You are expected to research selected topics in Physics using the library and internet resources in order to prepare oral presentations for the class. The style of the talks is intended to simulate presentations at Physics professional society meetings and research seminars. A short written summary of the content of each talk is required. The summary should include a bibliography.
Each of you will prepare and give two intermediate length (15 to 20 minute) talks and one full class period (40 to 50 minute) talk. The initial selection of topic and initial research for the 20 minute talks must originate in one of the approved review journals. The long talk may originate from any recognized professional source. Each talk must concern itself with a different area of Physics and must not duplicate the topic chosen by another student.
You are expected to practice critical listening skills by being attentive audience members for both fellow student presentations in class and departmental invited speakers at the Thursday afternoon Colloquium. Evaluation forms will be completed for each speech.
Scheduled Meetings |
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Tuesday & Thursday |
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Thursday |
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Actual class meetings depend on speaker schedules. The first meeting was Tuesday, January 15, 2002.
Speaker Schedule |
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Jan. 24 4 pm |
Dr. Yang Zhang, Laboratory of Computational Genomics, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO | "Elasticity of Individual Poly-nucleotide Molecule" |
Feb. 14 4 pm |
Weidong Yang, MTU Physics | "A Non-Fourier-Transform Approach to the Solution of Small Phase Retrieval Problem" |
Feb. 21 4 pm |
Wellesley Pereira, MTU Physics | "Creation of CONtinuous CAMeras for Monitoring the Entire Night Sky: Instrumentation, Data Handling and Creation of a Performance Model" |
Feb. 26 | Nathan Jones Peter Kiefer |
Galactic Core Black Hole Sonoluminescence |
Feb. 28 11 am |
Dan Boline | Neutrinos |
Mar. 14 4 pm |
Paul Sommers, Dept. of Physics, Univ of Utah | "Sneak Preview of the Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory |
Mar. 19 | Peter Kiefer Dan Boline |
Human Powered Flight CP violation |
Mar. 21 11 am |
Nathan Jones | Granular Flows |
Mar. 21 4 pm |
Da Gao, MTU Physics
Anil Kandalam, MTU Physics |
"Monte-Carlo Simulations of Surfaces in a Periodic Layered Structure"
"A DFT Study of Group III Nitride Clusters" |
Mar. 28 4 pm |
Changong Zhou, MTU Physics
Aaron Wilson, MTU Physics |
"Laser Beam Diffraction by Small Circular Aperture" "Spectral Observation Using a Hyperspectral Imager" |
Apr. 4 4 pm |
Alexei Dorofeev, MTU Physics | "Horizontal Air Showers in the Auger Experiment" |
Apr. 9 4 pm |
MTU Physics Graduate Students | Poster Session |
Apr. 11 4 pm |
John Freeman, Dept of Physics & Astronomy, Rice University | "Storms In Space" |
Apr. 18 11 am |
Nathan Jones | Night Sky Photometry With CONCAM |
Apr. 18 4 pm |
Peter Hoffmann, Dept of Physics & Astronomy, Wayne State University | "Touching Atoms and Squeezing Molecules: Nanomechanics and Atomic Force Microscopy" |
Apr. 23 | Peter Kiefer | Single particle Levitation - The Rayleigh Charge Limit |
Apr. 25 11 am |
Dan Boline | NMR: Theory and Applications |
Apr. 25 4 pm |
Heather Lewandowski, JILA, University of Colorado | "Spin Waves In An Ultra-cold Bose Gas" |
Apr. 30 4 pm |
MTU Senior Physics Dept Majors | Undergraduate Symposium |
May 2 4 pm |
John Spijkerman, President, Ranger Scientific, Inc. | "Past, Present and What Future?" |