Category: News

Physics Grads Receive Travel Grants

Graduate Student Government Travel Grant Award Winners for Spring 2014

Travel grants for spring 2014 have been awarded. Among the Presenting Travel Grants ($ 250) recipients are physics graduate students Chad Brisbois, Kamal B. Dhungana, Boyi Hao, Joseph Niehaus, Bishnu Tiwari, Gaoxue Wang, and Kevin Waters.

The full list of graduate recipients can be accessed online.

Travel grants are awards that help subsidize cost of attending and presenting at conferences. These awards are sponsored by the Graduate Student Government (GSG) and the Graduate School. For more information on travel grants, please visit the webpage.

Should you have any questions, contact the GSG treasurer Jennifer Winikus (jawiniku@mtu.edu).

From Tech Today.

Jaszczak Publishes on Star Diamonds

Star DiamondsProfessor John Jaszczak (Physics and A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum) published an article “Optically sector zoned (star) diamonds from Zimbabwe,” with co-authors J. Rakovan (Miami Univ.), E. Gaillou (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County), J. E. Post (Smithsonian Institution) and J. Betts in the latest issue of Rocks and Minerals vol. 89 173-178 (2014).

DOI:10.1080/00357529.2014.842844

From Tech Today.

Focus on the Smithing Guild

Brass Helmet
Brass Helmet

The Michigan Tech Lode spotlighted the Smithing Guild in the February 18, 2014, edition of the news. The article addresses the history of this relatively new student organization and its founder and current president, Adam Riederer. Riederer, a physics major, was interviewed in October 2013 in a Michigan Tech News article on blacksmithing.

Read the text version of the Lode article, by Evan Mayer.

Physisorption of Nucleobases on Graphene Paper Cited

Physisorption of Nucleobases on GrapheneThe 2007 research paper entitled “Physisorption of nucleobases on graphene: Density-functional calculations” has been cited 124 times. The work is from Phys. Rev. B 76, 033401 – published 2 July 2007, by S. Gowtham, Ralph H. Scheicher, Rajeev Ahuja, Ravindra Pandey, and Shashi P. Karna.

 

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.76.033401

The research concerns first-principles investigation on the relative interaction strengths of the nucleobases with a graphene sheet. The study relates to how the base sequence of DNA can affect its interaction with carbon nanotubes, as observed experimentally.

Physics at Graduate Research Colloquium 2014

GRC2014 Graduate Research Colloquium
Memorial Union Building Ballroom

Wednesday, February 19th
Human Impact (A2)
Timing Sunsets with Smartphones: Proof of Concept for a Citizen Science Project that Quantifies the Atmosphere and Supports Astronomical Observations – Teresa Wilson, Physics
Measurement Techniques and Analysis Methodology (A3)
Minimum Principles in Electromagnetic Scattering by Small Aspherical Particles – Ajaree Mongkolsittisilp, Physics

Thursday, February 20th
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Measurement Techniques and Analysis Methodologies (B1)
12:00 PM – 12:20 PM: Electric Field Manipulation of Magnetoresistance in a Single Molecular Spin-Valve Device – Kamal Dhungana, Physics

View the Abstract Book | View the Photo Gallery | View the Results Page

Teresa Wilson Poster 2014
Teresa Wilson
Ajaree Mongkolsittisilp Poster 2014
Ajaree Mongkolsittisilp
Kamal Dhungana Presentation 2014
Kamal Dhungana

View more photos in the GSG Facebook page.

Amanda Shaw is an Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award Recipient

Amanda ShawAmanda Shaw, who is an MS candidate in Physics, is a Spring 2014 recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award. Amanda was nominated by the Department of Physics and recognized for her accomplishments by the Graduate School at Michigan Tech. Amanda’s advisor is Alex Kostinski.

A certificate of recognition for this award will be presented at the Graduate Research Colloquium Banquet that is held in the spring.

View the PHOTO GALLERY and ABSTRACT BOOK for the event.

Outstanding GS Teaching 2014
Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award, Graduate Research Colloquium 2014

Ashim Chakravarty is an Outstanding Scholarship Award Recipient

Ashim ChakravartyAshim Chakravarty, who is a PhD candidate in Engineering Physics, is a Spring 2014 recipient of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship. Ashim was nominated by the Department of Physics based on his GPA, originality in research, professionalism, work ethic, and other selection criteria. Ashim’s advisor is Miguel Levy.

A certificate of recognition for this award will be presented at the Graduate Research Colloquium Banquet that is held in the spring.

View the PHOTO GALLERY and ABSTRACT BOOK for the event.

Outstanding GS Scholar 2014
Dean’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship, Graduate Research Colloquium 2014