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Katey Shirey

About

Katey Shirey's picture
Expeditions: IceCube In-ice Antarctic Telescope 2010
Occupation: Teacher
Organization: Washington-Lee High School

Katey Shirey grew up loving physics and art and, as an undergraduate at the University of Virginia, she continually combined her two passions. She attempted to explain physics and physical phenomenon through large-scale kinetic sculptures and installations. Today Miss Shirey continues to examine the relationship of Physics to various aspects of the world around her through teaching and facilitating student learning at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia. She is excited to examine what scientists do and how science conducted far away impacts our understanding of the universe, and sees this as an ideal way to draw connections between physics to students' lives.

Katey Shirey's Content

Title Reply Post date
RE: [PolarTREC] Questions from O'Hara's 4th period

Dear Fourth Period, are there really forty of you in one class!? wowsers. here are some answers for you all.

How do the digital optical modules work? (Taka, Dylan, and Bryan)
The DOMs work like a reverse light bulb; instead of receiving electricity and emitting light, they...{read more}

November 26, 2010 - 5:06pm
RE: [PolarTREC] O'Hara's 5th period questions

Hi fifth period!

  1. How do you use wi-fi and the internet? Casey, Haley and Derek
    There is internet available only by satellite here, so that means we can only use the internet when there's a satellite overhead. That's about six hours in one pass and then there are a few...{read more}

November 26, 2010 - 5:36pm
RE: [PolarTREC] Why do we care about photons?

The photons detected under the ice here are made by a special process called Cherenkov Radiation. Cherenkov Radiation comes from anything moving through a substance faster than photons can move through it. Now, you know that nothing moves faster than photons in a vacuum, but in anything else...{read more}

November 26, 2010 - 5:51pm
RE: [PolarTREC] Greenhouse at the South Pole?

I'd love to check it out and have put in a request to be around when they plant their next round of plants. Right now the greenhouse is empty.

{read more} 		November 26, 2010 - 5:51pm
RE: [PolarTREC] Questions from O'Hara's 3rd period class!

Dear Mr. O'Hara's 3rd period! Great questions. Here goes nothing:

  1. what are the ice cube reels used for? Mackenzie
    The reels are very large cords wound up on spools. They store the cables in spools until they're ready to deploy down the holes drilled in the ice. Each...{read more}

November 26, 2010 - 1:21am
RE: [PolarTREC] Questions from Mr. O'Hara's 2nd period class

Dear Mr. O'Hara's second period class,

You guys thought up a lot of great questions! I'll try to answer some now but might need a little help on the technical ones.

  1. How many holes can you (and the IceCube team) drill per day?
    I think I heard that the drillers can...{read more}

November 24, 2010 - 2:50pm
RE: [PolarTREC] What you expected?

Hi Brigitte!

So far the biggest surprise I'm having is how friendly and collegial everyone is down here. Every table in the galley is a standing invitation to meet new people. And every day, evening and night there is something fun going on that you're invited to. All of the scientists...{read more}

November 23, 2010 - 10:35am
RE: [PolarTREC] Seals and penguins

Thanks, Dr. Mystery Researcher. I never knew that there were seals not interested in penguins. It's great to know! My next question is how did they all find the same hole to come out of? The ice sheet is so big! It seems random that they'd find each other, or maybe it's that they were all...{read more}

November 23, 2010 - 10:35am
RE: [PolarTREC] What you expected?

Hi Brigitte!

So far the biggest surprise I'm having is how friendly and collegial everyone is down here. Every table in the galley is a standing invitation to meet new people. And every day, evening and night there is something fun going on that you're invited to. All of the scientists...{read more}

November 23, 2010 - 10:35am
RE: [PolarTREC] Hi Ms.Shirey!

Hi Alexandra! It's great to hear from you. Thank you so much for the scarf, you're too sweet!
The sunlight isn't so difficult to deal with, really. In the morning it makes sense because the sun is at a fairly low angle to the horizon so it just seems like morning light. As the day...{read more}

November 22, 2010 - 8:06pm

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