Departmentofof
Department
Physicsand
andAstronomy
Astronomy
Physics
WINTER
SPRING
2004 2008
Message from the Chair
In this issue...
Page
Message from the Chair.................................1
The Department, and many in
the larger McMaster community
were greatly saddened this
September by the death of
Martin Johns at the age of 95.
Martin has been closely linked
to the physics department since
McMaster University moved to
Hamilton in 1930. He was the
first graduate with a B.Sc. in
physics (1932) and the first with
a Master’s degree in physics
(1934). Returning as a faculty
member in 1947, he supervised
one of the first Ph.Ds granted in
1953. He was the architect of
David Venus
the modern Physics & Astronomy Department at McMaster, having served as department chair from 1961 to 1967 when the
department grew from 6 to 24 members. He remained very active
as recently as in November 2006, when he was present to greet
returning alumnus Norman Glendenning on the occasion of his
receipt of the McMaster University Distinguished Alumnus Award
at convocation (see Fall 2007 newsletter). Just last June, 2008,
Martin had planned to attend our first departmental Alumni
Reunion, but ultimately had to cancel due to health reasons.
Typically, he was greatly disappointed not to have the opportunity
to meet once again many of his former students and graduate students. Many alumni at the Reunion asked first about Martin,
recalling anecdotes, his influence on them, and passing on their
best wishes. In keeping with his interest in undergraduate students, the Martin Johns Fund currently supports undergraduate
scholarships and travel costs to events such as the Canadian
Undergraduate Physics Conference. For those wishing to remember him in this way, details may be found on the back page of this
newsletter.
Profiles...........................................................2
Awards...........................................................3
Tribute to Martin Johns.................................4
Alumni Reunion 2008.....................................5
2008 Graduating Class
Research News..............................................6
William J. McCallion Planetarium
2009 International Year of Astronomy.............7
Donations.......................................................8
Alumni - Where are they now?
Greg MacDougall (PhD 2008) has accepted a postdoc position at Oakridge National Lab.
Daniel Banks (PhD 2007) has accepted a position at the
National Research Council’s (NRC) Canadian Neutron Beam
Centre (CNBC) in Chalk River, Ontario as the Strategic
Planning and Communications Officer.
Pamela Klaassen (PhD 2008) has accepted a postdoc position at the European Southern Observatory in Munich,
Germany.
Jing Yang (PhD 2008) has accepted a faculty position at the
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin
University, China.
In addition to a more detailed remembrance of Martin Johns, written by Don Sprung, and a report of the Alumni Reunion, the current newsletter has profiles of some of the newest members of the
department, and celebrates the re-opening of the William J.
McCallion Planetarium after extensive renovations – just in time
for the International Year of Astronomy in 2009. Alumni who
wish to attend the opening ceremony on January 15, 2009, or to
tour the facility are most welcome, please give me a call.
With best wishes,
David Venus
Professor and Chair
Yang Zhao (PhD 2008) has accepted a postdoc position at
John Hopkins University & NIST Center for Neutron
Research.
1
John Paul Castellan (PhD 2007) has accepted a postdoc
position at the Materials Science Division, Argonne National
Laboratory.
Physics and Astronomy
Department of
Faculty Profile
Graduate Profile
I wish to support The Jim Waddington
Prize in biophysiPhysics & Astronomy
As an experimental
From a very young age, my
parents impressed on me that
cist, we use neutron, x-ray and
With my gift of $
enclosed
or
education
was
valuable.
light scattering
techniques
to
Growing up in Hamilton, I
study molecular dynamics in
always had a suspicion I would
I
With my total pledge of $ membranes and proteins.
over
years.
end up at McMaster and sure
received my PhD degree in
enough, I enrolled in 2000 as a
2002 from the Saarland
Payments to be made:
first year science student. This
University in Saarbrucken, a
Office
wasUse
the Only
beginning of a very long
small German town located
$
annually
$
semi-annually
stay at McMaster.
