TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.
FOREWORD .................................................................................................................. - 2 -
II.
ORGANIZATION .......................................................................................................... - 3 A. Staff ........................................................................................................................... - 3 B. Departmental Committees for 2006-2007 ................................................................ - 3 -
III.
FACULTY ...................................................................................................................... - 4 A. Areas of Specialization ............................................................................................. - 4 B. Honors and Awards................................................................................................... - 4 C. Grants and Gifts (awarded 2006-2007)..................................................................... - 4 D. Proposal Submissions (2006-2007) .......................................................................... - 5 E. Publications ............................................................................................................... - 5 F. Professional Talks Presented and Meetings Attended .............................................. - 6 G. Service ....................................................................................................................... - 7 -
IV.
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & SUPPORT PROGRAMS ........................................ - 10 A. Course Offerings and Enrollments.......................................................................... - 10 B. Innovative Curricular Initiatives ............................................................................. - 11 C. Research Opportunities for Undergraduates ........................................................... - 11 D. Physics Department Colloquia ................................................................................ - 12 E. SPS/ΣΠΣ Activities................................................................................................. - 13 -
V.
STUDENTS .................................................................................................................. - 13 A. Enrollment Statistics ............................................................................................... - 13 B. Degrees Awarded .................................................................................................... - 14 C. Honors, Awards, and Scholarships ......................................................................... - 14 -
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I.
FOREWORD
Compared to last year, research productivity (measured by faculty publications in peerreviewed journals and presentations made to professional audiences) has held steady,
research opportunities for undergraduates continue to expand, and the Summer Physics
Program in Germany is back on track after a one-year hiatus. But the biggest story is the
growth in the number of physics majors, which now stands at 36, the highest in more than
a dozen years! My congratulations to those individuals who have been active in recruiting
students to the major, and to all the faculty and staff for making the Department a place
where undergraduates feel welcome and important.
Despite this unprecedented growth in majors, making students aware of the excitement of
physics continues to be a high priority. Thanks largely to the ongoing efforts of Dr. John
Morrison, we expect to have available soon several new curricular tracks in Physical
Oceanography – including a Minor in this field – in the hopes of enticing a broader range
of students to the physics major. This will require several new course offerings to be
taught on a regular basis; regrettably, a search for a new faculty addition to the
Department to assist in this effort failed to produce a hire, and will be resumed next year.
This year also saw several noteworthy personnel/status changes within the Department.
Most welcome is the addition to our support staff of laboratory manager Ms. Yvonne
Marsan. Yvonne, who held a similar position at UNC Greensboro before coming to
UNCW, oversees all introductory physics labs, tracks equipment needs, assists with
lecture demonstrations, etc. In short, she has been indispensable to our program, and it is
difficult to imagine how we got along to this point without her.
Another personnel highlight has been the promotion of Dr. Liping Gan to Associate
Professor, with tenure. Dr. Gan continues to perform an invaluable service to the
Department in making summer research opportunities available to our students. Since she
joined the faculty in 2001, thirteen UNCW undergraduates have assisted with her
research at the Jefferson National Laboratory accelerator facility in Newport News, VA.
We are justifiably proud that we can offer this unique and valuable experience to our
majors, and I expect more opportunities of this nature will continue well into the future.
Finally, on a sadder note, this year also marks the last for Dr. Marvin Moss, whose
retirement becomes effective June 30. Dr. Moss came to UNCW as Provost in 1993 and
served in that capacity until 1999. Upon rejoining the faculty as a member of the
Department of Physics & Physical Oceanography, he quickly established himself as an
effective manager of cutting-edge science, an accomplished fund raiser, and a dedicated
teacher. His tireless efforts have been instrumental in establishing UNCW as a regional
leader in coastal ocean research. His many accomplishments include serving as Director
of UNCW’s Coastal Ocean Monitoring Program (CORMP), a multi-million dollar
research effort. Dr. Moss also was well-liked by students, and always found time for
them despite his busy schedule. In short, he has been a wonderful and valued colleague
whose influence on the Department and the University will be felt for many years to
come.
Curt A. Moyer
July, 2007
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II.
