Intro to Computational Science: this team of scientist/engineer educators designed and taught an inquiry lab activity through ISEE’s Professional Development Program

L-R: Austin Edmister, Devin Silvia, Nate Watwood

Venue: Lyman Briggs Physics Lab, Michigan State University

Team members:

Devin Silvia (Design Team Lead): Postdoc, Physics & Astronomy, Michigan State University

Austin Edmister: Graduate Student, Physics & Astronomy, Michigan State University

Nate Watwood: Graduate Student, Nuclear Physics, Michigan State University

Audience: 10 learners

Activity Name: CMSE 202 ODE Activity - Numerical Methods for Time-Evolved Systems

Learning Goals Summary (author Austin Edmister): We wanted the students to learn how to develop a model of a time-evolving system, using numerical discretization. The learners were then to justify their choice of numerical method, that method's limitations, and their solution's level of accuracy. The introduction, coupled with intentional questioning about initial conditions, helped the learners choose more specific details about the problem initialization. A class specific thinking tool that would be given in between classes.

Funding for this team provided by: NSF AST #81343