Allocation:
S2572A Through the
right at the French border. At
NSERC
this time I was interested in
Appeal:
GY2undergraduate summer
$
quarterly
$
monthly
research program, I had my first
quantum magnetism
and tried to
taste of research in the polymer
apply magnetic models to
Please charge to my credit card:
[ ] MasterCard
[ ] Visa
physicsRegistration
lab led by Kari
dielectric
model systems to
Charitable
# DalnokiVeress.
brief, exciting
learn about their fundamental
11903
5988Those
RR 0001
Maikel
Rheinstädter properties. Part of this research
Jessica Carvalho
moments of success between
Expiry
Date:
much longer periods of frustrawas a sound education in experPlease were
makeenough
cheques
payablemetothat I
tion inherent to experimenting
to convince
imental
condensed matter physics and also x-ray and neutron scatCard #:
“McMaster
University”
make
might have a knack for research. A few years later,and
I joined
Kari’s
tering techniques.
reference
to
“The
Jim
Waddington
lab as a full time Master’s student and am now in my 3rd year of
Signature:
Prizeoninhow
Physics
& systems
Astronomy”.
PhD studies. I mainly focus
polymer
crystallise,
After my PhD I had the opportunity to join the Research Center
Receipts
for
Income
Tax
although I have been able to explore other aspects ofpurposes
soft materiJulich, Germany, for a postdoctoral position with Prof. Dieter
For more
contactLaue-Langevin
Mara Esposto(ILL)
at (905)
ext. 24569.
will be issued
to all donors.
als, including
block copolymer
phase separation.
Richter,
whoinformation
sent me toplease
the Institut
in 525-9140
Grenoble, France. The ILL operates the most intense neutron
My time at McMaster has been especially rewarding. Access to a
Contributions
canand
be together
sent as follows:
MaraSynchrotron
Esposto
source
in the world
with the European
facility like the Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research has
ABBenergetic
241 and
Radiation Facility (ESRF) forms a large and very
allowed
me to collaborate with people from a broad range of
stimulating European research center. I was co-responsible
the
McMaster for
University
fields,
enriching
my own skills as a researcher. I’ve had the opporneutron scattering instrument operated by Julich.1280
ThisMain
is where
I West
Street
tunity
to
present
my work at numerous conferences. Through
started a research program in biological physics Hamilton,
and to investigate
ON L8S 4M1
various
outreach
programs,
I’ve been able to help develop and predynamics of membrane systems. Profiting from my “classical”
sent
demonstrations
for
students
from elementary school age to
education in condensed matter physics, I tried to transfer well
undergrad,
in
an
effort
to
help
younger
students get excited about
Contact
Information:
established experimental and theoretical techniques to soft-matter
science.
Most
rewarding
though
is
the
people
I have
come to know
Department
of
Physics
and
Astronomy,
McMaster
University
and biological materials.
Graduating Class of 2006
here.Main
The Street
McMaster
andOntario
Astronomy
department is an
1280
West, Physics
Hamilton,
L8S 4M1
especially
diverse, social,
close-knit community and I consider
Phone:
905-525-9140,
ext. 24559
After my postdoc I joined the ILL as a staff scientist in 2004.
myself
fortunate
to
be
a
part
of it.
Fax:
905-546-1252
During my time at the ILL I spent a sabbatical leave with Prof.
email:
physics@mcmaster.ca
Tim Salditt at the University of Göttingen in Germany. A couple
http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/
of months after we returned to Grenoble, I joined the Department
Undergraduate Profile
of Physics and Astronomy at the University of MissouriColumbia, U.S.A, in 2006 where I started to set up a group working on membrane dynamics. We are very excited to join the
Department of Physics and Astronomy at McMaster and I move to
Hamilton with my family, my wife Andrea, my two daughters
Helena (4) and Hannah (2), and my son Haakon (6 months). I am
very much looking forward to establish a research group in experimental biological physics using scattering techniques. We intend
to address the fundamental question how membrane composition
and properties affect protein function of membrane embedded proteins. I hold a joined appointment with the Canadian Neutron
Beam Centre at Chalk River where we will conduct the neutron
scattering
experiments.
On Wednesday,
April 5, 2006, the graduates organized a special
celebration in the Great Hall of the University Club where family,
friends, professors and staff all joined in the celebration of their
graduation.
2
Nick Chislom
I am a fourth year Honours
Mathematics and Physics student, and I was born, raised, and
currently reside in Mississauga.
When I initially entered
McMaster as a Science I student, I was most interested in
learning about the fundamental
structure of nature and how that
applied to larger problems. I
was a pitcher on the Varsity
Baseball team until I had a
major car accident that caused
me to miss 3 weeks of my first
continued on page 3
Physics and Astronomy
Department of
gram at McMaster with the highest academic average. Emma joins
previous winners of this award Matt Farrar and Daniel Laycock,
Faculty Awards
so that a graduate from Honours Physics has been presented with
I wish to support The Jim Waddington Prize in Physics & Astronomy
this
award 3 out of the last 4 years.
