130 likes | 278 Views
College and Career Day Bryan Collegiate High School. David Toback Texas A&M University May 2014. A little about me… . I grew up on the south side of Chicago Went to college at MIT and then to graduate school at the University of Chicago I now work at Texas A&M University Whoop!
E N D
College and Career Day Bryan Collegiate High School David Toback Texas A&M University May 2014 David Toback, Texas A&M University Research Topics Seminar
A little about me… • I grew up on the south side of Chicago • Went to college at MIT and then to graduate school at the University of Chicago • I now work at Texas A&M University • Whoop! • I am a Professor of Physics and Astronomy which means I’m BOTH a Scientist AND a Teacher David Toback, Texas A&M University Bryan Intercollegiate
Today • I asked you guys to send me the questions YOU wanted to know the answer to • They were AWESOME! Loved them! • What are we going to do today? • I made a set of (some of) the questions y’all asked • I included some others I was guessing you’d like to hear about • You will VOTE on which questions you want to hear about • We’ll answer them until we run out of time. David Toback, Texas A&M University Bryan Intercollegiate
1. Questions you asked… • What is a Quasar and how does it form? • What kind of telescope would you recommend to observe nebulas and stars? • Will teleportation ever exist? and how would it be possible? • Is it possible to stay alive long enough to really see a black hole? Would you die instantaneously? • How does Hawking radiation escape a black hole if light cannot escape? • How did physicists experimentally show quantum entanglement? David Toback, Texas A&M University Bryan Intercollegiate
2. More about my career? • How did you decide where to apply to college? • How did you decide which college to go to? • How did I decide to be come a scientist? • How old was I when I knew I wanted to be a scientist? • What is my favorite part of being a scientist/teacher? • Do I like my job? David Toback, Texas A&M University Bryan Intercollegiate
3. How to select a college • Most people do what I call the “US News and World Report” Style • Decide what “Number you are” • Apply to bunch of schools based on location • ~3 above your number • ~3 around your number • ~3 blow your number • Go to the highest one you get into and/or can afford • I encourage something different: • Spend some real time figuring out what you want to be DOING 5 years from now, 10 years from now and 20 years from now • Don’t need to have figured it out, but you should spend some real time trying • Figure out what schools will be the most likely to help you get there • Apply to those, and go to the one that is the best fit for you David Toback, Texas A&M University Bryan Intercollegiate
4: Others like ours? • Is there another planet like the Earth? • Are there other planets outside the solar system? • Is there another star like the Sun? • How many stars in the Milky Way? • How many galaxies are there? David Toback, Texas A&M University Bryan Intercollegiate
5: Planets and other stuff • Why isn’t Pluto a planet any more? • Is there life on other planets? • Will we travel to other planets soon? • Could we live on other planets? • Can we travel to other stars? • Can we travel to other galaxies? David Toback, Texas A&M University Bryan Intercollegiate
6: The Sun • How far away is the Sun? • How hot is the surface of the Sun? • How hot is the center of the Sun? • How cold is outer space? • How long will the Sun shine? • Will our Sun explode in a Supernova? • What WILL happen to our Sun? David Toback, Texas A&M University Bryan Intercollegiate
7: Black Holes • Are black holes real? • How close is the closest black holes? • Should I be worried? • How are black holes created? • Are there really Supermassive Black Holes? • What would happen if you fell into a black hole? David Toback, Texas A&M University Bryan Intercollegiate
8: Aliens • Do you believe in aliens? • What would happen if you met an alien? • Will we go to other planets to meet aliens? • Do you want to meet aliens? David Toback, Texas A&M University Bryan Intercollegiate
9: Water in outer space • Want to see what happens to water in outer space? • Check this out: http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/04/21/177949605/a-wet-towel-in-space-is-not-like-a-wet-towel-on-earth David Toback, Texas A&M University Bryan Intercollegiate
That’s it • Enjoy your science classes! • Don’t be afraid to ask hard questions! • Look for answers on the internet • Find the answer on two different pages and see if they agree! • Email me if you have more questions • toback@tamu.edu • Join my Facebook page: • Learning-about-the-Big-Bang-and-Black-Holes-Without-the-Math • If you send me fun things you find, I’ll post them! David Toback, Texas A&M University Bryan Intercollegiate