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Berkeley rev.( white) Berkeley rev.( FALL 2014 reversed out (white) reversed IN THIS ISSUE Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory Tabletop Physics Bringing More Women into Physics ALUMNI NEWS AND MORE! Cover: The MAVEN satellite mission uses instrumentation developed at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory to explore the physics behind the loss of the Martian atmosphere. It’s a continuation of Berkeley astrophysicist Robert Lin’s pioneering work in solar physics. See p 7. photo credit: Lockheed Martin Physics at Berkeley 2014 Published annually by the Department of Physics Steven Boggs: Chair Anil More: Director of Administration Maria Hjelm: Director of Development, College of Letters and Science Devi Mathieu: Editor, Principal Writer Meg Coughlin: Design Additional assistance provided by Sarah Wittmer, Sylvie Mehner and Susan Houghton Department of Physics 366 LeConte Hall #7300 University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA 94720-7300 Copyright 2014 by The Regents of the University of California FEATURES 4 12 18 Berkeley’s Space Tabletop Physics Bringing More Women Sciences Laboratory BERKELEY THEORISTS INVENT into Physics NEW WAYS TO SEARCH FOR GOING ON SIX DECADES UC BERKELEY HOSTS THE 2014 NEW PHYSICS OF EDUCATION AND SPACE WEST COAST CONFERENCE EXPLORATION Berkeley theoretical physicists Ashvin FOR UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN Vishwanath and Surjeet Rajendran IN PHYSICS Since the Space Lab’s inception are developing new, small-scale in 1959, Berkeley physicists have Women physics students from low-energy approaches to questions played important roles in many California, Oregon, Washington, usually associated with large-scale of the nation’s space-based scientific Alaska, and Hawaii gathered on high-energy particle experiments. endeavors while educating hundreds campus to learn how a physics of successful space scientists. degree can lead to satisfying careers in academia and beyond. DEPARTMENTS 2 LETTER FROM THE CHAIR 20 DONOR SPOTLIGHT 22 DEPARTMENT NEWS 30 IN MEMORY 33 PHYSICS IN THE MEDIA 37 UNDERGRADUATE AFFAIRS 40 GRADUATE AFFAIRS 44 ALUMNI AFFAIRS LETTER FROM THE CHAIR photo credit: Ben Ailes Dear Alumni, Parents, Colleagues and Friends, New Campbell Hall Greetings from Berkeley! As I write, New Campbell Hall construction is winding down and we have started moving into the new building, which will Has it really been a year? Serving as Chair of Berkeley’s be completed by the end of the Fall semester. New Campbell Department of Physics continues to be an incredibly rewarding Hall will then revert to its old moniker – Campbell Hall – as experience. I am proud of the accomplishments of our physics renovations will be complete. While there are boxes everywhere community this past year, and look forward to our new adven- and quite a few construction workers still making final touches tures in 2014-2015. here and there, the new space is really quite amazing. Berkeley Physics Ranks #1 The open layout and third-floor bridge between Campbell The 2014 Academic Ranking of World Universities ranked and LeConte Halls will better integrate the astrophysics communi- Berkeley Physics the #1 physics department worldwide. This ties in the Physics and Astronomy Departments, providing many ranking, also known as the “Shanghai Ranking,” has become opportunities for collaboration. The Berkeley Center for one of the most closely watched and respected rankings since Cosmological Physics (BCCP), will have a new and visible home its first compilation in 2003. It is strongly focused towards on the third floor of Campbell Hall, right beside the bridge to research excellence, and our movement into the top position is LeConte. This arrangement will completely change the dynamic of an incredible achievement – one that reflects the combined LeConte Hall, bringing the open and interactive design of Campbell accomplishments of our students, faculty, and alumni as well as across to LeConte. I am excited to see what new collaborations the support of our friends and staff. and discoveries are enabled by this new infrastructure. I am proud that Berkeley Physics shines in research excel- New Learning Center for Undergraduates lence while also fulfilling our sacred teaching mission – continuing Moving forward, the completion of New Campbell Hall frees up to produce more undergraduate majors of any university in the the construction project management space on the first floor of nation. Thank you for your strong support in making Cal the best LeConte Hall. It's the perfect venue for a new student opportu- place on earth for students to pursue their physics education nity–the Undergrad Collaboration and Learning Center (UCLC). and for faculty to excel in research. The UCLC will provide a visible home for our majors in the department, providing space for quiet study and collaboration, Academic Ranking of World Universities in Physics-2014 social interaction, peer mentoring, as well as dedicated space for 1 University of California-Berkeley our active student groups. The Campus has recently approved our 2 Princeton University plan, and we have begun a detailed design and study phase to 3 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) optimize use. Your feedback and ideas are welcome, as will be 4 Harvard University your support. We will be actively seeking partners for our official 5 California Institute of Technology UCLC Campaign. Contact our new Development and Communications Director, Susan Houghton at shoughton@ Source: shanghairanking.com berkeley.edu, for more details. 