Cliff Burgess, professor of physics and astronomy and an associ-
member
of of
the$Perimeter Institute, has been
elected
ate
With
my gift
enclosed
or to the
Congratulations to Maxim Mitchell, Honours Physics Co-op
Royal Society of Canada, the most prestigious scholarly organizaStudent, who has won the Canadian Radiation Protection
tion
in my
the total
country.
CliffofBurgess
is a renowned expert
With
pledge
$
overin the
years.
Association's annual Anthony J. MacKay Student Paper Contest.
applications of effective field theory. As a theoretical physicist he
The papers entered are rated against the following criteria: relehas had an impact on an unusually broad range of fields including
Payments to be made:
vance/interest, originality/novelty, technical content, style/format,
superstring theory, early universe cosmology, particle phenomeand clarity.
nology, astrophysics and condensed matter physics. With over
Office Use Only
$
annually
$
semi-annually
120 published articles, he is one of Canada’s most prolific and
Allocation: S2572A
highly cited particle theorists.
Staff Awards Appeal: GY2
$
quarterly
$
monthly
Alan Chen, associate professor in the Department of Physics &
Astronomy,
is the
2008credit
recipient
Petro-Canada Young
Please charge
to my
card:of[ the] MasterCard
[
Innovator Award. The award, in the amount of $25,000, is given in
recognition of outstanding work by young faculty researchers at
Expiry Date:
post-secondary institutes in Canada. This award will allow Alan
Chen, along with other department members to change the focus
#: laboratory course towards one that will more directly
ofCard
a senior
connect the course material to students' research areas.
Andy Duncan, Department of Physics & Astronomy technician,
] Visahas been awarded the McMaster
University
Health and
Charitable
Registration
# Safety
Award of Excellence for 2008.
Andy
received
the
11903 5988 RR 0001 award for
designing and creating the Safety Training Database system that
our department and the Department of Chemistry is using to
Please
make
cheques
payable
to
organize, track and keep
records
of safety
training
requirements
“McMaster
University”
and
make
and completion. Andy's program is now being studied by the
reference
to Committee
“The Jim for
Waddington
Faculty of Science Health
and Safety
adaptation for
Signature:
Prize
in
Physics
&
Astronomy”.
use
within
the
entire
Faculty
of
Science.
Graeme Luke and Takashi Imai both professor’s of physics and
Receipts for Income Tax purposes
astronomy have been selected as Fellows of the American
For more information please contact Mara Esposto at (905) 525-9140 ext. 24569.
will be issued to all donors.
Physical Society (APS). This is the largest and most active profesUndergraduate Profile, continued from page 2
sional society devoted to the promotion of research, education and
semester, and put me in a wheelchair for the rest of the semester (I
Contributions
candiscipline
be sent asoffollows:
Mara
other
matters in the
physics. Less
than Esposto
.5% of the
went
on to play the following two years, as well). It was at this
ABB 241 of their
members of the APS can be Fellows. This is a recognition
point
that I learned of the kind nature of the department: my first
McMaster
University
outstanding contribution to physics. Both Graeme
and Takashi
are
year physics professor, Dr. Reza Nejat, was extremely helpful and
1280at Main
Street West
experimentalists in the condensed matter group
McMaster,
supportive during these difficult times (and continues to be!). I
members of the BIMR, and members of the Canadian
Institute
Hamilton,
ONfor L8S 4M1
later worked for Dr. Nejat the summer after first year, fixing the
Advanced Research Quantum Materials program. Graeme Luke
first year online assignment problems. The following summer, I
was cited "For the study of exotic magnetism and superconductivworkedInformation:
for Dr. Brian King in his experimental laser cooling and
Contact
ity using muon spin rotation techniques." Takashi Imai was cited
ion trapping
lab through
an NSERC
Undergraduate
Student
Department
of Physics
and Astronomy,
McMaster
University
Graduating
of 2006
"For important studies
of quantumClass
magnetism
and superconducResearch
Dr. King
has been
a continuous
support through
1280
Main Award.
