Joe Bernstein (LCF), postdoc researcher, discussed what Dark Energy is with students Jordan Shepherd and Darren Bui from the Mattea Valley High School. Joe’s research expertise is in computational hydrodynamics and analysis of observational X-ray data. He is part of the Argonne Dark Energy Survey (DES) group working on monte carlo simulations of supernova observations with the DES telescope/camera system as part of the effort to develop DES supernova survey strategy.
The Flip for Physics Students video discussing Dark Energy with Joe made the students the winners of the 2012 Flip for Physics contest. Flip for Physics provides the infrastructure and materials for students to videotape the research done in laboratories such as Northwestern University, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Underwriters Laboratory and others.
The students interview one of the laboratory’s scientists and submit the final videos into a competition (with Flip cameras as the prize). Through editing and post production the students also learn digital medial skills and become new media literate. The goal is to support student interest in science career paths and dispel some of the stereotypes and myths about “who is a scientist?
Joe is an active member of the Postdoctoral Society of Argonne (PSA) and enjoys educational outreach opportunities. He has developed this passion into the “Talk to Joe the Astronomer” program where he lectures on different topics relating to astronomy to the general public.
June 2012