ORGANIZATION
A. Staff
Yvonne Marsan, Laboratory Manager
Bonnie L. Mattis, Department Secretary
Professors
Moorad Alexanian
Brian F. Davis
John M. Morrison
Marvin K. Moss
Curt A. Moyer
Edward A. Olszewski, Jr.
Ph.D. Indiana University, 1964
Ph.D. North Carolina State University, 1982
Ph.D. Texas A&M University, 1977
Ph.D. North Carolina State University, 1961
Ph.D. State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1971
Ph.D. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1976
Associate Professors
Frederick M. Bingham
Timothy C. Black
Liping Gan
Ph.D. University of California, San Diego, 1990
Ph.D. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1995
Ph.D. University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, 1998
B. Departmental Committees for 2006-2007
Lab Development Committee
E. Olszewski, chairperson
F. Bingham
T. Black
L. Gan
Undergraduate Committee
C. Moyer, chairperson
B. Davis
J. Morrison
M. Moss
Colloquium Coordinator
M. Alexanian
Library Representative
F. Bingham
SPS | Sigma Pi Sigma Advisor
B. Davis
C. Moyer
Computing Resources Coordinator
E. Olszewski
Faculty Senate Representative
T. Black
CTE Liaison
F. Bingham
Academic Advising
M. Alexanian
L. Gan
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III.
FACULTY
A. Areas of Specialization
1. Atomic Physics
Charge exchange in atomic collisions; response of atoms to intense electromagnetic fields; atomic structure studies; autoionization.
Professors Alexanian, Davis, Moyer
2. Marine Sciences
Physical oceanography; general ocean circulation; air-sea interaction and climate;
global distributions of sea surface salinity; ocean observing systems.
Professors Bingham, Morrison, Moss
3. Nuclear and Particle Physics
Low energy few-nucleon systems; hypernuclear physics; quantum chromodynamics; string theory.
Professors Black, Gan, Olszewski
4. Physics Education
Multimedia-based techniques for teaching introductory physics; general physics
pedagogy.
Professors Black, Moyer
B. Honors and Awards
1. Professor Liping Gan received a UNCW FESR Investigator Fellow Award
for Spring 2007, which carries with it a one-course release for the term in
which the award is made.
2. Professor John Morrison currently chairs the Duke/UNC Oceanographic
Consortium Policy Board.
C. Grants and Gifts (awarded 2006-2007)
Agency and Investigators
Title / Subject
Friends of UNCW
Timothy Black
―Support for a new course
proposal: Physics of Music‖
National Science Foundation
Liping Gan
―RUI: Test of Chiral
Symmetry via the Primakoff
Effect‖
$61,582
(supplement)
National Aeronautic and Space
Administration
John Morrison (with 3 project coPI’s)
―Connectivity and Upwelling
Dynamics in the Galapagos
Marine Reserve (GMR)‖
(continuing grant)
$73,663
(subcontract
from NCSU)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Association
Marvin Moss (with 2 project coPI’s)
―CORMP Coastal Ocean
Research and Monitoring
Program 2005-07‖
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Amount
$500
$408,464
(supplement)
D. Proposal Submissions (2006-2007)
1. Bingham, F. ―Development of ‗Methods in Physical Oceanography‘ Course‖,
curriculum development proposal submitted to UNCW College of Arts and
Sciences; (declined).
2. Morrison, J. (with L. Xie) ―Simulating the mesoscale variability of the northern
Arabian Sea‖, to NSF; amount requested: $490,853 (declined).
3. Morrison, J. (with others) ―Benthic Dinoflagellate Migration (BenDIM):
Occurrence and Processes‖, to NSF; amount requested $812,045 (pending).
4. Morrison, J. (with others) ―Effects of the Equatorial Undercurrent and Cold
Tongue on the Water Masses of the Galapagos Islands‖, to NSF; amount
requested $1,326,000 (pending).
5. Morrison, J. (with others) ―MRI: Acquisition of Autonomous Underwater
Vehicle and Docking Technology for use in the Southeast AUV Research Core
Facility (SEARC)‖, to NSF; amount requested $1,999,000 (returned for
resubmission).
E. Publications
1. Alexanian, M. (with S. Bose) ―Two-photon resonance fluorescence‖, Phys. Rev.
A74: 063418 (2006).
