NC A&T QuarkNet Center 2025 Annual Report

North Carolina A&T launched the first QuarkNet Center in North Carolina with a workshop on March 1st, 2025.  This workshop was hosted by a team including long-time National QuarkNet Teacher Leaders Charlie Payne and Megan Alvord from the North Carolina School of Science and Math (NCSSM), QuarkNet National Staff Member Shane Wood, and NC A&T physics faculty members Shelly Lesher, Hallie Trauger, and Charlotte Wood.  The workshop engaged twelve physics and physical science teachers from schools in Guilford, Durham, Wake, Randolph, and Stanly Counties in central North Carolina.  The workshop included introductory hands-on examples from the Data Activities Portfolio, a research talk about Light Echoes of Type IA Supernovae from Dr. Charlotte Wood, and an introduction to particle physics detectors and data analysis.  Teacher participants were enthusiastic about their first QuarkNet experience: all reported on a post-workshop survey that they were “likely” or “very likely” to use at least one activity in their classroom.

Following the workshop, the center recruited two new Lead Teachers (Daniel Kemp and Robyn Allaway) who participated in Data Camp at FermiLab and astrophysics research at NC A&T with Dr. Charlotte Wood in preparation for their center leadership.  We have also shared QuarkNet activities and information about our center at the North Carolina Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers (NCS AAPT) 2025 Spring Meeting on Saturday March 29th and at a professional development session for all Guilford County Schools teachers on Tuesday August 19th.