Department Highlights - Spring Semester 2003
HIGH ACHIEVING STUDENTS:
- Valedictorian 1992; Salutatorian 1994; Tri-Valedictorian 1997; Valedictorian 2001.
- Goldwater Scholar 1997-2000.
- Over 60 undergraduate majors, more than twice the average for a university our size.
- 100% of Engineering Physics graduates since 1993 have passed the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) Exam, the first step toward becoming a licensed professional engineer.
- Twenty current students qualified for membership in Sigma Pi Sigma, the national physics honor society.
EADERS IN TEACHING AND RESEARCH:
- Received over $6.5 million dollars in externally funded research grants in FY2000-2003.
- Professor C. Thomas Hess – winner of the 1999 Presidential Research and Creative Achievement Award.
- Professor Neil Comins – coauthor of the world's leading introductory astronomy textbook.
- Professor William Unertl – winner of the 1993 Presidential Research and Creative Achievement Award.
- Professor R. Dean Astumian – selected as a fellow in the American Physics Society.
- Professor Charles Smith - winner of the 1978 University Distinguished Professor Award
- One of a dozen U.S. physics departments offering a Ph.D. in Physics specializing in physics education research.
- Recently awarded (with Chemistry, Mathematics Education) a $1.2 million appropriation for A Model Program to Enhance Science and Mathematics Education.
- Ph.D. recipients (2000-2002) are now serving as research fellows or faculty at Carnegie Mellon University, Franklin and Marshall College, and the University of Arizona.
- First Engineering Physics program to be accredited in the United States of America.
And in other Physics Department news:
Jace Cohen, a senior Physics major, was the Department's selection to present his research at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Research Conference, April 26, 2003.
Jeffrey Morgan, a Ph.D. candidate in Physics, working with Assistant Professor Michael Wittmann, was chosen to receive the American Association of Physics Teachers Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award for 2003.
Graduate Students presenting their research during the Student Research and Creative Achievement week, April 19-27, 2003 included:
Former student, Christie Larochelle, Ph.D., "Spectroscopic Properties of Lanthanide Ion complexes of Mixed-Metal (Gold-Silver) Dicyanides"
Travis Gould and Vincente Guiseppe, "Spatial Distribution of Waterborne Radon in Air in a Maine Elementary School Kitchen"
James Kenneally, "Fracture Mechanics in Glaciology" (2nd Place winner)
K. Simon Krughoff, "Independence of Regions Using Non-Linear Optimization Through Simulated Annealing" (2nd Place winner)
Jeffrey T. Morgan, "An Investigation into Student Understanding of Tunneling"
Matthew D. Robinson, "Local Ordering and Structure in the Ising Antiferromagnet on a Triangular Lattice with Quenched Dilution"
S. Vaitheeswaran, "Interactions of Water Molecules in a Carbon Nanotube with Electric Fields"
Vincente Guiseppe, Ph.D. candidate in Physics, was the Coordinator for this graduate research exposition.
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Francis Crowe Award Ceremony - May 16, 2003
Inductees:
Dr. John Thompson, Assistant Professor in Physics
Dr. Michael Wittmann, Assistant Professor in Physics
Charles Wallace, EPS 1965 (Physics Department Alumnus)
Ceara McNally, EPS 2003 (Physics Department Graduating Senior)
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Graduation - May 17, 2003
The Department held a Reception for Graduates, Families and Friends on Saturday, May 17th, at 12:30 p.m. in 114 Bennett Hall.
Graduating Students
Undergraduates:
Robert Bovill, B.S. in Physics
Shea Brown, B.A. in Physics
Crystal Carr, B.S. in Engineering Physics
James Cohen, B.A. in Physics
Tyson Machado, B.S. in Engineering Physics
Joel Ngue Mba, B.S. in Engineering Physics
Ceara McNally, B.S. in Engineering Physics
Jon Moore, B.S. in Engineering Physics
Jonathan Moyer, B.S. in Physics
Benjamin Richards, Preparatory coursework for graduate school
Jacob Simmons, B.S. in Engineering Physics
Michael Tripp, B.S. in Physics
Graduate Students:
Luke Doucette, M.S. in Physics
Ivan Georgiev, Ph.D. in Physics
James Keneally, Ph.D. in Physics
Mary Jo Norris, M.S. in Physics
Matthew Robinson, M.S. in Physics
Zhongyu Yang, M.S. in Physics
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