Interactive Simulations and Applets for Theoretical Mechanics

This project is open to students in any major. In this project, we are developing a set of interactive simulation applets and associated curricular materials for the HMC junior-level Theoretical Mechanics course. The concepts in this class are more abstract and removed from the physical reasoning of introductory coursework. The applets will focus on the most conceptually challenging aspects of the course material, including building intuition for the Principle of Least Action and the machinery of Lagrangian Mechanics, central-force motion, coupled oscillators, rigid- body dynamics, and Hamiltonian mechanics. The applets are designed to allow students to visualize and explore the connections between abstract concepts and the more familiar Cartesian forces and momenta. This project will incorporate current physics education research of engaged exploration simulations and active learning into Theoretical Mechanics, aiming to improve learning outcomes and student satisfaction.

Students involved in this research will have the opportunity to dig into more advanced topics in mechanics relevant for physics and engineering, and to develop computing and visualization tools as we work to make interactive software that will be used in advanced classes at HMC and other institutions. Student researchers on this project may also be able to explore relevant applications and topics of interest to them and develop applets related to these topics. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested to learn more physics, develop their programming and computational skills, and to get involved in education research!

We have a preliminary suite of applets, so the current focus is on improving cross-platform compatibility of the applets (especially on mobile browsers), modifying the activities based on the physics goals, and brainstorming new applets.

Short Paragraph "Essay": It would be helpful in a few sentences to hear about why you are interested in doing research, what appeals to you about research in physics or education, and if you have particular skills that could contribute to research in our group (including computational skills, math/physics training, communication, etc). Optional: if you have encountered any barriers to get to where you are now, or other considerations that you would like me to take into account in evaluating your responses, feel free to comment on these. I will keep your answers confidential.