Outreach Programs:

I have been involved in outreach programs for middle school and high school teachers in Oklahoma since 1992. I intend to continue these activities here at UTM by offering help and workshops for middle and high school teachers. If you are one of these teachers, and needed help in physics send me an e-mail or call me. My activities in this area can be summarized as follows:

1) Summer workshops 1991 through 1999 for high school teachers are offered by the subject, and are designed for one-day long periods. Subjects or activities include lectures, laboratories, discussion sessions in Astronomy, Mechanics, General Physics, and E&M.

2) School visitations we did every year to recruit OSSM students. These usually provide an opportunity to see the teachers at work in their own environments. We can see what kind of support they need.

3) I served as the director of the Phillips Summer Institute-1998, and OSSM Summer Institute-1999. In these Institutes, I have organized one-week long residential workshops for middle school teachers. In addition to providing them with lectures, we trained them for using several types of laboratory equipment in such areas as physics, chemistry, biology, meteorology, and astronomy.

4) Dr. Erkal volunteered assistance to local Tennessee schools as a resource and worked with a group Science Olympiad students in preparation for the Reach For Stars event in Knoxville. He has judged several science fairs including the recent West Tennessee Regional fair held at Union University. Last semester(Spring 2000), Dr. Erkal also volunteered his time for a home school group in Western Tennessee for a sky gazing event.

5) Gave a presentation organized by Prof. Helmut Wenz of Geology, Geography and Physics on the Science of Frankenstein to 7^th grade students (fall 2000).

6) Prepared physics questions for ScienceBowl 2000 held at UTM.