21st Century Physics in the Classroom
If you have any insights from teaching contemporary physics topics in your classroom, based on your own research or recent science news, please come and tell us about how you have done it and how students have benefited from it!

Astronomy and the Search for Life in the Universe
Contributed papers are requested on topics involving the search for life in the universe, especially as related to curriculum inclusion in the classroom. These may include (but are not limited to) the following topics 1. SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) 2. the use of the Drake Equation 3. the discovery and characterization of exoplanets in Astronomy 4. habitable zones in a star system

Being a Student-Ready Physics Class
We all know not all our physics students are college-ready. There’s nothing wrong with that! But, how can we make our physics courses equitable and student-ready? How can we support our students, starting from where they are at, so that all students can succeed? Do you have a strategy, activity, or technique that supports student success? That helps to motivate them? Come share it with us in this session.

Biological Physics in Labs
There are now more physics students going into biological physics than nuclear physics, yet undergraduate exposure to the physics inherent in biology is lagging, especially in labs.   Broadening the interdisciplinary scope of physics will not only better prepare students for more diverse career paths, but it will attract more diverse students to physics.   If you have a lab with a biological or biomedical context, whether introductory or advanced, please share in this session.  

Climate Science for Middle School Students
This session is provided to offer AAPT members the opportunity to present information about activities/lessons that may be used with middle school students, and to learn of activities/lessons that have been deployed by members and contributors. 

Data Science in the Undergraduate Physics Curriculum
Please share your use of data science techniques in the high school curriculum.

Digital Measurement, IoT, and AI Technology for Sustainable Development
Transforming our cities in a more sustainable way implies growing huge biological systems, like green facades or rooftops, which can withstand obstacles of a city, among which are heat, pollution and confined space. These will put the plants under heavy stress. Internet of Things (IoT) technology allows us to monitor critical values like soil moisture, radiation and temperature and to control the environment of the plant e.g. by watering or sheltering it. Physically, that has additional effects that have to be taken into consideration: Watering the soil obviously increases water consumption on the one side, but decreases energy consumption of the Air Conditioning on the other side. With Internet of Things (IoT) Technology, communities and people have a chance to gather more data and find optimal solutions for their specific needs. Artificial Intelligence can provide additional assistance, e.g. by gathering weather data in advance and schedule optimal watering plans. Please join us to discuss your ideas and expertise to gather more knowledge on this important issue for Sustainable STEAM Education.

Effective Practices for Developing Scientific Thinking, Reasoning, and Decision-Making Abilities
Various curricula and methodologies, which have been implemented in different educational settings such as labs and group-based projects, have been shown to promote higher order skills involved in scientific reasoning and decision-making. This session focuses on best practices in the development and assessment of students' scientific reasoning and decision-making skills, as well as dissemination of related curriculum and teaching practices to promote these skills.

Effective Practices in Educational Technology
We seek talks detailing the use of educational technologies in the teaching of physics at all levels. Technologies may include everything from augmented reality to zip files, not to mention social media, simulations, screencasts, specialized software, and other things that begin with S. Focus can be on tools, pedagogies, or even (gasp) students. Share what works for you!

Inclusive Teachng in Labs
Physics labs at the introductory and advanced level are complex courses with equity dynamics in group work, varying degrees of accessibility, and a range of instructional designs. In this invited/contributed session we are looking for talks on ways of making
laboratory instruction and learning more equitable and inclusive. Share your research on inclusive labs, your teaching activities aimed at equitable group work, or another area that resonates with this topic!

Incorporating Climate Change into the K-12 Physics Classroom
This contributed session looks to highlight educators incorporating climate change into the K-12 physics classroom. Presentations should be targeted at practitioners. Activities, resources, networking connections and opportunities, research projects, etc - all are welcome! Presenters are encouraged to provide resources.

Innovations in Teaching Astronomy
Please share information on new approaches to teaching.

Making Physics Labs More Accessible
The task force commissioned by the AAPT Committee on Labs recently published a call to action, endorsed by the AAPT Board of Directors, to increase investment in accessible physics labs. This invited/contributed session aims to present strategies that lead to improved accessibility in laboratory learning environments.

Organizing for Successful Solar Eclipse Events
When a total eclipse occurs in your community, residents and visitors alike will remember it for a lifetime. Hosting an eclipse viewing event will be challenging, yet also exciting and hugely rewarding. Few people have experienced a total solar eclipse, so organizers need to educate the public about what to expect - advice on how to prepare, safe viewing techniques, list of events, road closures and so on. A lesson learned from the 2017 total solar eclipse is that eye safety advice should be featured prominently in all communication to ensure consistency and avoid confusion. It can be just as important to share stories about all facets of the eclipse experience to bring the experience alive. One of the few ‘must-haves’ for the event is an official eclipse website and social media page. Additionally, detailed explanations and resources for quality activities should be provided for teachers, who are likely to depend on you for assistance.

