The Year in Review


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2002 Physics and Astronomy Awards Dinner

On Wednesday, May 1, faculty members of the UWSP Department of Physics and Astronomy hosted our annual awards dinner honoring all undergraduate physics majors at the University. Of special note during the dinner was a fond farewell to Robyn Calvey, student assistant in the department office the past four years, and also the recognition of Nancy Stokosa, Program Assistant in Physics and Astronomy, for 20 years of service to the institution. Please click on the links below to share in this festive occasion.

- Bob Beeken, Chairman of Physics & Astronomy

2002 Information

 Scholarship Recipients

Freshman Scholarship ($500)
  • Jesse Bier (Janesville, WI)
  • Sheri Bontrager (Elkhart, IN)
  • Donnel Schommer (Wrightstown, WI)
Monica Bainter Scholarship ($500)
  • Josh Garbe
  • Paul Messman
  • Nick Petersen
  • Mike Stoneman
Arthur Pesja Award ($1000)
  • Jerry White
Monica Bainter Memorial Award ($1500)
  • Brian Yulga

 Graduating Seniors

Jason Bree - Accepted a technical staff position with CC&N, Pewaukee, Wisconsin.
 
Jason Slattery - Accepted for graduate study in physics at the University of Iowa.
 
Mark Reiser - Plans to travel extensively before applying to graduate school or industry.
 

Mark Reiser, first UWSP graduate to conduct astronomical research at Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona.

 Department Highlights

Society of Physics Students
Professor Greg Taft - Advisor

  • Visited UW-LaCrosse to hear Nobel Laureate Steven Chu speak about laser assisted atom trapping. 
  • Participated in a balloon launch for Professor Dan Rislove's Near Space Project.
  • Sponsored two model rocket launches for grade-school age children throughout central Wisconsin.

Major Field Test in Physics - 2002
Each spring, our senior physics majors are required to take the Major Field Test administered by Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ. This year, the five students who wrote the exam collectively scored in the top 7% nationally.

Academy of Letters and Science Awards

  • Mark Reiser - graduating senior.
  • Brian Yulga - continuing student.

Student Research

  • John Faludi, Wendy Schreier, and Jared Tritz co-authored the paper "Ionic Conductivity in Copper Substituted Ag2CdI4" with Professor Bob Beeken appearing in the journal Solid State Ionics.
  • Josh Garbe, Paul Messman, Paul Omernik, Nick Petersen, Jason Slattery, and Adam Voltz contributed poster or oral presentations to the UWSP College of Letters and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Kitt Peak National Observatory Project

  • Professors Katie Jore, Randy Olson, Dan Rislove, and David Tamres received University funds for clear-sky observation sessions near Tucson, Arizona.
  • Mark Reiser became the first UWSP undergraduate to conduct astronomical research at the Kitt Peak facility.

Laser Physics

  • Dr. Laszlo Nanai, Fulbright Scholar from the University of Szeged in Hungary, joined the UWSP Physics Department during Fall Semester 2001 to conduct collaborative research with Chancellor Tom George and Professors Greg Taft and Kameshwar Razdan.
  • A research group from UW-Madison arranged for collaborative investigations with Professor Greg Taft using the Femtosecond Laser Laboratory at UWSP.

Upcoming Professional Travel Plans

  • Professor Mick Veum will spend the summer months engaged in research with collaborators at the University of Minnesota.
  • Paul Messman has been accepted as a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) participant to work with Professor Veum in Minneapolis.
  • Brian Yulga has been accepted into a similar REU Program at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
  • Jessica Gillis will spend a Semester Abroad in Australia during the course of the next academic year. 
Physics major Paul Messman, explaining his poster presentation at the UWSP College of Letters and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium held April 27, 2002.
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