We worked with Dr. Rachael Lancor, PhD, Science Teacher & Research Program Coordinator at the Madison Country Day School, 5606 River Road, Waunakee, WI 53597 and Rob Young, Physics Teacher, Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart, 2219 Monroe St., Madison WI 53711.

Vetal, a multimessenger online analysis tool

Haley James and Elsa Forberger (West High School), Blake Gallay (Middleton High School)

Amanda Nothem (Whitnall HS)

Josh Wood and Sílvia Bravo (WIPAC)

The purpose of our research was to develop an online tool to analyze pubic data sets from IceCube and FermiLAT. The goal was to facilitate multimessenger astronomy analyses targeting both scientists and amateur researchers.

QuarkNet efforts at UW–Madison are led by the Wisconsin IceCube Astrophysics Center (WIPAC). Prof. Justin Vandenbroucke (co-PI) and Dr. Sílvia Bravo (co-PI) work together with several researchers from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, the Distributed Electronic Cosmic-ray Observatory (DECO), and the desktop muon detector CosmicWatch.

The QuarkNet program @ WIPAC included three activities this year.

Student Abstract Information for HS internship at WIPAC/UW-Madison

Zooniverse-based citizen projects for IceCube and DECO

Owen Roszkowski  (West High School), Valerie Hellmer (West High School)

Jeff Leider (Janesville Craig HS)

Sílvia Bravo, Justin Vandenbroucke (WIPAC)

The purpose of our research was to develop a citizen science project inviting citizens to improve the DECO and IceCube classification algorithms. Although WIPAC scientists have computer-based algorithms that classify different type of events, those are not 100% efficient and tend to fail in cases where the human eye can do a very good job.

Students worked on understanding the current classifications algorithms, identifying events that were not correctly classified, developing a classification algorithm based on information that can be seen by eye on DECO and IceCube displays, and implementing the project on Zooniverse. They have both implemented the first version of these Zooniverse projects. WIPAC will work with the fall internship program to upload final data samples and prepare the beta test. We expect to make these projects public in early 2017.

Improved algorithms for classification of DECO events

Tyler Dolan  (Monona Grove High School), Adrian Cisneros (Milton High School)

Jeff Leider (Janesville Craig HS)

Sílvia Bravo, Justin Vandenbroucke (WIPAC)

The purpose of our research was to improve the current computer-based algorithms for the classification of DECO events. The main goal of DECO is to detect muons from cosmic-ray showers, but the app also detects background radiation and noise in the devices. Current algorithms identify muon tracks with a 70% efficiency. Tyler and Adrian worked on improved algorithms to target specific patterns in events that are usually misclassified. Although their algorithms didn’t exceed the 70% efficiency, their work helped to better understand how to improve the current algorithms. This team also worked with the Zooniverse-based research project described above to create synergies between both.

iOS  DECO app

Felipe Campos  (Collegiate School in Richmond, VA)

Jeff Leider (Janesville Craig HS)

Sílvia Bravo, Justin Vandenbroucke (WIPAC)

The purpose of this project was to follow up with work done by Felipe last year and complete the development of the iOS DECO app. Felipe had to improve their programming skills, but also to understand the physics behind the particle interactions detected by cell phone cameras, and develop efficient data taking and data transfer processes. The app is now in beta testing and will be launch to the general public in the coming months.

The QuarkNet efforts at UW–Madison are led by the Wisconsin IceCube Astrophysics Center (WIPAC). Prof. Justin Vandenbroucke (co-PI) and Dr Silvia Bravo (co-PI) work together with several researchers working with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the Distributed Electronic Cosmic-ray Observatory (DECO).

The QuarkNet program @ WIPAC included two activities this year.

i) IceCube Masterclass at WIPAC, held on March 2 and 9 in Madison. WIPAC led the third edition of the IceCube Masterclasses held at twelve different IceCube institutions in the US and Europe. We also hosted the first Spanish edition of an IceCube MasterClass. In Madison, 55 students from six high schools in the Madison area attended the masterclass.

Budget considerations: there are no budget expenses associated with this activity.

ii) HS student internship to develop data analysis tools for and the iOS app of DECO and citizen science projects based on the Zooniverse platform for IceCube and DECO.  Prof. Justin Vandenbroucke leads the DECO project, an app that turns your cell phone into a cosmic-ray detector. Dr. Sílvia Bravo leads citizen science efforts at WIPAC. We hosted a total of 5 students and workd with one teacher. Two students developed algorithms to automatically classify DECO events, building on efforts started during the HS internship last summer.  A third student continued the developement the iOS version of the DECO app, which is now in beta testing. Finally, two students worked in de desing and development of a DECO and IceCube project on Zooniverse. The Zooniverse efforts are currently continued with the WIPAC HS fall internship.

