Western Kentucky University's Society of Physics Students

• The rocket team will meet 3 times over the summer.  They will also meet this Thursday a 8 pm in the SPS room.  There will also be a small rocket launch this Sunday.  They are looking for other scientific minds to join them.  Contact Daniel Jones or Jason Leszczwicz for more information.
• The SPS is funded in part by lab manuals.  Help assembling and sorting the lab manuals will be needed the week before school starts.  If you are willing or able to help contact Dr. Gipson and watch for emails shortly before school starts in August.
• There is a physics congress that is held every 4 years.  It is going to be this coming year in Orlando, near the Kennedy Space Center.  Anyone who is interested contact one of the officers or Dr. Gipson.
• The annual banquet will be this Friday May 4.  It will be at Cambridge Market.  The food is delicious and is free to SPS members.  Students will be inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honors society and the officers will be announced for next year.  Please sign up in the office if you plan to come.
• Have a great summer!!

As announced in the SPS meeting yesterday, every 4 years Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society, hosts a Quadrennial Physics Congress.  The next one is November 10-12, 2012 in Orlando, Florida, and includes a tour of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, a number of very interesting invited speakers, and other highlights.  (See http://www.spscongress.org/ for more details.)  The meeting does NOT require that you present research results, but there is a poster session for those who wish to do so, and another for presentations on outreach and community service.  Presentation abstracts are due October 15.

I want to clarify deadlines, which I had mixed up earlier. Registration for the conference is not due until next fall (September 17 for early registration, October 15 for regular, more expensive registration).  However, applications for $500 funding support from SPS to offset the cost of the trip are due in just 2 weeks, on Tuesday, May 15.  The total cost of the trip is significant, so this sort of support would be valuable, but it requires that at least 4 chapter members attend the meeting, and that they write an article about the conference as a “Chapter Reporter” and submit this afterward to the SPS National office for publication.  If we want to pursue this, we need to (a) have a list of at least 4 people who may attend the meeting and (b) submit an application for “Chapter Reporter” status to the SPS main office by May 15 — realistically, by the end of exam week.

So, I would like to ask that students who are interesting in attending the Physics Congress please contact me in the next few days (before you get distracted by final exams?), and then we will see if we have enough interest, and people, to consider the Chapter Reporter Award.  Thanks everyone for your attention.

Suzanna Sadler will present her Undergraduate Honors Thesis entitled “The Ages and Metallicities of Type Ia Supernova Host Galaxies From The Nearby Galaxies Supernova Search Program” on Thursday May 3 at 2:15 pm in room TCCW 251. It will be a 30 minute talk open to the public.

Each year the WKU Department of Physics and Astronomy recognizes three students who have excelled in areas of scholarship, research, and service.  The recipients of these awards for the 2011-2012 academic year are Suzanna Sadler, John Wilson, and Jason Leszczewicz.  These students will be recognized at the annual Ogden Student Awards ceremony on Sunday, April 22, at 3:00 PM at the Carroll Knicely Center.  Please take a moment to congratulate these students if you have an opportunity.

Dr. George V. and Sadie Skiles Page Award for Excellence in Scholarship*

Awarded to the graduating Physics major with the highest academic standing.

Suzanna Marie Sadler

Suzanna is a senior physics major and Honors student at WKU who is presently working under the direction of Dr. Lou Strolger on Type Ia supernovae and their progenitor environments. She started this research while a student in the Gatton Academy of Math and Sciences at WKU, and since then has presented her work at several national meetings including those with the American Astronomical Society, the Southeastern Section of the American Physical Society, and National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Her academic accomplishments include regular recognition on the Dean’s List or President’s List membership in both the national physics honor society Sigma Pi Sigma and the mathematics honor society Pi Mu Epsilon. Suzanna is also very active in service activities in the department and presently serves as the President for the WKU Chapter of the Society of Physics Students and the Communications Officer for the Hilltopper Astronomy Club. Suzanna will present her Honors thesis on “The Ages and Metallicities of Type Ia Supernova Host Galaxies from the Nearby Galaxies Supernova Search Program”. Following graduating, she plans to attend graduate school in astrophysics.

Dr. Randall Harper Award for Outstanding Research in Physics and Astronomy*

Awarded to the junior or senior student with research exhibiting significance, effort, originality, and creativity.

John Max Wilson

John is a senior physics major and Honors student who has been involved in two major research projects since coming to WKU via the Gatton Academy of Math and Science. He first worked with Dr. Keith Andrew on a project that involved using Einstein’s general relativity to study predictability times for “Big Rip” cosmological models. This project was developed into his senior Honors thesis earning a mark of “pass with distinction”. His latest project, under the direction of Dr. Ivan Novikov, is in the area of theoretical nuclear physics focusing on using Monte Carlo simulations to investigate reaction cross sections. He has presented both of these projects in several local, regional, and national meetings. John also excels in the classroom and is a member of the national physics honor society Sigma Pi Sigma. Following graduation John plans to begin graduate study in physics at the University of California, Davis.

