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We are holding our fall meeting in Gainesville at the Santa Fe College on October 18 (evening) and 19 (day). The meeting consists of papers presented by members on topics ranging from in-class experiments and pedagogy as well as workshops.
We encourage student participation in the form of presentations as well as attendance.
After Friday evening’s dinner (see menu options below) we will have an invited talk by Prof. Steve Hagen
of the University of Florida Physics Department.
Dr. Hagen’s talk is entitled “Signaling, Swimming, Sliding and Surfing: The Physics of Microbes at Play.” Bacteria use chemical signals to talk with each other. The question of what they talk about is of great interest to microbiologists. Physicists may be more interested in asking how accurate these chemical communications can be, and what are the natural physical limits and capabilities of the phenomenon. I will present a physics perspective on one important bacterial signaling mechanism known as quorum sensing. Quorum sensing allows entire colonies of bacteria to coordinate and synchronize colony-wide behaviors such as growth, motility (swimming), host attack, and even luminescence. I will show experimental evidence that quorum sensing communication can allow bacteria to synchronize such activities over surprising distances. In fact quorum sensing can even allow them to harness the law of entropy increase to generate useful locomotion from thermal energy.
- Both days [ $30 ] includes dinner, continental breakfast and lunch.
- Friday only [ $20 ] includes dinner. Dinner guests are also $20.
- Saturday only [ $15 ] includes continental breakfast and lunch.
Workshop being offered: Lights Fantastique and the Atomic Hotel
Abstract:
This workshop is a pedagogical exploration in demonstrating properties of light and spectra, with real world examples that aren’t cook-book.
A student scavenger hunt will show that spectra come from two causes: thermal energy and atomic processes. Using the Classroom Astronomer Spectrum Viewers we examine continuous spectra for physics and biological phenomena, and check out atomic spectra of common elements and compounds that you need to know for the rest of the workshop.
We explain the causes of atomic spectra using The Atomic Hotel analogy, and demonstrate it kinesthestically!
Then, two real world exercises, comet spectra (can upcoming Comet ISON’s gases poison us?) and indoor/outdoor lighting, will be discussed as ways spectroscopy isn’t abstract but a real, useful tool. The latter exercise teaches about sampling and surveying of the campus, to grade the campus lighting for energy and cost-efficiency, while we see which elements appear in local lighting.
Dinner
Friday Evening we will meet at Pomodoro Café, 9200 NW 39th Avenue, Gainesville
FL 352-380-9886.
The restaurant is just off I-75 at the route 222 exit #390. Go east toward
Sante Fe College. About two blocks on the left is a Publix Market and Pomodoro Café is next to
the Publix. The dinner starts at 6:00 PM, and we will adjourn to Sante Fe College for speaker
and meeting at about 7:00.
The menu includes soup or salad and bread with entrees choices of:
Lasagna,
Vegetali Con Penne,
Chicken Parmigiana,
Grouper Piccata and
Maiale Ripieno (pork loin).
Lodging recommendations (click on motel name for their web site):
- The closest hotel is Best Western
- 4200 NW 97th Boulevard,
Gainesville, FL, 32606
Phone: 352/331-3336 [>$100 per night].
- Days Inn Gainesville I-75
- 7516 Newberry Road, Gainesville, FL 32606 [~$48 per night]
- Americas Best Value Inn - I-75 Gainesville North
- 7413 West Newberry Road, Gainesville, FL 32605 [~$49 per night]
- Baymont Inn & Suites – Gainesville
- 6901 Northwest 4th Boulevard - Gainesville (Florida)
- La Quinta Inn Gainesville
- 920 Northwest 69th Terrace, West Park, FL 32605
