Physics major Joy Thompson will participate in the 2023 IU-MSI STEM initiative at IUB this summer. Joy has become quite involved in the SPS, while also progressing into upper-level physics courses and looks forward to diving into research this summer. She will receive a CTS scholarship for the 2023 – 2024 academic year and is on track to graduate in Spring 2024; she hopes to then pursue graduate studies in physics.
Three students received the B.S. in Physics this year:
Jordan and Preston were both present for our commencement on Tuesday, May 9th, and that provided us with the opportunity to get a photo with two consecutive Student Excellence Award in Physics winners, as Jordan received it in 2022, and Preston won it this year.
We were pleased to formally announce scholarship and award winners at the May 5th, 2023, Honors Night for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.
For the 2023 – 2024 academic year, we will award six CTS Scholarship in Physics:
And, we will award three Ƶ Scholarship in Physics:
Finally, the 2023 recipient of the Student Excellence Award in Physics & Astronomy is Preston Porter.
Congratulations to All!!
Here’s a group photo from Honors Night:
Sabrina Whitaker, nee Huggins, graduated with a BS in physics in 2007 after working with Prof. Henry Scott to investigate the equation of state of Fe3P-schreibersite. Afterward, she earned an MS in Earth science from The Ohio State University in 2009 with a thesis related to rubidium and potassium in Earth’s core.
After graduating from OSU, Sabrina spent time at Ehime University, Japan, as a science editor and worked with scientists from Japan, China, France, and Germany, many of whom she still edits for today. Subsequent returning to the US, she earned a Masters of Arts in Teaching physics from Stony Brook University in December 2015. She is certified to teach physics, Earth science, and general science for grades 5-12 and also has her Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages certificate. She received the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship for working in high-needs districts, and she received the Albert Shanker grant as she is currently pursuing National Board Certification.
Sabrina began teaching in 2016 and moved to Farmingdale High School in 2017. She currently teaches high-school physics as well as dual-credit college forensics through the Syracuse University Project Advance program. In 2022, she became the English as a New Language Summer Literacy and Community STEM Teacher Coordinator. In January 2023, she became a New York State Master Teacher. Sabrina serves on the Seal of Civic Readiness Committee and the Science Curriculum Review Committee. She is a co-advisor for Farmingdale High School’s National Honor Society and Science National Honor Society and also advises the DigiTech Club. She co-advises her local Girl Scout troop while knitting in her free time.
Sabrina returns to the Michiana region every summer to spend time with her family on their farm in Niles, Michigan. Otherwise, she resides in New York with her husband, six year old boy/girl twins, and twelve year old daughter.
Several Physics Club members along with Prof. Hinnefeld hosted a fun MTS event on Wednesday, April 12th. Club member/ finance major / photography buff Nick Muraya used a 1980s-era Polaroid Sun 600 LMS to get a great group photo.
CURRENT STATUS: Conditions for the 12th are looking good!
Details: The IUSB Observatory will be open, weather permitting, from 8:30-10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12th. Venus will still be high enough to view with the telescope at 8:30. Then we’ll have a look at Mars, and then a variety of star clusters and maybe a nebula or two.
Come to the elevators on the 1st floor of Northside Hall and wait to be escorted to the rooftop observatory. If the building is locked come to the northwest entrance.
Please be sure to check back here before traveling to campus in case we need to cancel due to inclement weather.
This event is being organized by the IUSB Physics Club and the Dept. of Physics and Astronomy.
The IU South Bend Physics Club has released Volume 4 of their newsletter: This Month in Physics Club April.
Faculty from the IUSB Dept. of Physics & Astronomy are partnering with MPI Engineered Technologies to study conditions that may cause seasonal corrosion issues with the steel “clutch-separation plates” fabricated at their Fineblanking plant in Knox, IN. The team will use Arduino-based data loggers, custom designed by Prof. Brian Davis, and fabricated by a growing team including students and local high school teachers, to collect high-frequency environmental measurements throughout the plant.
This collaboration was initiated when Spencer Wesler, a chemical engineer from MPI, accompanied his grandson for an observatory tour, led by Prof. Henry Scott, during an IUSB Admissions “open house” for prospective students. Scott described recent efforts with Profs. Ilan Levine and Davis to adapt their traditional research expertise to address novel problems with greater local relevance and community-outreach opportunity. Wesler took interest, described the problem he’s trying to solve, and a pilot study is underway less than a month later.
The IU South Bend Physics Club has released Volume 3 of their newsletter: This Month in Physics Club March.
Here’s the announcement text from the newsletter authors:
Hey All!
I hope this email finds you well and ready to learn more about the fascinating world of physics! I am thrilled to announce that the third edition of our Physics Club Newsletter has been released, and it’s filled with all sorts of exciting updates.
In this edition, you will find updates on the latest club activities, including our club’s attendance at the annual SPS Zone 8 Meeting and upcoming initiatives that you won’t want to miss.
We have put a lot of effort into making this edition even better than the previous ones, so we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. You can access the newsletter through the following link: This Month in Physics//March.
We would love to hear your feedback on the newsletter, so please do not hesitate to share your comments and suggestions with us. We are always looking for ways to improve the quality of our newsletter.
Thank you for your continued support, and we hope you enjoy the third edition of our Physics Club Newsletter!
Best regards,
Your Physics Club Family
The 2023 Zone 8 Meeting of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) was hosted by the IU Bloomington chapter this year, from February 24th to February 26th, and five members of the IU South Bend Physics Club made the trip: Phillip Derrickson (’24), Emilee Edmonds (’24), Ryleigh Jebson (’25) Preston Porter (’23), Joy Thompson (’24). I haven’t had yet had a full debriefing, but I’m sure it will be featured in the upcoming March issue of the Physics Club newsletter!
