Physics 95 2016

week	Dates	Monday topics	assignment for following Monday	Resources
1	Sept 1	NA - no class on Monday Wed topics are course structure, expectations, nature of assignments, grading, and structure of subfields of physics.	none, that next Monday is a holiday. But assignment for subsequent Monday is to make single-page outlines of pros and cons regarding applicability of physics to the life sciences, which we will discuss
2	Sept 7, 9	Labor day holiday on Monday, no class		Feedback form
3	Sept 12, 14	CWS: Discussion of outlines- make a single-page outline with pro and con of physics methods to the life sciences. Discussion about outlines and their importance. Converting an outline into a presentation Abstracts and scientific meetings.	all: watch Jamous youtube. reporter question - spy satellites. Send PDF to Stubbs no later than midnight Sunday
4	Sept 19, 21	CWS: Making an overhead for a presentation- single-slide exercise on spy satellites, go over their slides Who is the audience? What's the main message? What will make the case the most persuasively? Graphics? Plots? Bulleted list? Does the overhead make sense as a "stand-alone" ? Font sizes and readability- on laptop, as handout, or on projector?	resources for making talks. Tufte article Basics of powerpoint for scientists Nature papers on scientific presentations Pick topics by Wednesday Sept 28 pick a topic for an oral presentation and abstract for a meeting (8 minutes+2 for questions) find an example of the worst overhead. write down what your own weaknesses are, and how you plan to address them in this class.
5	Sept 26, 28	CWS: Scientific talks, the good, the bad and the ugly. Class discussion about presentations- pace, content, goals, NYT example. What makes a good presentation? Tell a story! Second language issues (Don't assume they have read the material, go over it) show example from law school prof. pace and number of slides. Use slide numbers and keep track of time! Avoid technical failures- check things out. Your machine, or theirs? PPT issues between PC and Mac. Embedded videos. Driving projectors. backup slides giving the talk- the first few sentences, describe all plot axes, look at the audience. Short written documents: Abstracts and press releases. different goals, different audiences, different structure.	Group A assignment for Monday- presentation and discussion Assignment for group B: prepare an abstract (250 word max) appropriate for a professional meeting, that will attract an audience to your talk and that coveys the key message you hope to convey.
6	Oct 3,5	Lab tours! MM (Stubbs gone)
7	Oct 10, 12	Columbus day holiday on Monday, no class	Elevator speech assignment Pick two different topics by Monday Oct 17. One as a science meeting talk, the other as a public presentation to an educated but non-physics audience. We'll make abstracts for the first, and press releases for the second.
8	Oct 17, 19	Stubbs: elevator speeches exercise	Group A assignment is to prepare abstracts Group B assignment is to prepare presentations
9	Oct 24, 26	MM (Stubbs gone) Group A talk #1 group B abstracts on topic #1	make appointments to go over taped talks
10	Oct 31, Nov 2	MM (Stubbs gone): Group B talk #1 group A abstracts on topic #1
11	Nov 7, 9	MM (Stubbs gone) : group A talk #2 group B press release on topic #2	Draft Press release on topic of choice watch Stubbs LSST spiel on Youtube select presentation topic #2 for everyone. Presentation #2 is for a non-technical audience- advice to a Senate committee on a technical topic of your choice: solar energy, STEM education, quantum computing, nuclear weapons, etc.
12	Nov 14, 16	MM (Stubbs gone): group B talk #2 group A press release on topic #2
13	Nov 21, 23	Stubbs here: Group A taped 15 min talks topic #2 Group B turn in position papers
14	Nov 28, 30	Stubbs here: Group B 15 min talks topic #2 Group A turn in position papers
15	reading period	Final posters due Wed Dec 9