Street West,
Hamilton,
Ontario
L8S 4M1
tivity using NMR techniques."
my studies
and application
process for graduate school. This past
Phone:
905-525-9140,
ext. 24559
summer,
I worked for Dr. Aephraim Steinberg in his experimental
Fax:
905-546-1252
laser cooling,
quantum optics, and quantum information lab at the
email:
physics@mcmaster.ca
Alumnus Awards
University of Toronto, again through an NSERC USRA.
http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/
Thomas Mason was awarded a Distinguished Alumni Award at
the November 21st Convocation. Thomas earned his Ph.D in
experimental condensed matter physics from McMaster
University in 1990. He became the laboratory director of the Oak
Ridge National Laboratory in 2007. Mason is a fellow of both the
American Association for the Advancement of Science and the
American Physical Society. He has been named one of the “100
Canadians to Watch” by Maclean’s magazine and listed as one of
Canada’s Top 40 Under 40.
I am currently working with Dr. Duncan O'Dell on my undergraduate thesis on theoretical on-demand adiabatic transfer of photons
between adjacent optical cavities. As a result of these inspiring
research experiences, I wish to go to graduate school to explore
fundamental quantum phenomena using experimental atomic and
optical physics. In addition, I am currently the McMaster
Undergraduate Physics Society Co-President Physics, where I am
helping to implement new initiatives to bring students closer
together, increase awareness of the physics program, and to help
the surrounding community. I am also a vocalist in the McMaster
Vocal Ensemble.
Student Awards
On Wednesday, April 5, 2006, the graduates organized a special
Congratulations
Mazurek
received
thewhere
Governor
celebration in to
theEmma
Great Hall
of thewho
University
Club
family,
General's
Medaland
at the
Science
friends,Silver
professors
staffJune
all 10th
joined
in theConvocation.
celebration ofThis
their
medal
is awarded to the student graduating from an Honours prograduation.
3
I must thank all of the professors, secretaries, and the outreach
coordinator for their continual support of not only me, but the
entire physics student body: I continue to be impressed by the supportive learning environment they provide for all students.
Physics and Astronomy
Department of
and Margaret Hilborn had married and had their first two children.
Nevertheless in 1943 he was involved in two military research
activities. One of these, an analysis of how best to use smoke to
I wish to support The Jim Waddington
PrizeJohns,
in Physics
Martin Wesley
who & Astronomy
protect potential targets against night-time bombing, led to a postserved four terms as Chair of the
war publication in Canadian Journal of Physics.
Department of
Physics,ordied on
With my gift of $
enclosed
September 18, 2008, aged 95,
In the summer of 1945 Martin and his young family visited his
following
a stroke theover
previous
With my total pledge of $
years.
father at McMaster. He met Harry Thode and learned about the
week. Until that brief illness he
plans to convert McMaster into a research-intensive university. He
had been remarkably fit and
felt a strong urge to become active in nuclear research and was
Payments to be made:
alert.
pleased to be invited to spend the next summer with Thode’s
Office
Use Only
group. Then, on Thode’s advice,
he applied
for and obtained a job
$
annually
$ on March 23,
semi-annually
Martin was born
Allocation:
at AECL in Chalk River. But he was thereS2572A
for only a year, since
1913 in Chengdu, West China,
Appeal:
GY2
in
1947
Thode
asked
him
to
join
McMaster’s
faculty and start
the
eldest
of
five
children
born
$
quarterly
$
monthly
research in nuclear physics, while Boyd McLay attended to
to Myrtle and Alfred Johns. His
departmental administration.
parents
missionaries of the
Please charge to my credit card:
[ were
] MasterCard
[ ] Visa
Charitable Registration #
Methodist Church of Canada,
Martin Johns can rightly be called
the founder
of 0001
McMaster’s cur11903
5988 RR
Martin Wesley Johns his father serving as the profesrent physics department. During the thirty-one years that he was
Expiry Date:
sor of mathematics in the West
a member of the department, he and his graduate students pubChina Union University, and his mother as principal of a Girl’s
make
chequesDuring
payable
lished about 100 papersPlease
on nuclear
structure.
thesetoyears
Card #:
School
in Chengdu. He attended the Canadian School in West
“McMaster
University”
and
make
McMaster grew from a small (500 student) institution with
an Arts
China, passing the Ontario High School entrance examination at
reference
to
“The
Jim
Waddington
and Science Faculty focused on teaching, to a large, multi-faculty
Signature:
the
end of 1924. The family came to Canada on a year’s leave in
Prize students.
in Physics
& elected
Astronomy”.
institution with about 10,000
He was
a Fellow of
early 1925, but unrest in China prevented their planned return.
