The Virtual QuarkNet Center is a small group of physics teachers and mentors who meet online and in person to pursue particle physics research and education projects. This group has no geographic center; rather, they are in different locations in the United States but collaborate using Web 2.0 tools. The primary focus of the group is to work together on cosmic ray investigations with students using the QuarkNet cosmic ray muon detector and e-Lab.

The members of the Virtual QuarkNet Center meet once per year for a hands-on workshop. They met in summer 2008 at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory for an e-Lab and Masterclass workshop in which they interacted with and coached visiting high school students from Japan. In summer 2009, their workshop was at the University of Notre Dame; there they built cosmic ray muon detectors and learned to remotely operate the CRiL detector at UND.

To participate in the U.S. Masterclass, Virtual QuarkNet Center teachers and their students must master orientation, preparation, and interaction with mentors using online tools.

Virtual QuarkNet Center teachers and affiliates conduct Masterclasses with the assistance of mentors online from the following locations:

• Hillsborough, California
• St. Louis, Missouri
• Shanghai, China
• Shizuoka, Japan