2. Alexanian, M. ―Nature, Science, Bayes‘ Theorem, and the Whole of Reality‖,
Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science (2007) (accepted for publication).
3. Bingham, F. (with T. Suga) ―Distributions of mixed layer properties in North
Pacific water mass formation areas: comparison of Argo floats and World Ocean
Atlas 2001‖, Ocean Science 2, 61-70 (2006).
4. Bingham, F. (with S. Grodsky and J. Carton) ―Low frequency variation of sea
surface salinity in the tropical Atlantic‖, Geophys. Res. Lett. 33, L14604,
doi:10.1029/2006GL026426 (2006).
5. Bingham, F. ―Physical response of the coastal ocean to Hurricane Isabel near
landfall‖, Ocean Science 3, 159-171 (2007).
6. Black, T. (with B. Anderson, et. al.) ―Extraction of the neutron magnetic form
factor from quasielastic 3He → (e→e‘) at Q2 = 0.1-0.6(GeV/c)2‖, Phys. Rev.
C75: 034003 (2007).
7. Gan, L. (with F. Wesselmann, et. al.), ―Proton Spin Structure in the Resonance
Region‖, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98: 132003 (2007).
8. Gan, L. (with S. Stepanyan, et. al.), ―Energy calibration of the JLab
bremsstrahlung tagging system‖, Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A572, 654-661 (2007).
9. Gan, L. (with B. McKinnon, et. al.) ―Search for the Θ+ Pentaquark in the
Reaction γ d → p K– K+ n‖, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96: 212001 (2006).
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10. Gan, L. (with T. Navasardyan, et. al.), ―Onset of Quark-Hadron Duality in Pion
Electroproduction‖, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98: 022001 (2007).
11. Gan, L. (with M. Jones, et. al.) ―Proton GE/GM from beam-target asymmetry‖,
Phys. Rev. C74: 035201 (2006).
12. Gan, L. (with V. Kubarovsky, et. al.) ―Search for the Θ++ Pentaquarks in the
Exclusive Reaction γ p → K+ K– p‖, Phys. Rev. Lett. 97: 102001 (2006).
13. Gan, L. (with R. De Vita, et. al.) ―Search for the Θ+ pentaquark in the reactions
γ p → K 0K0 K+ n and γ p → K 0 K0 p‖, Phys. Rev. D74: 032001 (2006).
14. Morrison, J. (with B. Schaeffer, et. al.) ―Phytoplankton biomass distribution and
seasonal change within the Galapagos Marine Reserve‖, Journal of Remote
Sensing (accepted, pending revision).
F. Professional Talks Presented and Meetings Attended
Contributed Talks (including Poster Presentations as noted)
1. Bingham, F. ―Teaching Physics and History in a College Learning Community‖
(with P. Townend, K. Moore, and C. Stack), presentation to the NCS-AAPT
Meeting, Elon University, Sep. 29-30, 2006.
2. Morrison, J. ―Water Masses of the Coastal Carolinas‖, presented to the 2nd
North Carolina Coastal Ocean Symposium, Carolina Beach, NC, Nov. 28-Dec. 1,
2006.
3. Morrison, J. ―Relative Phytoplankton Concentrations During Normal and Mild
El Niño Conditions in the Galapagos Archipelago Determined through In-Situ
Absorbance in an Optical Phytoplankton Discriminator‖ (with others), poster
presentation to the NCSU Undergraduate Research Symposium, Raleigh, NC,
May, 2007.
4. Morrison, J. ―Using Optical Techniques to Identify Waters in the Galapagos
Marine Reserve‖ (with others), poster presentation to the NCSU Undergraduate
Research Symposium, Raleigh, NC, May, 2007.
Invited Presentations
5. Bingham, F. “Physical response of the coastal ocean to Hurricane Isabel near
landfall‖, seminar given at the 2006 NWS Wilmington NC Hurricane Huddle,
Wilmington, NC, Jun. 15, 2006; also presented to MABPOM 2006, Chapel Hill,
NC, Oct. 30, 2006.
6. Black, T. ―Three-Nucleon Interactions from Few- to Many- Body Systems‖,
seminar presented to the Tri-University Meson Facility (TRIUMF), Vancouver,
B.C., Mar. 12-16, 2007.