Dr. Douglas Humphrey Award for Outstanding Service*

Awarded to the junior or senior student with a record of service within the department and to science outreach to the community.

Jason J. Leszczewicz

Jason J. Leszczewicz, a junior physics major with minors in astronomy and mathematics, is President-Elect for the Society of Physics Students and active in the Hilltopper Astronomy Club. Jason recently organized a student trip to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama and spent his spring break doing research at Marshall Space Flight Center. Last summer, Jason worked to design, construct, and test a trebuchet that he demonstrated at Physics Public Night and high school visits. Jason also has played a major role in the Physics Olympics, Science Olympiad, and Girls in Science events. In his spare time Jason has helped with physics laboratory manual assembly, and he has recently formed a team to enter a NASA rocket launch competition.

*Award made through the efforts of the College Heights Foundation.

Applications are open for students wishing to be considered for the Randall Harper Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Research.  WKU students involved in research in physics or astronomy are strongly encouraged to apply.  The deadline is Wednesday, April 4.  For details, see http://www.wku.edu/physics/resources.php .

Minutes 3/12/12

• The date for the Spring SPS Picnic has been set to the 7^th of April.  More details will be available soon.
• The banquet date was set to May 4^th.  Cambridge market is the most likely venue, but concrete details will be available soon.
• The SPS plans to sign a model rocket as a get well soon present to send to Frank Six (our contact from Huntsville).  Look for the rocket in the SPS room or contact Jason Leszczewicz.
• We are building an exhibit for BRIMS (the local science museum).  The exhibit is about optics.  If you are interested in helping build the exhibit contact Jonathan Newton.
• Girls in science day will be April 14^th.  Volunteers are appreciated, the SPS is teaching a class on a simple motor.  If you would like to help with the SPS class or any other class sign up with Rachel Campbell.  Lunch and a free tee-shirt are provided to all volunteers.  Also, volunteers are needed to help setup Girls in Science day, breakfast will be provided to these volunteers.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, February 15) is the Ogden College Career Fair, as noted previously.  The fair will run from 10:00am to 1:00pm.  Employers will set up in 3 locations: EST 2nd floor, Snell 1st floor hallway, and EBS 2nd floor.  If you wish to participate, bring several copies of your resume.  A few employers may be conducting interviews on campus in the afternoon.  The current list of registered employers includes:

• LG & E and KU - http://www.lge-ku.com/
• Daicel Safety Systems America - http://www.daicelssa.com/
• HMB Professional Engineers, Inc. - http://www.hmbconsultants.com/about.htm
• Georgia Pacific - http://www.gp.com/index.html
• DDS Engineering, PLLC - http://ddsengineering.com/
• SAIC - http://www.saic.com/
• GSKyTeach - http://www.wku.edu/gskyteach/how_it_works.php
• Fruit of the Loom - http://www.fruit.com/
• Altec Industries - http://www.altec.com/
• Logan Aluminum - http://www.logan-aluminum.com/
• General Motors - http://www.gm.com/
• Humana – http://www.humana.com/
• R.L. Craig Company, Inc. - http://rlcraigco.com/
• Wheat Tech, Inc. - http://www.wheattech.com/
• Carriage House Companies - http://www.carriagehousecos.com/
• Country Oven Bakery - http://www.krogermfgcareers.com/locations.html
• Berry Plastic Corporation - http://www.berryplastics.com/catalog/
• Sun Products Corporation - http://www.sunproductscorp.com/
• New Mather Metals - http://www.newmathermetals.com/
• Lawnco, LLC - http://www.lawnco-louisville.com/home.html
• Span Tech, LLC - http://www.spantechllc.com/

For more information, contact Elizabeth Heller in WKU Career Services.

Minutes 2/6/12

• The SPS is taking a trip to Huntsville to take a tour of the space center.  The dates are the 24^th and 25^th of February.  Transportation and lodging will be provided to SPS members, and it costs $24 to join.  Email one of the officers or Dr. Gibson to get more details about the trip.
• WKU Undergraduate conference abstracts are due February 24^th. This is a great opportunity to present research, build connections, and improve your resume.
• There is an opportunity to become a student scientist consultant for BRIMS.  If you are interested email Dr. Campbell that you are interested in the opportunity.
• There will be 3 physics public nights this semester, one every fourth Wednesday of every month.  These are great opportunities to enjoy learning and teaching the community.
• If you are interested in getting a SPS  Intramural team together for the spring (Check out the sports) please e-mail Jason Leszczewicz
• Come watch Dr. Who every Friday at 4:00pm in the SPS Room (Popcorn Provided!) If you have a favorite episode then let us know.