Budget considerations: students worked during up to 6 weeks with an hourly pay of $7.75 per hour .

We keep working with our QuarkNet teachers, although we did not host any teacher workshop this year.

UW–Madison QuarkNet Center

2015-2016 Budget

The QuarkNet efforts at UW–Madison are led by the Wisconsin IceCube Astrophysics Center (WIPAC). Prof. Justin Vandenbroucke (PI) and Dr Silvia Bravo (co-PI) work together with several researchers working with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the Distributed Electronic Cosmic-ray Observatory (DECO).

The QuarkNet program @ WIPAC included two activities this year.

i) IceCube Masterclass at WIPAC, held on March 18 in Madison. WIPAC led the second edition of the IceCube Masterclasses held at ten different IceCube institutions in the US and Europe. In Madison, 30 students from six high schools in the Madison area attended the masterclass.

Budget considerations: there are no budget expenses associated with this activity.

ii) HS student internship to develop data analysis tools for DECO as weel as the DECO iOS app.  Prof. Justin Vandenbroucke leads the DECO project, an app that turns your cell phone into a cosmic-ray detector. After some months focusing on development, the app is now ready to be used in formal and non-formal learning environments. We recruited four high school students to work with us during the summer of 2015.  Three students developed algorithms to automatically classify DECO events and the fourth one developed the iOS version of the DECO app. All students keep collaborating with us during the academic year 2015-2016.

Budget considerations: students worked during 6 weeks with an hourly pay of $7.75 per hour .

We keep working with our QuarkNet teachers, although we did not host any teacher workshop this year.

2014-2015 Budget

The QuarkNet efforts at UW–Madison are led by the Wisconsin IceCube Astrophysics Center (WIPAC). Prof. Justin Vandenbroucke is the PI, and the team includes Prof. Jim Madsen, IceCube Associate Director for Education and Outreach, and Dr. Silvia Bravo, Outreach Specialist at WIPAC.

The QuarkNet program @ WIPAC included three activities this year.

i) IceCube Masterclass at WIPAC, held on May 21 in Madison. WIPAC led the first IceCube Masterclass held at five different IceCube institutions in the US and Europe. In Madison, 28 students from seven high schools in the Madison area attended the masterclass. Teachers Juan Botella and Jim Reichling also participated.

Budget considerations: there are no budget expenses associated with this activity.

ii) Astrophysics in the Classroom: a workshop for high school teachers, held on July 18 in Madison. This was the second edition of a summer workshop for high school teachers. The program ran from 9 am to 5 pm. Three teachers participated and one canceled due to a last minute family issue. Participating teachers: Juan Botella, Edith G. Fork and Erin Treder.

Budget considerations: participating teachers will receive a stipend of $100 each.

iii) Teacher internship: Curriculum development for a distributed electronic cosmic-ray observatory, the DECO app. The activity started on September 11, 2014, and will continue until the end of October, or later depending on the availability of the participating teachers. Prof. Vandenbroucke is leading the DECO project, which is creating an app that turns a cell phone into a cosmic-ray detector. After some months focusing on development, the app is now ready to be used in formal and non-formal learning environments. We are working with two teachers in the Madison area: Lisa Stec teaches AP Physics, with content that includes particle physics; and Juan Botella teaches an astronomy course and is willing to broaden it's scope from optic to particle telescopes. After our first meeting, Lisa committed to helping in the development of a few-hours activity that will link particle physics to astrophysics and include use of the DECO app to allow students to make some measurements of cosmic rays. Juan committed to a longer activity, with measurements taken over the course of a few weeks, that will allow students to understand how the detector (the cell phone) works and to design and perform a small research activity, including data analysis.

Budget considerations: this is still an ongoing activity, but teachers have committed to the following hours: Lisa Stec up to 40 hours, equivalent to 5 days of 8 working hours; and Juan Botella up to 32 hours, equivalent to 4 days of 8 working hours. Both of them will come to WIPAC to work on the project, but the hours will be distributed in sessions of 2-3 hours. WIPAC will keep a register of the hours devoted to the project by each teacher. Estimated budget is $900.

UW–Madison QuarkNet Center

2013-2014 Budget

* Ongoing activity. Estimated budget reflects teachers’ committed time. To be reviewed once the activity is finished.