Now on ScienceBlogs: The Galaxy's Biggest Valentine
Thoughts on physics, politics, and pop culture, by a physics professor at a small liberal arts college, plus occasional conversations with his dog.
You've read the blog, now try the books! How to Teach Physics to Your Dog is published by Scribner, and available wherever books are sold. How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog is published by Basic Books and will be available 2/28/2012, as foretold by the Maya.
"Uncertain Principles" features the miscellaneous ramblings of a physicist at a small liberal arts college. Physics, politics, pop culture, and occasional conversations with his dog.
"Prof. Orzel gives the impression of an everyday guy who just happens to have a vast but hidden knowledge of physics." (anonymous student evaluation comment)
Emmy is a German Shepherd mix, and the Queen of Niskayuna. She likes treats, walks, chasing bunnies, and quantum physics.
Category: Academia
There's been a lot written recently about academic publishing, in the kerfuffle over the "Research Works Act"-- John's roundup should keep you in reading material for a good while. This has led some people to decide to boycott Elsevier, including...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:58 AM • 21 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Academia
My course this term is on time and timekeeping, but is also intended as a general "research methods" class. This was conceived by people in the humanities, where the idea of generic research methods makes a lot more sense than...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 11:10 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Academia
In comments to Friday's snarky post, I was chided for not engaging with the critique of standardized testing offered by Washington Post education blogger Valerie Strauss. I had intended to say more about the general topic, as there have been...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 2:48 PM • 15 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Academia
As mentioned a few times previously, the class I'm teaching this term is a "Scholars Research Seminar" on time and timekeeping. As this is an entirely new course, and will be consuming a lot of my mental energy, I plan...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 1:12 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Academia
It's the first day of class today (for me, anyway-- classes technically started yesterday, but I don't teach on Tuesdays this term). This, of course, means that something will go horribly wrong. The question is, what? What will go wrong...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:56 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Education
One of the many things I wish I had had time to blog about during the just-completed term was the big New York Times article on attrition in science majors. This generated enough commentary at the time that people are...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:50 AM • 20 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Education
As noted in previous posts, I've been trying something radically different with this term's classes, working to minimize the time I spend lecturing, and replace it with in-class discussion and "clicker questions." I'm typing this while proctoring the final exam...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:38 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Politics
Including pretty much anybody wearing a helmet in this video from UC-Davis: That's just disgraceful, all the way around (with the possible exception of the chubby hatless cop in the first part of the video, who appears to be behaving...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 8:53 AM • 20 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Physics
I've been incredibly busy this term, but not so busy I couldn't create more work for myself. Specifically, by writing an opinion piece for Physics World about the FTL neutrino business, that just went live on their web site: The...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:59 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Academia
This coming June will mark ten years since I started this blog (using Blogger on our own domain-- here's the very first post) and writing about physics on the Internet. This makes me one of the oldest science bloggers in...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:19 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Orac 02.13.2012
ERV 11.26.2011
PZ Myers 02.02.2012
Orac 01.26.2012
Jason Rosenhouse 02.12.2012
