”
Maiullo has been involved in public demonstration shows for the public for more than 25 years -- performing at all levels of schools, libraries, senior centers and street fairs. During past 10 years, he’s branched out to other media, including being part of and featured in TV programs such as National Geographic’s Humanly Impossible, Science Channel’s Dark Matters, Discovery Channel’s Hell Roads, and the Weather Channel’s Strangest Weather on Earth. Maiullo has also been part of National Public Radio programs and events in conjunction with Science Friday, with demo shows at Coney Island and bars in New York City.
“Recently, I’ve taken physics to Broadway, developing a show called That Physics Show for Off Broadway,” Maiullo said. “It’s been very successful -- earning a NYC Theatrical Drama Desk Award for the Most Unique Theatrical Production in NYC for 2016.”
Is it as much fun as it looks? “Yes -- it’s a huge blast to show the public just how much fun physics is, how it’s all around them, and how much they already know,” Maiullo said.
As you can imagine, it’s challenging to demo physics in a fast-paced, highly active, artistic way. “Fortunately, PIRA, a sub-group of AAPT, has been working to develop these types of demos and shows for the past 30 years -- perfecting which demonstration techniques work best for use in a public format,” he added. “We’re constantly sharing and honing ideas for new demos that would work well in a public forum.”
Many of the demonstrations Maiullo uses in his Off Broadway show were first developed and nurtured within the PIRA environment. “I also find that using materials and objects that the public knows and can identify with leads to an easier time in illustrating what could otherwise be difficult concepts for them to grasp,” he added.
###
AAPT SUMMER MEETING WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION
http://www.aapt.org/Conferences/sm2016/
An Evening at PASCO
http://www.aapt.org/Conferences/SM2016/images/eveningatpasco_aapt_2016a.jpg ABOUT AAPT
AAPT is an international organization for physics educators, physicists, and industrial scientists—with members worldwide. Dedicated to enhancing the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching, AAPT provides awards, publications, and programs that encourage teaching practical application of physics principles, support continuing professional development, and reward excellence in physics education. Founded in 1930, the Association is headquartered in the American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland.
###
RSS