2 Physics at Berkeley | Fall 2014 Undergraduate Physics Degrees: ate student mentor in a semester-long program that includes PhD Degree Institutions 2010-2012 advising, small-group discussions, special events, and excursions. Institution Degrees The goal of the program is to foster closer ties among our undergrad students through small group interactions, ties that University of California-Berkeley 118 will help support them throughout their undergraduate careers Massachusetts Institute of Technology 86 here at Berkeley. This program has already been an incredible Cornell University, All Campuses 80 success. Over 150 students are enrolled for the Fall 2014 semester, University of Washington - Seattle 68 well beyond our expectations. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 64 Focus on Communications Source: American Physical Society At the start of this semester the Berkeley Department of Physics launched a new website. I hope you’ve had a chance to peruse it and Student-Led Initiatives to re-connect with us! Over a year in the making, it is designed to Our students never cease to amaze me with their boundless provide much better accessibility to breaking news and current enthusiasm for physics and their dedication to enhancing the events in the department. The site is very much a work in prog- educational environment for their peers. This past year our ress – please visit physics.berkeley.edu and give us your feedback. students founded IGenSpectrum, an organization to promote We want to hear from all alumni, friends, and colleagues. community and visibility for LGBT students in the department. I am also pleased to welcome Susan Houghton, our new To our knowledge, this is the first university department-level Director of Development and Communications. Susan has a lot LGBT organization in physics in the nation. IGenSpectrum of exciting ideas for expanding the started a speaker series as well as a Berkeley Physics communications pres- peer-mentoring program for summer ence and I look forward to being able to research students. They have already share new discoveries and memorable had a major impact on enhancing the BERKELEY CONtiNUES TO events in the department with you as environment of the department. PRODUCE MORE PHYSICS they happen. The student-led Career Development Initiative for the Physical Sciences (CDIPS) UNDERGRADUATES MAJORS Public Events is entering its third year of educating OF ANY UNIVERSitY IN Berkeley Physics hosts a number of public graduate and postgraduate students for THE NAtiON. events throughout the year, and you are careers outside academia, and strength- welcome and encouraged to attend. ening ties between academic science Looking forward to the Spring semester, and industry. These students are run- you are invited to attend the ning an incredibly successful speaker Oppenheimer Lecture on February 23, series that hosts Berkeley PhD alumni 2015. Andrei Linde, Professor of Physics successful in non-academic or non-traditional careers to inform at Stanford, will be talking about inflation in the early universe. the students about the wide variety of careers available to PhD On March 9, Eric Betzig, 2014 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, students in the physical sciences. I encourage any of our alumni will discuss his revolutionary microscopy techniques in a special who might be interested in sharing their career experiences to be public lecture. in touch with us. Contact Gabe Dunn at [email protected]. Of course we always look forward to a great turnout for the ever-popular Cal Day. Please join us for the next CalDay, on Berkeley Connect Saturday April 18. Physics joined a handful of other departments on campus this I encourage you to learn more in the following pages about past Spring in piloting Berkeley Connect, a new mentoring pro- the outstanding research and exciting activities going on in gram at Cal. Berkeley Connect offers undergraduate students a Berkeley Physics. Your support and participation in our program chance to connect with their peers, graduate students, profes- is appreciated. You play a critical role in creating the opportuni- sors, and alumni based on a shared love of (in our case) physics. ties for our students and faculty to excel. Best wishes for 2014-15! This program pairs a small undergraduate group with a gradu- – Steve Boggs Fall 2014 | Physics at Berkeley 3 BERKELEY’S SPACE SCIENCES LabORATORY GOING ON SIX DECADES OF EDUCATION AND SPACE EXPLORATION 4 Physics at Berkeley | Fall 2014 n the tree-shaded hillside high above the Berkeley campus sits a scientific facility created specifical- ly for investigations that must be conducted above Earth’s atmo- sphere.
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