Physics Colloquium
Michigan Technological University
Thursday February 19, 2015
4:00PM Fisher Hall 139
Professor Timothy McKay
University of Michigan
Director of Honors Program
Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Physics
Graduate student Joseph Niehaus is a recipient of the DeVlieg Foundation Graduate Student Fellowship for Engineering students. Niehaus is a PhD student in the interdisciplinary Atmospheric Sciences program at Michigan Tech. His advisor is Will Cantrell.
The DeVlieg Foundation has generously provided support for graduate students pursuing research in engineering, wildlife, and biology at Michigan Tech. The award is strongly competitive. The panel was impressed with Joseph Niehaus’ research, publication record, and contribution to the mission of Michigan Tech. He will receive support in the form of stipend plus one-credit of tuition for summer 2015.
Debra Linn joins us as a new secretary starting Monday, February 9, 2015. Debra has strong business/office skills & comes to us from the Baraga-Houghton-Keweenaw Child Development Board.
PhD Students Learn to Communicate their Research
Alex Mayer, the Charles and Patricia Nelson Presidential Professor at Michigan Tech, runs a fellowship program that teaches PhD students in a variety of fields to explain their research in K-12 classrooms and to write news releases to communicate with the public through the media.
Here are this year’s student releases.
Communicating Nanoscience and Engineering – Possibilities and Pitfalls
Nanoscale science and engineering is a flourishing field that holds great potential for solving current and future problems.
But what is the best way to communicate with an audience unfamiliar with the nanoscience and engineering community? Yoke Khin Yap, professor of physics and adjunct professor of materials science and engineering, says, “In order to communicate really effectively, you need to speak in their language.”
Read more at Michigan Tech News, by Jennifer Donovan, Anika Kuczynski and others.
Physics Colloquium
Michigan Technological University
Thursday, February 12, 2015
4:00 pm
Room 139, Fisher Hall
Nanoscale ice crystals–measurements, movies, and meaning
Nathan B. Magee
Associate Professor of Physics
The College of New Jersey
The Michigan Tech chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) has been selected as one of the Distinguished SPS Chapters. The Michigan Tech chapter is part of Zone 09. SPS Chapter Awards are selected by Zone Councilors and Associate Zone Councilors of the SPS National Council.
Chapter recognition is based outreach efforts, community service, and other criteria.
Physics Colloquium
Michigan Technological University
Thursday January 29, 2015
4:00 PM Fisher Hall 139
Photoreactions of the Chromophore-Binding Domain of Bacteriophytochrome
Heli Lehtivuori
Nanoscience Center, Department of Physics, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
Faculty Fellow Program Information Session Jan 27
The Vice President for Research Office will host an information session on the Faculty Fellow Program from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, January 27. The session will be held in room 404 of the Administration Building.
This session will be presented by the 2014 Faculty Fellow recipients: Adrienne Minerick, Yoke Khin Yap and Larry Sutter. They will provide information on the program and share their experience.
The Faculty Fellow Program expands familiarity with Sponsored Program Administration and strategic planning among the faculty, develops leadership capacity among the faculty and improves Sponsored Programs Administration and strategic planning through faculty input. To learn more about the Faculty Fellow Program, please visit the Faculty Fellow Program website.
Registration begins today and ends on January 26. To register, please visit the event’s site.
There will be desserts and beverages provided; please bring your own lunch.
For additional information please contact Cathy Codere at 7-3043 or cmbanfie@mtu.edu.
Department Coordinator Andrea Lappi is a nominee of the 2014 Making a Difference Award in the category “Above and Beyond.” Nominations are posted by the Staff Council. Nominees were honored and award recipients were announced on Wednesday, January 7, 2015, at a reception.
Congratulations to Andrea for this well-deserved nomination!
Lake Superior in my driveway: lake effect snow in the Keweenaw
Raymond Shaw
Carnegie Museum Seminar
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
6:30 pm Refreshments and introductions
7-8 pm Seminar and discussion
Carnegie Museum Community Room, Downtown Houghton
Carnegie Community Natural History Discussion Jan. 13
Professor Raymond Shaw (Physics) will lead a discussion on lake effect snow titled “Lake Superior in My Driveway: Lake Effect Snow in the Keweenaw?” on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at the Carnegie Museum in Houghton.
This discussion is part of a monthly series on the geoheritage and natural history of the Keweenaw. The discussions are aimed at the general public, but discuss current research and science.
The museum will open at 6:30 p.m. for refreshments, with the lecture and discussion beginning at 7 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. For questions, contact the Carnegie Museum at 482-7140.
Lecture: Lake Superior in my driveway: lake effect snow in the Keweenaw?
Professor Shaw explains his discussion: “Whether you enjoy skiing, snow shoeing, or sledding, and in fact even if you simply endure the snow shoveling, lake effect snow is part of daily life in the Keweenaw for almost half of the year. Our peninsular home is surrounded by Lake Superior, which when conditions are right, becomes a giant snow-making machine.”