RESEARCH HOW TOGETTHEMOSTOUTOFYOUREXPERIENCE PHYSCON RECAP PHYSCON TIPS PRESENTATION the GREATAMERICAN ECLIPSE SPS SPS Volume LI,Issue1 the Doing
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the SPSVolume LI, Issue 1 ObserverSPRING 2017 Doing RESEARCH HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR EXPERIENCE + THE GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSE + PRESENTATION TIPS + PHYSCON RECAP Degrees offered. Research specialties. Admissions requirements. Department culture. All you need to know in the palm of your hand. You can search for graduate school programs anytime, anywhere with mobile-friendly gradschoolshopper.com. @gradschoolshopper TABLE OF CONTENTS the SPS Observer SPRING 2017 • VOLUME LI, ISSUE 1 Editor Rachel Kaufman FEATURES Managing Editor Why Research James Merrick Intro: Why Research? . 16 Navigating Your Research Experience and Contributing Editors Making the Most of Rough Waters . 18 Kerry Kidwell-Slak Seven Suggestions on How to Make an Awesome Poster . 20 Kendra Redmond Copy Editor PhysCon Recap Making Waves at PhysCon: The Detection of Gravitational Waves . 22 Cynthia Freeman Art Director Special Feature Tracy Nolis-Schwab Get Ready for the Great American Eclipse . 25 ON THE COVER Degrees offered. Lab saftey glasses in an Layout Designer DEPARTMENTS astronomical laboratory Michael Wernert at Texas A&M University. Research specialties. LETTER SPS President See "Laboratory Safety Reflections on the Society of Physics Students . 05 DJ Wagner, is a Critical Component," Grove City College PATHWAYS on p. 17. Admissions requirements. What to Expect at Your Summer Research Experience . 06 SPS Director My Experience as a Fresh Intern in a New City . 08 Brad R . Conrad Department culture. SINGULARITIES Finding Connections: SPS Student Recognized for Photonics Research and Leadership . 09 STARS Fall 2016 Chapter Awards . 10 1 Physics Ellipse BUILDING BLOCKS All you need to know College Park, MD 20740 Atmospheric Muon Lifetime, Standard Model of Particles, and the Lead Stopping Power for Muon . 12 301 .209 .3007 (tel) INTERACTIONS 301 .209 .0839 (fax) in the palm of your hand. Poetically Speaking . 14 sps@aip .org SPS Chapter Inspires Love Under the Stars . 15 www .spsnational .org PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Recipe for Success: Tips for a Stellar Summer Internship . 26 Preparing an Effective Presentation . 28 PHYSICS PUZZLER Chasing Rainbows, Part 2 . 30 A Physicist’s Best Friend: A Fur-mi Problem . 32 IN THE ZONE Find SPS on: Regional SPS Highlights . 33 MEETING NOTES Sea and Sun and Physics! . 34 The SPS Observer (ISSN 2160-1305) is the maga- tise in physics education and student programs, sci- AIP Member Societies: You can search for graduate school programs anytime, zine of the Society of Physics Students, published ence communication, government relations, career American Association of Physicists in Medicine quarterly by the American Institute of Physics . Print- services for science and engineering professionals, American Association of Physics Teachers anywhere with mobile-friendly gradschoolshopper.com. ed in the USA . Standard postage paid at Freeport, statistical research in physics employment and edu- American Astronomical Society OH . POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The cation, industrial outreach, and the history of physics American Crystallographic Association SPS Observer, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, and allied fields. AIP publishes Physics Today, the American Meteorological Society MD 20740-3841 . most influential and closely followed magazine of the American Physical Society physics community, and is also home to the Society Acoustical Society of America The American Institute of Physics is an organization of Physics Students and the Niels Bohr Library and AVS: Science & Technology of Materials, of scientific societies in the physical sciences, rep- Archives . AIP owns AIP Publishing LLC, a scholarly Interfaces, and Processing resenting scientists, engineers, and educators . AIP publisher in the physical and related sciences . The Optical Society offers authoritative information, services, and exper- www .aip .org The Society of Rheology Other Member Organizations: Sigma Pi Sigma physics honor society @gradschoolshopper Society of Physics Students Corporate Associates More than 3 Million fans. Make sure you aren’t missing out! Like us now. https://www.facebook.com/PhysicsToday/ 4 Spring 2017 • The SPS Observer LETTER Reflections on the Society of Physics Students by DJ Wagner, Outgoing President of the Society of Physics Students Nearly 30 years ago I said “Sure,” More than when a classmate invited me to an SOCIETY OF SPS meeting. That simple response PHYSICS STUDENTS opened doors to a host of opportu- PRESIDENT 2013- 2017 DJ Wagner (left) . nities that continue to this day. As an Photo courtesy of DJ undergraduate student, I participat- Wagner . ed in outreach events that are among 3 Million fans. the most vivid of my college memo- ries and presented my research at a national conference. As a professor, I Make sure you aren’t missing out! Like us now. have supported several SPS chapters and mentored many SPS members . And, as an advisor of two chapters, I have en- couraged students to become involved in outreach and attend professional meet- one interested in physics, not just phys- how to update your resume and informa- https://www.facebook.com/PhysicsToday/ ings . Through taking students to profes- ics majors or people who seem similar tion on the job market . The SPS Jobs site sional meetings, I found out about the to yourself? I encourage each of you to (http://jobs .spsnational .org/) provides job SPS National Council and was encour- think deeply about how to strengthen and postings tailored for SPS members, along aged to run for election . Now, as a mem- expand your chapter’s community, and with profiles of physicists pursuing di- ber of the National Council, I have had to spend chapter meeting time soliciting verse careers . You should check out the the privilege to help guide the society and discussing ideas . Features and related Department articles while meeting and working with countless In addition to enriching your com- within this issue for tools to support your numbers of incredibly talented and dedi- munity, SPS also does an exceptional development as a researcher and inde- cated students and faculty from around job supporting your professional devel- pendent thinker . the world . These opportunities have all opment . In a previous Observer article, Finally, the Society of Physics Stu- occurred because someone asked me to I described the benefits of professional dents is very diverse, not just because a meeting in 1988 . society membership and of attending we advertise that “Physics is for Every- When I reflect on SPS, several themes professional meetings . SPS not only one” and have a strong history of promot- arise: community, professional develop- provides funding for students to attend ing inclusive practices, but also because ment, and diversity . national meetings of the AIP Member So- each chapter is unique, with its own char- SPS is, above all else, a community cieties, it hosts many student-centered acter and structure . SPS embraces those of individuals interested in physics . I ul- meetings: Zone meetings and PhysCon . I differences and provides resources and timately attribute my 30 years of SPS in- first attended a PhysCon in 2004—it was “best practice” advice for chapters of all volvement not to my saying “Sure,” but to the most incredible conference I had ever types. Ultimately, you have to find what my classmate asking me to the meeting . attended. The mix of high-profile speak- works for your chapter—look to SPS for Someone reached out to me personally ers and interactive workshops at what is ideas . And don’t forget to apply for travel, and made me feel that my presence was now the largest assembly of undergradu- outreach, and research awards, scholar- desired . ate physics students in the world is un- ships, and internships! Yet invitations are just the begin- paralleled . Your chapter should start now While it is time for me to cycle off the ning of building a robust community . to fundraise and promote PhysCon 2019 National Council, my connection with When someone arrives at your meeting in Providence, RI . Contact your zone SPS will continue . I have no doubt that or event, is that person welcomed? Do councilor or associate zone councilor for the next 30 years of my SPS experience you mentor underclassmen and encour- fundraising or promotional help . will be just as rewarding as the last 30, age them when they struggle? Is the at- SPS provides a plethora of career and I cannot wait to see the continued mosphere of your meetings and meeting resources . The Careers Toolbox (www . growth and strengthening of this out- space such that all attendees (and po- spsnational .org/careerstoolbox) contains standing organization. I hope you find tential attendees) feel comfortable and useful information and exercises to help your SPS experience just as rewarding! // included? Do you reach out to every- prepare for your career, such as tips on The SPS Observer • Spring 2017 5 PATHWAYS | Advice from Experienced Voices What to Expect at Your Summer Research Experience by Rachel Kaufman, Contributing Writer Congratulations on landing a sum- busy schedule. At the REU at CSU, it's Observer: What else should students ex- mer research position. Research basically something every day . pect as far as the "work" world goes? Experiences for Undergraduates Streletzky: Being flexible is one impor- (REUs) and other summer research Observer: OK. What's important for stu- tant thing . Maybe some days you will experiences are not just great fun but dents to do during week one? have to work in the lab more than eight also important resume builders and a Streletzky: Students need to not be hours, but on other days you don't have great way to expand your network of afraid of questions . They need to get to to do as much . It makes sense to live on peers in the physics community. know the other students in the program, campus . so you are close to your lab If you’ve never done anything like the program coordinator, and the admin- space, and then it's not a problem to stay this before, don’t worry! The professors istrative staff, figuring out who are the later one day .