7. Gan, L. ―The lifetime of the chargeless pion‖, AIP Press Conference at the APS
April Meeting, Apr. 14-17, 2007, Jacksonville, FL.
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8. Gan, L. ―The Status of the PrimEx Experiment‖, presentation to the 2006
Jefferson Lab Annual User Group Meeting ‘The Expanding Physics of JLab’, Jun.
12-14, 2006, Newport News, VA [not previously reported].
9. Gan, L. ―Test of Chiral Symmetries via the Primakoff Effect‖, presentation
delivered at the Symposium on China-US Medium Energy Physics, Jul. 31-Aug.
7, 2006, Beijing, China.
10. Morrison, J. ―Effects of small scale physics on the biogeochemistry of the
Northern Arabian Sea‖, presentation to the Workshop on Sustained Indian Ocean
Biogeochemical and Ecological Research (SIBER), Goa, India, Oct. 3-6, 2006.
11. Morrison, J. ―Connectivity and Upwelling Dynamics‖, presented to the SEAS
Ocean Expo, Durham, NC, Oct. 2006.
12. Moss, M. ―Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program‖, presentations to
various federal and state agencies, and to the UNCW Chancellor and Provost.
Other Meetings Attended (Professional Development)
1. Bingham, F. attended the Duke-UNC Oceanography (D/UNCOC) Symposium,
Nov. 17-18, 2006.
2. Bingham, F. attended CTE Workshops ―Lecturer‘s Society‖, Oct. 25, 2006;
―Connecting with Millenniums‖, Oct. 25, 2006; ―Learning by Doing:
Scholarship, Service and Teaching: Doing the Triple Dip!‖, Nov. 1, 2006; ―What
Students Know that You Do Not: Web 2.0‖, Nov. 1, 2006; ―Bullying Follow-up‖,
Nov. 3, 2006; ―Tips from Lecturers of the Year‖, Apr. 18, 2007.
3. Morrison, J. attended the Duke/UNC Oceanographic Consortium Program
Meeting held in Durham, NC, Oct. 13, 2006.
4. Morrison, J. attended the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional
Association Meeting, Jacksonville, FL, Sep. 12-13, 2006.
5. Morrison, J. represented UNCW interests at several venues in the nation’s
capital: Council of Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE) (Oct. 18,
2006); National Academy of Science Ocean Studies Board (Oct. 24, 2006); Joint
CORE Board of Governors and JOI, Inc. Meeting (Oct. 25-26, 2006), and
followup meeting in Miami, FL (Jan. 17-18, 2007).
6. Morrison, J. was an invited participant in the Alliance for Coastal Technologies
(ACT) and the ACT Pacific Coast Partnership Workshop at Moss Landing Marine
Laboratories and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, ‘Towed
Underwater Vehicles as Platforms for Mapping of Coastal Features and
Processes’.
G. Service
Especially noteworthy examples of service to the profession and the community for
the 2006-2007 academic year include:
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1. Professor Moorad Alexanian has reviewed manuscripts for the journals Physical
Review A (2), Physical Review B (1), and Physical Review Letters (2), and serves
on the UNCW Investigating Panel as a standby member on call by the Chancellor.
2. Professor Moorad Alexanian contributed the piece ―Theistic Science: The
Metaphysics of Science‖, as a Letter to Perspectives on Science and Christian
Faith 59, no. 1:85-86. He has also contributed two letters to the APS journal
Physics Today: ―Debate about science and religion continues‖ in Physics Today
60, no. 2, pp 10,12; and ―Respect for the human rights of nations‖, Physics Today
59: no. 7, p.11.
3. Professor Fred Bingham is graduate advisor for Marine Science Masters student
Chris Canady. He also serves on the Center for Marine Science (CMS) Education
Committee and the CMS Postdoctoral Search Committee.
4. Professor Fred Bingham is Executive Committee member and webmaster for the
American Geophysical Union Ocean Sciences Section
(www.agu.org/sections/oceans/), and is a member of the Duke/University of
North Carolina Oceanographic Consortium (D/UNCOC) Advisory Board.
