Physics Talks and Seminars
Fall Semester 2011: Fridays 2:40pm, Carnegie 204
September 23: Prof. Mark Battle, Bowdoin College
Title TBA
September 30: Prof. Emeritus Glen Schmieg, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
"Whirlpools, Dust Devils and Tornadoes"
A fun-filled, non-technical presentation including exciting demonstrations and interesting slides. Professor Schmieg consults for museums and enjoys giving non-technical presentations about physics to the general public. He is a co-author of the textbook "Physics In Everyday Life" and has published papers in professional journals on special and general relativity, classical mechanics and classical electromagnetic theory. Dr. Schmieg also does forensic work in physics, specializing in cases that involve natural gas explosions, and was the Secretary/Treasurer of the Electrostatics Association of America.
October 7, Prof. Emeritus Thomas Greenslade, Kenyon College
"Physics and Art"
Do you know how the Irish plan to revive their economy? How do you build a cathedral without those annoying buttresses? What is the best place to eavesdrop on your friends? How does a spider add color to its web? How do you put a spectre into a play? These, and many other questions, will be answered in this talk.
October 14: Prof. Duncan Tate, Colby College
"Ultra-cold Neutral Plasmas"
Ultra-cold neutral plasmas (UNPs) are made by photoionization of cold atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT). The temperature of the ions is the same as that of the parent atoms, of order 100 microKelvin, while the electron temperature can be controlled in the range 0-1000 K by the frequency of the ionization laser. On the other hand, the plasma electron density is determined by the ionization laser intensity. In a UNP, one therefore has the possibility of approaching the strongly coupled plasma regime, where the particle electrostatic potential energies become comparable with their kinetic energies, and where ion correlation phenomena may be manifested. Furthermore, experiments can be carried out with precisely controllable initial conditions, making UNPs useful test systems for evaluation of theoretical plasma modeling techniques. At Colby, we are interested in two kinds of experiments. First, we are investigating the possibility of cooling UNPs using Rydberg atoms, and second, we are using radio-frequency waves to study plasma oscillations in the UNP with the goal of extracting information on the plasma expansion velocity. My talk will describe our progress in both these areas.
November 4: Prof. Laurie Butler, University of Chicago
Title TBA
November 11: Prof. Jeff Kenney, Yale University
Title TBA
December 2: Prof. James Valles, Brown University
"Manipulating Life with Intense Magnetic Fields"
The materials in cells are primarily diamagnetic and thus, respond weakly to
terrestrial magnetic fields. Nevertheless, magnetic fields are available
that are sufficiently intense to align biopolymers such as microtubules and
biomolecular assemblies such as cell membranes. In addition, common organic
materials can be magnetically levitated. We are exploiting these weak
intrinsic responses to manipulate cellular processes. I will describe our
work on two systems. We have found that magnetic fields alter the geometry
of the early cell divisions of frog eggs. Our efforts to determine the
mechanism have led to new insight into the factors that control the nominal
cell division geometry. Most recently, we have applied magnetic forces and
torques on the swimming single-cell organism, Paramecium, which
substantially change its swimming direction and speed. I will describe our
efforts to use these effects to study the origins of its remarkable
sensitivity to the body force of gravity.
Winter Semester 2011: Fridays 2:40pm, Carnegie 204
January 21: Prof. Emeritus Glen Schmieg, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
"Small Shocks, Big Sparks and Electrocutions"
January 28: Robert Bluhm, Colby College
Title TBA
February 4: Prof. Emily Maher, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Title TBA
March 11: Dr. Charles Clark, NIST/Joint Quantum Institute
Title TBA
April 1: Dr. Ted Corcovilos, Pennsylvania State University
Title TBA
Fall Semester 2010: Fridays 2:40pm, Carnegie 204
September 17: Professor Gregory Tarlé, (University of Michigan) special time: 7pm, Carnegie 204
"Illuminating dark energy: a staged approach"
October 8: Professor Jack Harris (Yale University, Department of Physics and Applied Physics)
"New measurements of persistent currents in normal metal rings"
October 15: Dr. Wes Campbell (Joint Quantum Institute/ University of Maryland)
October 29: Professor Peter Glanz (Rhode Island College)
November 5: Professor Tom Baumgarte (Bowdoin College)
December 3: Dr. Amy Cassidy (NIST)
"Return to equilibrium: quantum quenches in cold atoms"
Winter Semester 2010: Fridays 2:40pm, Carnegie 114
February 4 (special time: Thursday @ 11am): Dr. Trey Porto (NIST)
"Quantum simulation and computing with ultra-cold atoms in optical lattices"
February 12: Professor Sarah Demers (Yale University)
"Hunting for New Physics at the LHC with ATLAS"
March 5: Nicole Hastings (Bates College)
"Improving our view of Cumulonimbus: a combination of ground, air and satellite-based cloud measurements"
March 12: Dr. Andrew Berglund (NIST)
"Photons, Nanometers, and Nanoseconds: Optical Measurement of Nanoscale Dynamics"
March 19: Professor Protik Majumder (Williams College)
April 2: Professor Gavin King '97 (University of Missouri)
Fall Semester 2009
September 18: Professor Mark D. Semon (Bates College) October 16: Professor Robyn Millan (Dartmouth College) October 30: Professor Scott Hughes (MIT) December 4 : Professor Chad Orzel (Union College)
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Winter Semester 2009
January 24: Dr. Amy Lytle (University of Colorado and JILA)
"Extreme Nonlinear Optics: Understanding and Manipulating High-order Harmonic Generation"
January 29: Professor Lilian Childress (Bates College)
"Single Electronic Spins in Diamond: Quantum Information, Metrology and the Pursuit of Coherence"
February 8: Patty Goodale Judy '99 (University of Virginia)
"The Physics of Radiology"
February 26: Dr. Lori Goldner (NIST)
"Single Molecule Biophysics in Femtoliter Containers"
March 7: Professor (Emeritus) Steve Childress (Courant Institute of Mathematics)
"Swimming and Flying in Antarctica: Flapping Flight and Ciliated Motion in Creatures that Live under the Ice"
March 21: Thomas Bohan, Ph. D and J.D., President - American Academy of Forensic Scientists
"The Adventures of a Physicist in Forensic Science"
March 24: Dr. John T. Giblin Jr. (Yale University)
"Gravitational Waves: A New View of the Universe"
April 10: Professor Thomas Burbine (Mt. Holyoke College)
"Asteroids as Geologic Bodies "