Flow and Diffusion of High-Stakes Test Scores Every state in the nation has been gathering detailed data on the yearly progress of students in mathematics because of No Child Left Behind. The very large numbers of student scores make it possible to apply techniques from statistical mechanics used to describe flow and diffusion of particles. Such methods have been applied to 17,000,000 Texas mathematics scores. Results show that scores of low-income students diverge most strongly from scores of affluent students between fifth and eighth grade. Poverty is a more powerful influence on test scores than value added by teachers and schools. See Marder and Bansal, in press at PNAS Not Low-Income Students (2006) Low-Income Students (2006) Exam Score Grade Michael P. Marder, University of Texas at Austin, DMR

Dynamics of Static Friction See Yang et al, Dynamics of static friction between steel and silicon, PNAS, (2008) Friction has long been said to come in two forms – static and dynamic. Two bodies held together by static friction do not move at all until the force shearing them apart passes a critical value. Our experiments show that this view is true only if one does not examine static friction with sufficient care. Our samples of ceramics on steel slide in reproducible ways – if only by nanometers – no matter how small the shearing forces. The results can be explained by modifications of theories originally created to study the dynamic sliding of rock over rock. The same equations show that there should always be a little sliding even when forces are much smaller than the limit of static friction, and are in accord with experiments. Comparison of theory and experiment, measuring reproducible slipping in cases where static friction should hold the system rigidly in place. Experimental setup, steel pressed against silicon. Michael P. Marder, University of Texas at Austin, DMR

President Obama Endorses UTeach PI Marder helped create and directs UTeach, one of the country's premier programs to prepare secondary mathematics, science, and computer science teachers. UTeach is being replicated at 13 universities across the United States, with at least another 4 to join soon. Michael Marder (PI), The University of Texas at Austin MT/DMR/MPS In July 24 remarks at the Department of Education, President Obama said: "And we also need to reward states that are placing outstanding teachers in schools and subjects -- like math and science -- where they're needed most. That's one way to foster the next generation of math and science teachers. And by the way, everyone has a role to play in training these teachers. So universities and nonprofit organizations can launch programs like UTeach at UT Austin that allows aspiring teachers to get a math or science degree and teaching certificate at the same time. Michael P. Marder, University of Texas at Austin, DMR