If you scroll way down the list of this year’s Goldwater Scholarship winners, you’ll find: Peter John Bonventre Institution: Union College Major(s): Physics/Mathematics Career Goal: Ph.D. in Mathematics or Physics. Conduct research and teach at the university level. Pete’s one of our junior physics majors. He’s done summer work on both nuclear physics and condensed… Continue reading Congratulations to Peter Bonventre
Category: Education
Wanted: Short Films About Lasers
Physics Central is having a contest: Do you love lasers? Ever wanted to unravel the mystery of the stimulated emission? Then the LaserFest video contest is for you. Take any laser you want and use it to somehow express a physics concept. Shine, lase, bounce and wave your way into physics history. The winner will… Continue reading Wanted: Short Films About Lasers
What Every Dog Should Know About Quantum Physics
I gave a talk today for a group of local home-school students and parents, on the essential elements of quantum physics. The idea was to give them a sense of what sets quantum mechanics apart from other theories of physics, and why it’s a weird and wonderful thing. The title is, of course, a reference… Continue reading What Every Dog Should Know About Quantum Physics
Congratulations to Frederick Franke and James Morton
I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m on the local committee that selects nominees for the Watson Fellowship, which is one of the best committees to be on, because you get to interact with some of our best students doing things that they really love. This year, we’re thrilled to have two of our nominees… Continue reading Congratulations to Frederick Franke and James Morton
Other People Need Your Help
Several items in the general category of charitable activity: Kate is running the Con or Bust auction again this year, with proceeds going to support people of color interested in attending SFF cons, principally Wiscon. Bidding is open through Saturday at 11:59pm ET, and items up for bid include many things that may be of… Continue reading Other People Need Your Help
Many Worlds, Many Treats: The Movie
Another dramatic reading of a chapter from How to Teach Physics to Your Dog, just because. This is Chapter 4, which is based on the original Many Worlds, Many Treats post that kick-started the whole thing: I’m sitting at the computer typing, when Emmy bumps up against my legs. I look down, and she’s sniffing… Continue reading Many Worlds, Many Treats: The Movie
Amazing Laser Application 5: Optical Data Storage!
What’s the application? CD and DVD players use lasers to read (and in some cases write) digital information from convenient plastic disks. What problem(s) is it the solution to? 1) “How do we store a large amount of digital information in a convenient and stable fashion?” 2) “How do we make everybody buy the White… Continue reading Amazing Laser Application 5: Optical Data Storage!
Laser Smackdown Update
A couple of weeks ago, I announced a contest to determine the Most Amazing Laser Application. What with one thing and another, this didn’t get posted last week, but I don’t intend to drop it completely, and will be finishing the series up in the next week or so. Here’s the list of finalists, with… Continue reading Laser Smackdown Update
The Faulty Fluid Dynamics of Hotel Environmentalism
Boskone this past weekend was held at the Westin Waterfront in Boston, which has these funky double showerheads that they charmingly call the “Heavenly(R) Shower” (hype aside, they are very nice showers). The picture at right is courtesy of lannalee on Twitter, as I didn’t bring a camera. Why am I telling you this? Because… Continue reading The Faulty Fluid Dynamics of Hotel Environmentalism
Amazing Laser Application 2: Laser Cooling!
What’s the application? Using lasers to reduce the speed of a sample of atoms, thereby reducing their temperature to a tiny fraction of a degree above absolute zero. What problem(s) is it the solution to? 1) “How can I make this sample of atoms move slowly enough to measure their properties very accurately?” 2) “How… Continue reading Amazing Laser Application 2: Laser Cooling!