2018 FALL MACALESTER ACADEMIC UPDATE

Physics and Astronomy

The business of the Physics and Sung Kyu Kim, professor emeritus, is the Tayeb Zaidi ’17 (Oakland, Calif.), “The Astronomy Department is nothing author of Physics: The Fabric of Reality Wavelet Methods for Photometric less than the entire universe. Logical and co-author of Modern Physics for Supernova Classification” Scientists and Engineers. He directs the and analytical skills are emphasized Hannah Johlas ’16 (Ogden, Ill.), “The Macalester Summer Physics Institute in courses that cover the theoretical, Effects of Foundation Damping on for pre-medical students. He is the computational, and experimental Structural Demands in Yaw-Misaligned recipient of the 1993 Burlington Northern aspects of physical science. The Offshore Wind Turbines” physics major is designed to prepare Excellence in Teaching Award. Noah Lupu-Gladstein ’16 (Silver Spring, students for employment in industry Tonnis ter Veldhuis, professor, is a Md.), “Electrical and Morphological and for graduate studies in physics theoretical elementary particle physicist. Characterization of Annealed Thin- and related professional fields such as He investigates the basic interactions films of Solution Deposited Cu2Se between the fundamental constituents of engineering and applied mathematics. Nanoparticles” Students planning to specialize in matter. Macalester students frequently astronomy-related fields take work with him on research projects Resources using data produced at the Large Hadron additional courses in advanced astro- The Macalester Observatory includes Collider and other experimental facilities physics and observational astronomy a spectrograph and a DFM 16-inch to test and constrain extensions of the to complete their major. Students may telescope with science-grade CCD standard model of elementary particle major or minor in physics, or major in camera and filters. A supporting physics. physics with an astronomy emphasis. astronomy research lab includes Faculty Recent Topics Courses advanced computing facilities for data analysis. John Cannon, professor and chair, is an Biophysics The department’s facilities include state- observational astronomer with a focus Condensed Matter Physics of-the-art computers for computational on nearby galaxies. Using data from a Cosmology projects, computer interfacing of variety of ground-based and space-based experiments, and coursework. A observatories, he works with students to Extrasolar Planets and Astrobiology 72-processor parallel computing system understand the nature and evolution of Introduction to Einstein’s Theory of can do simulations in particle physics and these galaxies in the local universe. General Relativity cosmology. James Doyle, professor, is an Nanoscience Vacuum deposition and mass experimentalist in plasma and spectrometer systems support materials physics with an emphasis on Science of Renewable Energy experiments on the physics and materials used in thin film solar cells chemistry of deposition of thin films and biomaterials. Students are regular Recent Honors Projects by sputtering and plasma-enhanced participants in his studies of reactive Catie Ball ’18 (Seattle), “Star Formation chemical vapor deposition. sputtering, computer modeling of plasma Diagnostics in the Cosmic Eye” systems, and plasma-enhanced chemical A femtosecond time-resolved laser Brian Eisner ’18 (Portland, Ore.), vapor deposition. spectroscopy laboratory supports “Surveying Radio Line Spectra of Nearby research in condensed matter physics James Heyman, professor, is interested Galaxies” and the studies of thin films and in experimental condensed matter Alex Gordon ’18 (Chicago), “A Narrowband semiconductor quantum wells at low physics and ultrafast laser spectroscopy. Emission-Line Survey of the Large temperatures and high magnetic fields. Students regularly collaborate with him Magellanic Cloud” in his research on ultrafast processes in Extensive facilities support advanced semiconductors and the generation of Theo Jacobson ’18 (San Diego), student research in spectroscopy, picosecond pulses of electromagnetic “Gravitational Leptogenesis and One- semiconductor physics, electronics, and radiation. He is the recipient of the 2017 Loop Effective Actions” materials science. Jack and Marty Rossmann Excellence in Elizabeth Ruvolo ’18 (Ottawa Hills, Ohio), The science division’s Keck Laboratory Teaching Award. “SHIELD: The HI Mass - Diameter houses a scanning electron microscope, Relation” atomic force microscope, gamma-ray spectrometer, X-ray diffractometer, and an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (new in 2017). Physics and Astronomy

