The main objective of this proposal is to increase the number of advanced experiments offered in the Experimental Methods and Advanced laboratory courses in order to provide students with research experience in a variety of fields within physics, with an emphasis on optics. These experiments will also be made available to students enrolled in other physics courses currently offered in the physics program as well as courses to be offered through the Masters in Education with an emphasis on Physics program currently under development. In this way, the project will also allow the department to enhance and extend the knowledge base of physics teachers, both existing teachers and those currently enrolled in the education program. The method to be employed is the implementation of several new laboratory experiments developed/modified by the principal investigator. Many of the experiments are directly related to optics, such as the speed of light in optical fiber and second harmonic generation in ADP. Other use optics to investigate a different topic, such as the infra-red link and the laser velocimeter. Each experiment can be tailored to suit the student's need. For example, a student intending to continue on in graduate school might focus on characterization and improvement of the infra-red link as a way to transmit information, whereas a prospective teacher might focus on simplification of the circuitry in order to demonstrate the concept of information transmission to secondary students. The laboratory experiments will be accessible by others in the scientific community through the world wide web. A home page, linked to the GVSU web page, will contain a page for each experiment with a detailed equipment list, sources, approximate cost of implementation, and instructions.