5. Professor Fred Bingham has reviewed proposals to NSF (1) as well as
manuscripts (1 each) to the Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans, the Journal
of Physical Oceanography, and the Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic
Technology.
6. Professor Timothy Black has taken over as coordinator for the UNCW Summer
Physics Program in Germany, a study-abroad opportunity in cooperation with the
University of Ulm. Thanks to Dr. Black’s relentless efforts, a total of five UNCW
undergraduates participated in this year’s program, up from three two years ago.
7. Professor Brian Davis represented the Physics Department at the College of Arts
and Science’s 5th Annual College Day event (Nov. 11, 2006), where he presented
a lecture titled ―The War with Mars: The Dynamics of Planetary Orbits‖. He
also gave two presentations to the UNCW Lifelong Learning Society:
―Stonehenge: The Astronomical Hypothesis Behind It‖ on Sep. 15, 2006; and
―The Origins of the Constellations‖, Jan. 26, 2007.
8. Professor Brian Davis participated in Interact 2007, Information Technology‘s
Interact Technology Showcase, Mar. 29, 2007, where he presented a slide show
detailing his research on solar interactions with petroglyphys.
9. Professor Brian Davis was an event leader for this year’s Science Olympiad, held
Mar. 24, 2007. He administered both the Reach for the Stars competition (middle
school level) and the Astronomy competition (high school level).
10. Professor Liping Gan serves as co-supervisor for the thesis research of Mr. Jing
Feng (May-Dec 2006) and Mr. Liyang Jiang (Mar. 2007- present), both visiting
Ph.D. students from the China Institute of Atomic Energy.
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11. Professor Liping Gan is a member of the Advisory Board to CSURF (Center for
the Support of Undergraduate Research and Fellowship), and is involved in
building an overseas Asian Studies program at UNCW. She also served on two
NSF research grand review committees.
12. Professor Liping Gan assisted in Physics Department recruiting activities held on
three separate occasions throughout the year: the UNCW Majors Fair (Oct. 18,
2006), UNCW Seahawk Saturday (Oct. 21, 2006), and Spring Admission Visit
Day (Mar. 31, 2007).
13. Professor John Morrison is primary or co-advisor to a number of graduate
students, including five doctoral candidates from NCSU and UNCW MS
candidates Ned Durant (with Mike Mallin), Michael Taylor, Andrew Sumerel,
and Ebenezer Nyadjro (with Fred Bingham).
14. Professor John Morrison is a member of various national and regional research
organizations, including the Ocean Color Research Team, the NASA Biodiversity
Research Team, the Pan Ocean Remote Sensing Conferences (PORSEC)
Scientific Organizing Committee, and UNOLS Regional Class Advisory
Committee. He serves on the Executive Committees of PORSEC, the Southeast
Coastal Ocean Observing System (SECOOS) Planning Committee, and SURA’s
Southeastern Coastal Ocean Observing Program (SCOOP). He is also the UNCW
representative to the Duke/UNC Oceanographic Consortium Program Committee,
the Consortium for Ocean Research and Education, the Joint Oceanographic
Institutions, Inc., the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, and the Southeast Coastal
Ocean Observing Regional Association.
15. Professor John Morrison is an active participant in the Southeast Center for
Excellence in Ocean Science Education (http://www.scseagrant.org/se-cosee/), an
effort to enhance ocean-learning opportunities for all age levels by incorporating
the work of researchers into high-quality educational products. He is also
involved with the Career Clusters Program (http://careerclusters.org) as a
member the national team to develop the Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) cluster, and he is a member of the Project Lead the Way
(http://www.pltw.org) State Leadership Team for North Carolina, an organization
devoted to preparing students for college engineering programs.
16. Professor Marvin Moss serves on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina
Biotechnology Center (NCBC) in the Research Triangle Park, and played a key
role as advisor to the director of the new Wilmington office (NCBC SENC
Regional Office). He also serves on the NCBC’s Board of Directors Executive
Committee, on the NCBC’s Science, Education and Technology Committee, and
as a member of the nine-person NCBC Presidential Recruitment Committee.
17. Professor Marvin Moss served on the Board of the Health Sciences Foundation
(formerly Coastal Area Health and Education Center) until the end of 2006.
