Computational Physics for Upper Level Courses
Tutorials
Friday 2:00-3:30

• Scott Lathrop will talk about the state of high performance computing and why today's students need to learn and understand how the applications of high performance computing in today's society.
• David Joiner from Kean University will lead the participants through hands-on activities discovering how high performance computing resources can enhance undergraduate physics education. The activities will span applications using desktop systems to cluster systems to high performance computing systems to demonstrate the power of computing technology and what it portends for learning well into the future.
• Thomas Loughran from Notre Dame will lead the participants through hands-on activities discovering how computing technologies can enhance high school physics education.

Participants will be asked to describe the challenges and issues in advancing the learning and work force development of undergraduate students in a rapidly evolving technological society.

Modeling with Easy Java Simulations
Francisco Esquembre

The premise of Easy Java Simulations (Ejs) modeling is that when students are not actively involved in modeling they lose out on much of what can be learned from computer simulations. Although the modeling method can be used without computers, the use of computers allows students to study problems that are difficult and time consuming, to visualize their results, and to communicate their results with others. Ejs is a free open-source Java application that simplifies the modeling process by breaking it into activities: (1) documentation, (2) modeling, and (3) interface design. The Ejs program and examples of models will be available on CD. Ejs models, documentation, and sample curricular material can also be downloaded from Open Source Physics and Easy Java Simulations websites:

http://www.opensourcephysics.org

http://www.um.es/fem/Ejs

Partial funding for this work was obtained through NSF grant DUE-0442581.