Dear DPP Member,

I wanted to give you a brief report about the APS-DPP activities during the recent APS-DPP meeting in Providence, RI. (Photos from the meeting can be seen at this link: Photos.) Hurricane Sandy put a dent in our usual numbers, but not in our spirit.  We were as committed as ever to providing first-rate hands-on experiences for whatever teachers and students could attend during a week when schools were closed for two or more days.

Seventeen teachers out of 67 were able to make it to the stimulating workshops on Tuesday's Teachers Day. In the direct aftermath of the storm, with schools closed, many teachers had to stay home with their own children.  Those who attended received one-on-one attention, learning about plasma science and its applications, from artificial lighting to nuclear fusion. While increasing their competence and confidence to bring plasma science into their classrooms, these teachers also made crucial connections with a professional scientific community that is prepared to help out where needed.

The storm also affected the Expo on Thursday and Friday.  Two exhibitors needed to cancel their participation, leaving us with fewer booths than we anticipated.  Fortunately, the storm did not stop many students from attending and meeting researchers from academia and industry, who illuminated the world of plasma with exciting hands-on demonstrations.  We had 770 visitors on Thursday and 600 on Friday. The students were focused and engaged, asking good questions and often probing deeply into topics of interest.  And they were clearly having fun at the same time.

Even under unexpected circumstances, Teachers Day and the Plasma Science Expo continue to be high points of the annual meeting, and have helped to gain the DPP a reputation as a leader in APS science education. You can be part of these successful programs. Please join us this year to underwrite the costs of the educational experiences offered at the annual DPP Meeting. All contributors are acknowledged on APS-DPP education fundraising pages.

Suggested contributions are:

* Individual - $25 to $100
* Supporting Organization - $500 or more
* Sponsoring Organization - $1,000 or more

Your contribution will help support teacher classroom materials, student transportation, and teacher workshops for this year's Science Teachers Day and Plasma Science Expo. Please make your tax-deductible check payable to "APS-DPP Education Outreach" and mail it to:

Karl Krushelnick, APS-DPP Secretary/Treasurer
University of Michigan
2200 Bonisteel Blvd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48107

We appreciate your generous support of DPP education activities. Please visit http://www.apsdpp.org or contact me to request more information about the dynamic education and outreach opportunities that DPP offers to members, teachers, and students.

We are also interested in new ideas for Teachers Day workshops and Expo booths. If you feel that you or your organization can help us present plasma or fusion science to the general public in an engaging, hands-on way, please contact us with your ideas.

Sincerely yours,
Paul Miller
DPP Education Chair

Previous Donors