18. Professor Marvin Moss continues to consult with the Camp Lejeune Marine Base
in Jacksonville, NC on environmental problems. His efforts have lead to a Federal
Strategic Environmental R&D Program commitment totaling $20M over 10 years
to address environmental issues at Camp Lejeune.
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19. Professor Curt Moyer is the Department representative and volunteer instructor
for the SCI Course Development Initiative, a collaborative effort between the
Watson School of Education and CAS to offer graduate level survey science
courses targeted to middle and high school science teachers. The first such
physics offering is slated for Spring ’08. He also is Department representative to
the Engineering Program Task Force, a group assembled at the direction of the
Provost to explore the feasibility and mechanisms by which UNCW might offer
degrees in selected engineering fields.
20. Professor Curt Moyer served as a judge for the Science Fair held at the MCS
Noble Middle School, Jan. 18, 2007.
IV.
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & SUPPORT PROGRAMS
A. Course Offerings and Enrollments
Summer 2006
PHY 101 Elementary College Physics
PHY 102 Elementary College Physics
PHY 201 General Physics
PHY 202 General Physics
Instructor
Enrollment
Herman, R.
Olszewski, E.
Olszewski, E.
Black, T.
76
61
42
32
Olszewski, E.
Olszewski, E.
Moyer, C.
Morrison, J.
Bingham, F.
Gan, L.
Black, T.
Black, T.
Davis, B.
Herman, R
Davis, B.
Gan, L.
Black, T.
Alexanian, M
Bingham. F.
Alexanian, M.
Morrison, J.
Herman, R.
Snedden, G
74
87
69
31
24
24
49
3
59
8
11
14
3
4
1
2
1
1
5
Olszewski, E.
Olszewski, E.
Moyer, C.
Bingham, F.
Davis, B.
Black, T.
Black, T.
Black, T.
Davis, B.
80
95
41
29
21
15
31
4
63
Fall 2006
PHY 101 Elementary College Physics
PHY 101 Elementary College Physics
PHY 101 Elementary College Physics
PHY 103 Great Ideas in Physics
PHY 105 Introductory Physics
PHY 201 General Physics
PHY 201 General Physics
PHY 201 General Physics-Honors
PHY 260 Introduction to Astronomy
PHY 311 Mathematical Physics
PHY 321 Mechanics
PHY 335 Modern Physics
PHY 400 Advanced Lab
PHY 411 Electricity & Magnetism
PHY 420 Global Climate Change
PHY 444 Quantum Theory
PHY 495 Physics Seminar
PHY 495 Physics Seminar
PHY 592 Special Topics (MatLab)
Spring 2007
PHY 102 Elementary College Physics
PHY 102 Elementary College Physics
PHY 102 Elementary College Physics
PHY 105 Introductory Physics
PHY 111 Archaeoastronomy
PHY 202 General Physics
PHY 202 General Physics
PHY 202 General Physics-Honors
PHY 260 Introduction to Astronomy
- 10 -
PHY 300 Analog Circuits
PHY 322 Classical Dynamics II
PHY 412 Electricity & Magnetism II
PHY 435 Nuclear Physics
PHY 455 Thermal Physics
PHY 475 Physical Oceanography
PHY 495 Physics Seminar
PHY 575 Physical Oceanography
Black, T.
Moss, M.
Alexanian, M.
Gan, L.
Alexanian, M.
Morrison, J
Morrison, J.
Morrison, J
11
6
3
2
6
8
1
15
B. Innovative Curricular Initiatives
Professor Fred Bingham again taught PHY 105 (Introductory Physics) as part of a
Learning Community (LC) with Professor Paul Townend of the History Department.
One of this year’s highlights was an Oct. 19 trip to the State Fair in Raleigh, NC.
Bingham, with P. Townend, K. Moore, and C. Stack, summarized their LC
experience in a presentation to the North Carolina Section of the American
Association of Physics Teachers titled “Teaching Physics and History in a College
Learning Community”, at Elon University, Sep. 29-30, 2006.
Professor Timothy Black created three new experiments for the Advanced
Laboratory (PHY 400) course. Recent department acquisitions of a variable
frequency, five color laser and a 415 nm ‘blue’ laser make possible optics and
modern physics measurements (optical rotation, Planck’s constant) across the
complete visible spectrum, thus greatly enhancing the accuracy of these experiments.
