26 June 2007 David Barnaby, WKU 1

How I Judged at the International Science Fair

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12 Angry Men on Steroids

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Direction

• Physics & Astronomy Grand Prize Winner

• Cataclysmic Variables

• Judging Process– Other great projects I voted for– Insights

• Top ISEF Winners

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Physics & Astronomy Grand Prize

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Cataclysmic VariablesRoche Lobe Overflow

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Cataclysmic Variable Light Curve

• Low state: accretion• Flares: thermonuclear runaway on white dwarf surface.• Subclasses

– Novae– Dwarf Novae

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Dwarf Novae Classifications

• Arranged by magnetic activity.– None magnetic: dwarf novae– Intermediate polars: DQ Her, 10 MegaGauss– Polars: AM Her, 100 MegaGauss

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Intermediate Polars: DQ Her

• WD: relatively strong magnetic field– Plasma dragged away from inner disk– Channeled to and crashes into magnetic poles.– Can produce hard X-rays.

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Polars: AM Her

• WD: extremely strong magnetic field– Prevents accretion disk.– Plasma crashes preferentially into magnetic pole.

• Consequences– Strong source of soft & hard x-rays– Rotation introduces variation in soft x-rays– WD magnetically locked to companion

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Question: why does X-ray emission decrease during low states?

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The Judging Process

• 1510 Contestants• 17 Panels• 1200 Judges• Physics & Astronomy

– 86 judges– Affiliations

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The First Day

• Schedule, Schedule, Schedule!

• Pep talk from software designer.– Decision making with

partial information.– Most will not have

interviewed the winner!

• Look over all 86 entries– Including team entries.

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Some of the 20 Astronomy Projects• Variation on the Star Formation Rate from

Galaxy Cluster Center c11037• Simulations of Gravitational lensing

Events Involving Nearby Lenses and Effects of Parallax

• Mars Rover: Could It Be Better?• Determining Surface Composition of

KBOs Through Spectrum Matching• Heating the Rings: The Thermodynamics

of the Rings of Saturn

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The Second Day

• 10 interviews assigned– 15 minute blocks– Scantron cards.

• Back in caucus room– Straw poll of early favorites.

• Distinguishing elements of my approach– Questions.– Form 1C.

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Early Favorites and Extra Interviews

• Cosmic Rain

• Ball Lightning

• Leidenfrost Effect

• Kuiper Belt Objects

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Now, for the Caucus!

• Process for selecting – 3 1st place– 4 2nd place– 5 3rd place– 6 4th place

• Co-chairs, blow-hards, and curmudgeons.– My ranking– Mr Temple won: solved long-standing problem; 2 papers “in press”

• Wrapped up with 5 minutes to spare!

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My Insights• Get abstracts of all 1st and 2nd place winners! • Helps to have a well-endowed mentor.

– Data, ideas, money, equipment.– Mentor contribution did NOT appear factor.

• Publications, even rumored, help a lot! • Depth of understanding equally important.

– How does this fit into a larger picture?– An intriguing solution to a problem?

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Top ISEF Winners

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Comment from Intel CEO

• Inspiring teachers made a difference in this contestants life.

• Opportunity did as well.• His complaint.

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Thanks for your attention.

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Possible Mentors