Outreach from Particle Physics
We invited physics teachers to share their experience related to particle physics or high energy physics.

PASCO at 60
Help us celebrate PASCO's 60th birthday by sharing stories and information about your favorite PASCO apparatus or demo.

Physics with Smartphones
Smartphones and their integrated sensors offer a remarkable tool for student investigations in high school and college physics classes.  This session offers an opportunity for educators to share experiences using smartphones as measurement tools in their classrooms.  Presenters should describe the experimental design, share the results obtained by their students, and present evidence for the effectiveness of the approach.

PIRA Session - 3D Printed Apparatus for Intro Labs
3D printing allows the physics instructor to create new apparatus, modify commercial products, and repair equipment with relative ease.  We invite you to share new creations and how they are being used in the introductory physics labs.  Whether safely storing stopwatches, attaching block A to block B, or building a novel new type of experiment we'd like to see it.

Research in the High School Classroom
This session is for high school teachers to share research they have conducted in their classroom (whether formal or informal) or to share how they are applying research done by others to their teaching. Talks should be targeted at practitioners, especially high school teachers.

Research Validated Interactive Lecture Demonstrations to Improve Learning in Lecture (and at Home)
Contributed papers are welcomed by those who wish to share their experiences with Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (ILDs).

State and Institutional Challenges for Physics Teacher Preparation
Physics teacher preparation programs must conform to state licensure requirements and react to changes in institutional leadership. Both can create challenges for these programs.  This session will allow those participating in physics teacher preparation programs to share their challenges and their strategies for meeting those challenges.

The History of Understanding Climate Change
Like many ideas in science, our understanding of climate change has evolved over time. We will explore the evolution of our understanding of the climate in this session - how did we come to understand  Earth's climate history; how has our understanding of how the climate is changing changed over time? How do you incorporate our changing understanding of climate change into your teaching? What purpose do you have in teaching about the changing understanding of climate change?

Teaching About How Science is Done
There is an oft-cited tension between how science is taught in school versus how scientists do their work. How have you taught the Nature of Science? Have you developed lessons to address the disconnect between "school science" and actual scientific practice? How have you incorporated laboratory work into your teaching on the Nature of Science? 

Teaching the Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences (IPLS)
We are soliciting contributed posters on new pedagogies and resources for the course on Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences (IPLS). Please consider submitting a poster on your work in the IPLS course involving labs, problems, assessment tools, simulations, resource material, … or any other aspect of the IPLS teaching/learning environment.

Team-work in Labs: Guidance for Instruction
In most settings, the physics lab is fundamentally a collaborative space. How, then, do we design learning activities, assessment, group-work norms and policies, and instructional practice to make the lab a productive, engaging, and inclusive learning environment. This contributed session will feature short talks focused on instruction (a related session focused on education research is planned for PERC). Contributors to this session will have the opportunity to participate in the development of a "mini-proceedings" with instructional best practices for team-work in labs.

Uncommon Uses for Common Things
We as educators like to think creatively and find new uses for common items in the lab and classroom. The COVID era amplified this practice and has resulted in many interesting applications. We ask  people to share these cases and let us know how you took one or more common items and used it for a new and different physics application.

Updates from PICUP: Integrating Computation into Undergraduate Physics
How have you integrated computation into your Physics courses? Come share new curricular materials you have adapted or developed, assessments you have tried, advice to others on overcoming challenges, or ways in which your department is working to integrate computation.

Using, Adapting and Contributing, to the Living Physics Portal
If you have used or adapted curricular materials from the Living Physics Portal, please share your materials and your experience using the Portal.  Similarly, if you have contributed materials, either to the Community or the Vetted collection, please share your contributed materials and your Portal experience. 

Who Do We Idolize in Science
Scientific facilities and instruments are often named after individuals who have contributed to scientific advances. The scientific community also has many prizes and awards that are given for scientific achievement. How are facilities named and awardees chosen? How do those processes reflect the priorities and values of the community?

Generic Topics

• Astronomy
• Engineering Physics
• Gender
• High School
• Introductory Courses
• Introductory Labs/Apparatus
• Lecture/Classroom
• Other Paper
• Pre-High School
• Science Communication
• SPS Undergraduate Research and Outreach
• Teacher Training/Enhancement
• Technologies
• Two Year Colleges
• Upper Division Undergraduate
• Upper Division/Graduate Courses