Summer 2019 QuarkNet Workshop at FIU

This year the FIU Particle Physics Group hosted its annual QuarkNet Workshop at the Main FIU Campus located in sunny Miami. The QuarkNet team included four local area teachers, two of them new to QuarkNet. The activites centered around CMS Workshop lead by Shane Wood with contributions from QuarkNet mentor Jorge L. Rodriguez. The teachers included long term QuarnNet teachers, Russell Harcha and Andres Torres and new comers Sandra Padilla and Kelsy Shannon who just completed her BS in physics at FIU. The Russ and Andres currently teach High School physics in Miami which Kelsey and Sandra are freshly minted teachers and beging their careers in teaching.

This year marks the resumption of QuarkNet activities at FIU after a three year hiatus. Overall FIU has been a member of QuarkNet since 2003 and is currently in 16th year. This year's works was organized around a CMS Data Workshop and began with a presentation on the Standard Model, with a particular emphasis on LHC physics specifically CMS. The initial presentation by QuarkNet mentor Professor Rodriguez was organized in casual and informal way to allow for questions and discussion. The rest of the time progressed through the usual CMS Data Workshop lead by Shane Wood. We also found time to tour the department and explore the advanced physics teaching lab and continue discussion on matters related to physics and teaching. The entire event was fueld by copious amounts of Cuban coffee and pastelitos, a local favourite, made with guava and picadillo. The meeting ended with a general agreement to continue these workshops expanding participation and broadening topics beyond LHC physics. A photo of the Miami participants shows Kelsey and Sandra in left front, while Russel and Andress are on the right. Professor Rodriguez is in the back.