Professor Timothy Black continues to teach the Honors Section of the Introductory
Physics Laboratory, which has served as a significant recruiting tool for new physics
majors. This year he developed a completely new set of honors laboratory exercises
based on the theme of electric power generation and applications.
Professor John Morrison has developed several new curricular options designed to
prepare students with a background in physics for careers in marine science. Physics
majors pursuing the B.A. and B.S. degrees will be able to select elective offerings to
fulfill requirements of a physical oceanography track tailored to each of these degree
options; a Minor in Physical Oceanography for non-majors is also under
consideration. To support the new initiatives, four new courses will be taught on a
regular basis. In cooperation with members of UNCW’s Marine Science Graduate
Faculty, Professor Morrison is also exploring the possibility of a Masters Degree in
Marine Science (Physics emphasis) and a Masters Degree in Marine Observing
Systems.
Professor Edward Olszewski has revamped all of the laboratory exercises for the
introductory algebra-based physics sequence, PHY 101-102. Descriptions and
procedures for each of the 24 laboratory experiments were extensively rewritten to
improve pedagogy and clarify the presentation.
C. Research Opportunities for Undergraduates
The following research projects were active during the 2006-2007 academic year:
1. During June and July 2006, UNCW undergraduates Christopher Mauney and
Nicolette Kostecki assisted Professor Liping Gan with her research at Jefferson
National Laboratory (JLab), developing a low energy recoil detector for
- 11 -
experiments testing predictions of Quantum Chromodynamics. The students were
supported by research grants from NSF and Jefferson Lab. The JLab summer
experience is a unique research opportunity for undergraduates that has involved
thirteen UNCW students since 2001.
D. Physics Department Colloquia
Date
September 8
Date
September 15
Speaker/Affiliation
Dr. Gleb Finkelstein, Duke
University
Title
Electronic Properties of Carbon
Nanotubes and Self-Assembled DNA
Nanostructures
Speaker/Affiliation
Title
Dr. William T.H. van Oers, University The Weak Charge of the Proton: A
of Manitoba
Search for New Physics
September 29
Dr. John F. Seely, Naval Research
Laboratoryl
Spectroscopy Research at the Naval
Research Laboratory
October 28
Dr. Paul H. Frampton, UNC Chapel
Hill
The Dark Side of the Universe
October 12
Dr. Ryan Boyles, UNC Chapel Hill
Climate Change and NC: Science
issues for more than just scientists
October 13
Dr. Paul S. Aspinwall, Duke
University
Superstrings and the Shape of
Spacetime
October 27
Dr. Jed Macosko, Wake Forest
University
Molecular motor velocities and
forces measured inside living cells
November 17
Dr. Russell Herman, UNC
Wilmington
What Should Undergraduates Know
About Gravitatiion?
February 2
Dr. Dean Lee, NC State University
Cold Dilute Neutrons—A New Type
of Superfluid?
February 16
Dr. Laura Clarke, NC State University
Molecular motion in linear
polymers, cross-linked polymer
films, and self assembled
monolayers
March 19
Dr. X. San Liang, Courant Institute of
Mathematical Sciences
Dynamic Interpretation of the
Multiscale Ocean Processes
March 23
Dr. Svetlana V. Poroseva, School of
Computational Science, FSU
On Reducing the Model Form
Uncertainty in Turbulent Flow
Simulations
March 30
Dr. Machuan Peng, NC State
University
Hurricane induced storm surge and
inundation modeling
April 2
Dr. Janelle V. Reynolds-Fleming,
Carteret Community College
Should biology matter to Physical
Oceanographers?
