Demystifying Apparatus Via Thematic Demo Shows

A showcase of demo-filled 90-minute lectures given to high school students as part of Splash, an annual MIT student-organized learning weekend - with a focus on the design of two recent courses.

One class focuses on the experimental history of atomic theory and has evolved to focus on the nature of science emphasizing dead ends and real apparatus. This was driven in part by revisiting early quantum theory for the International Year of Quantum.

Another is on the history of vacuum technology as told through demonstration apparatus while emphasizing orders of magnitude. Its design led to gathering comprehensive materials about the ubiquitous laboratory instrument.