Research Paul Chery ’18 (Peoria, Ariz.), Louisiana After Macalester State University, researched magnetic Participation in an original research Catie Ball ’18 (Bellevue, Wash.) is in the materials and spintronics. project is a requirement for the physics PhD program in astrophysics at Cornell degree. Seniors publish their work in Brian Eisner ’18 (Portland, Ore.), National University. the Macalester Journal of Physics and Radio Astronomy Observatory REU Paul Chery ’18 (Peoria, Ariz.) is employed Astronomy, an online peer-reviewed Program, “Surveying Radio Line Spectra at 3M, in Maplewood, Minn. journal. of Nearby Galaxies” Brian Eisner ’18 (Portland, Ore.) is in Many students have also co-authored Alex Gordon ’18 (Chicago), Cerro Tololo the PhD program in astrophysics at the publications in the Journal of Applied (Chile) Inter-American Observatory REU: University of Virginia. Physics, Applied Physics Letters, Physical “A Narrowband Emission-Line Survey of Review, The Astrophysical Journal, the Large Magellanic Cloud” Theo Jacobson ’18 (San Diego) is in the PhD program in physics at the University The Astronomical Journal, and Physica Kelsey Harmatta ’17 (Seattle), Lehigh of Minnesota. E. They have given presentations at University REU Program, “Altering Fate: meetings of the American Physical Attempting to Control Neural Stem Cell Elizabeth Ruvolo ’18 (Ottawa Hills, Ohio) Society, the Optical Society of America, Division from Inside and Out” is employed at Epic, in Madison, Wis. the Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference, the American Ian Luebbers ’17 (Downingtown, Pa.), Alex Gordon ’18 (Chicago) is employed Vacuum Society, and the American UNC Chapel Hill REU Program, “Tracing by AmeriCorps in the Schuler Scholar Astronomical Society. Dust Grains From Supernovae to the Solar Program. Nebula” Elliot Weiss ’17 (Florence, Mass.) is an Research Experiences Elliot Weiss ’17 (Florence, Mass.), Mayo intern at Italian biotechnology firm Away from Campus graduate school Summer Undergraduate DiaSorin, Stillwater, Minn. Lilly Bralts-Kelly ’20 (Champaign, Ill.), Research Fellowship, “Evaluating Phase Sophia Wiedmann ’17 (St. Paul) is a Peace Montana State REU Program, “Spatial and Estimation Techniques in MR Images Corps volunteer teaching science in Spectral Evolution of Solar Flares in the Accelerated Using SENSE Encoding and Maputo, Mozambique. HXRs and Ultraviolet” Homodyne Processing” Tayeb Ziadi ’17 (Oakland, Calif.) is an Alyssa Bulatek ’20 (Roscoe, Ill.), Wesleyan Tayeb Zaidi ’17 (Oakland, Calif.), Kitt Peak intern at the Center for Devices and University REU program, “Constraining National Observatory REU Program, Radiological Health, Office of Science Dust Structure in the Protoplanetary “Supernova Photometric Lightcurve and Engineering Laboratories, Division of Disks Around V4046 Sgr, MWC 480, and Classification”; additional experience at Biomedical Physics, U.S. Food and Drug DM Tau” New York Institute of Technology Administration, Silver Spring, Md. Riley McGlasson ’20 (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Study Abroad John Carlson ’16 (Clive, Iowa) is in University of Alabama in Huntsville, the master’s program in mechanical NASA Marshall Space Flight Center REU Catie Ball ’18 (Bellevue, Wash.) and engineering at Washington University. program, “Magnetic Flux Cancellation as Bridget Reilly ’18 (Mendham, N.J.), the Trigger Mechanism of Solar Coronal University of Glasgow, Scotland Hannah Johlas ’16 (Ogden, Ill.) is in the Jets” Paul Chery ’18 (Peoria, Ariz.) and Abbie PhD program in mechanical engineering at the University of Massachusetts. Andrew Mizener ’20 (Omaha, Neb.), Cotter ’18 (Madison, Wis.), Nanyang Louisiana State University REU program, Technological University, Singapore Noah Lupu-Gladstein ’16 (Silver Spring, “Simulating the Nucleosynthesis in R Ian Luebbers ’17 (Downingtown, Pa.), Md.) is in the PhD program in physics at Coronae Borealis Stars Across a Multitude St. Catherine’s College, Oxford University, the University of Toronto. of Nuclear Reaction Networks” England Ari Weiland ’16 (Highland Park, Ill.) is a Catie Ball ’18 (Bellevue, Wash), Cornell Karin Stevens ’17 (Mahtomedi, Minn.) and software engineer at Google in Mountain University REU Program, “Star Formation Elizabeth Ruvolo ’18 (Ottawa Hills, Ohio), View, Calif. Diagnostics in the Cosmic Eye” University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Elliot Weiss ’17 (Florence, Mass.), King’s Updated August 2018 College, London, England macalester.edu/physics