Development of a turn-key cloud chamber in collaboration with non-academic science enthusiasts

POSTER

Abstract

Science Hack Day is an event that brings together scientists and science enthusiasts for 24 hours to ``hack'' a science project. These events serve two purposes. The first and most obvious is to provide a structured environment for science outreach. Academics and researchers have the opportunity for ``boots-on-the-ground'' interactions with the general public. The second purpose, though more challenging, is to enable science enthusiasts to donate their skills so that they are able to push back to educators and researchers in a fashion that that benefits their work. We discuss our experiences at the 2013 San Francisco Science Hack Day at the California Academy of Sciences. We worked with attendees of the conference to create a cloud chamber that worked with Peltier thermocoolers, rather than dry ice. In this fashion, we educated attendees about radiation and particle physics, while also benefitting from the experience and knowledge of the attendees in constructing the device. This ``turn-key'' cloud chamber is now in use at Siena College as an outreach and educational device. The properties of this device and the story of its construction will be presented.

Authors

  • Jessica Muenkel

    Siena College

  • Meghan Harrington

    Siena College

  • Matthew Bellis

    Siena College

  • Ariel Waldman

    Science Hack Day

  • Nathan Bergey

    Science Hack Day

  • Ivan Cooper

    Science Hack Day

  • Juliane Bombosch

    Science Hack Day