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April 13
Dr. Paul Tiesinga, UNC Chapel Hill
Biophysics of cognition: the role of
interneuron diversity in selective
attention
April 19 & 20
Dr. Eric Schlegel, University of Texas
at San Antonio
A Fabulous Time for Astrophysics
X-Ray Line Emission from
Cataclysmic Variables
April 27
Letisha McLaughlin, Student UNC
Wilmington
The Oceanography and Effects of El
Nino on the Galapagos Islands
E. SPS/ΣΠΣ Activities
On April 19, 2007, the UNCW chapter of Sigma Pi Sigma, the national physics honor
society, admitted to membership six undergraduate students: John Jacob Burkhardt,
Colin Wright Kreutzer, Adam Rockwell Pflaumer, Tristan J. Swartz, Nicholas
Worthington Woods, and Dustin Cole Woolford. The induction ceremony followed a
public lecture by Dr. Eric Schlegel, from University of Texas at San Antonio, who
spoke about “A Fabulous Time for Astrophysics”. Refreshments (pizza and soda)
were served during a social hour after the ceremony.
The UNCW chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) was unusually active
this year, thanks to the energetic leadership of chapter president Letisha McLaughlin
and the support of newly-appointed chapter advisor, Professor Brian Davis. An
achievement of particular note was the drafting of a new constitution and gaining
official recognition as a UNCW Club, entitling the group to University funding in
support of future activities. The group organized a year-end picnic and elected
officers for next year. David Bracey will take over as SPS President for 2007-08.
V.
STUDENTS
A. Enrollment Statistics
Undergraduate Physics Majors
Year
19941995
19951996
19961997
19971998
19981999
Freshman Sophomores Juniors Seniors Second Fall
(Fall)
(Fall)
(Fall)
(Fall) Majors Total
(Fall)
Annual Graduates
0
4
9
12
N/A
25
B.A.
Degrees
1
1
4
7
8
N/A
20
3
3
0
12
5
10
N/A
27
5
6
0
7
11
11
1
30
5
3
0
3
5
15
2
25
6
3
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B.S.
Degrees
4
19992000
20002001
20012002
20022003
20032004
20042005
20052006
20062007
0
4
1
12
1
18
3
5
0
4
3
6
1
14
3
2
0
5
2
5
2
14
2
2
0
2
10
4
4
20
3
1
0
9
5
9
1
24
3
4
0
6
8
8
2
22
0
4
1
1
4
11
1
18
1
6
0
8
7
7
1
23
1
5
B. Degrees Awarded
December, 2006
Bachelor of Science:
Michael James Hollister
Diana Elisabeth Streng
May, 2007
Bachelor of Science:
Letisha Annette McLaughlin
Theresa Michelle Rowland
Nicholas Worthington Woods
Bachelor of Arts
Michael Casey Furr
C. Honors, Awards, and Scholarships
Hildelisa Hernandez Departmental Award in Physics: Colin Wright Kreutzer
The Hernandez award, named for retired Professor Emeritus Hildelisa Hernandez,
recognizes outstanding academic achievement of a rising senior who is seeking
the B.S. degree in physics. The award carries a stipend of $500 to help defray
educational expenses incurred at UNCW.
Colin compiled an overall GPA = 3.572 and a physics GPA = 3.527. He is also
one of six undergraduates inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma for 2007. Colin is on
schedule to graduate in May, 2008 with a B.S. degree in Physics and is interested
in pursuing a career in education.
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Walter Schmid Award: Nicholas Worthington Woods
The Schmid Award is presented to a graduating senior who, in the opinion of the
physics faculty, shows great potential for contributing to the fields of theoretical
or applied physics. The award consists of a plaque inscribed with the winner’s
name, and a cash prize.
Nick compiled an overall GPA = 3.985 and a physics GPA = 3.973, enabling him
to graduate with the distinction summa cum laude. He also completed a minor in
Mathematics with a perfect 4.000 grade point average. During the summer of ’05
Nick participated in nuclear physics research at Jefferson Lab under the tutelage
of Dr. Liping Gan, and for Fall ‘07 has been accepted into the MIT-Woods Hole
Joint Program in Oceanography, where he will begin work toward the Ph.D. in
Physical Oceanography.
Jefferson Lab Summer Fellowships: Matthew Adam Reece and Dustin Cole
Woolford
Matt and Dustin were selected by faculty member Professor Liping Gan to assist
this summer at Jefferson Lab in developing a low energy recoil detector for
experiments testing predictions of QCD (Quantum Chromodynamics). The
students are supported by research grants from NSF and Jefferson Lab.
Bookstore Scholarship Award Winners: Erik Hall Minges and Thomas R. Shafer
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