Receipts
for
Income
Tax
purposes docthe Royal Society of Canada in 1962 and received honorary
Martin
attended
high schools
in Exeter
(Ontario),
For more
information
please contact
Mara
EspostoTacoma
at (905) 525-9140
ext.in24569.
will be issued
to all donors.
torates
Science from Brandon
University
(1972) and McMaster
(Washington), Vancouver (British Columbia) and finally Brandon
University (1994).
(Manitoba),
wherecan
hisbe
father
the professor
mathematContributions
sentbecame
as follows:
MaraofEsposto
ics at Brandon College in 1927.
Excellent research laboratories for Johns and Duckworth were
ABB 241
included
in the Nuclear Research Building when it was built in
McMaster
Brandon College was then a small institution
affiliatedUniversity
with
1951. The first three PhDs in physics were awarded in 1953;
1280 In
Main
McMaster University and the Baptist Convention.
1931Street
the West
Carm McMullen had worked with Johns, Ben Hogg with
economic depression was severe, and Martin’s father
moved
to
Hamilton, ON a L8S 4M1
Duckworth and Bob Wanless with Thode. The Burke Science
more secure position in the Mathematics Department at McMaster.
Building opened in 1954. Martin became chair of the department
Martin had completed the first three years of his Bachelor’s profrom 1961
to 1967. This spanned the period of most rapid growth,
Contact
Information:
gram at Brandon College and then obtained his B.A. and M.A.
in which theofnumber
faculty
grew from
six to 24.
In 1962 Bert
Department
Physicsofand
Astronomy,
McMaster
University
Graduating
Class
of 2006 His M.A.
degrees from McMaster
in 1932 and
1934 respectively.
Brockhouse
was West,
persuaded
to move
to McMaster.
1280
Main Street
Hamilton,
Ontario
L8S 4M1 His work at
thesis was on measurements of the arc spectra of mercury, carried
Chalk River
was already
the level that led to the Nobel prize, but
Phone:
905-525-9140,
ext.at24559
out under the supervision of Prof. H.F. Dawes, and Dr. A. Boyd
the 905-546-1252
McMaster atmosphere attracted him and the opening of our
Fax:
McLay. (The Physics Department then had only these two memnuclear
reactor in 1959 made his research possible on campus.
email:
physics@mcmaster.ca
bers. McLay was appointed in 1930 and on Dawes’ retirement
The Senior Science Building (later the Bourns Building) was
http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/
became chair from 1946–1956. Dawes’ name is attached to the
planned and construction begun. The graduate program in physics
laneway between the Bourns Bldg. and Engineering, while there
grew rapidly peaking at over 100 students in 1969. The grant for
are two in-course scholarships remembering Boyd McLay.)
the Tandem Accelerator was secured and the Tandem Laboratory
Martin then began PhD studies at the University of Toronto workconstruction begun in 1968.
ing on the spark spectrum of mercury and its quantum mechanical
interpretation, supervised by E.F. Burton and M.F. Crawford. In
Martin was succeeded as chairman for one term by Bert
1937 Brandon College asked Martin to replace its only full-time
Brockhouse, and returned to the chair from 1970-76. This was a
physics professor, who had unexpectedly resigned. He accepted
period of slow growth in science at McMaster, with very few new
this heavy teaching position and also completed his PhD in 1938.
faculty appointments. Nonetheless, two positions were filled by
During 1938 Brandon College, under severe financial stress, sevBill Harris and Peter Sutherland, marking the foundation of the
ered its connection with McMaster to become a branch of the
very successful astrophysics group. Martin’s wise leadership was
University of Manitoba, a situation that lasted until it became a
credited with making the McMaster Physics department a very
separate university in 1967. Martin with some part-time assistance
harmonious one, and the best for its size in the country.
ran On
Brandon’s
Physics
untilgraduates
1946. organized a special
Wednesday,
Aprilinstruction
5, 2006, the
Martin was very concerned about the teaching role of the departcelebration in the Great Hall of the University Club where family,
During
these
nine years,
hadjoined
little opportunity
for research
ment. He established the undergraduate advisory committee, with
friends,
professors
andMartin
staff all
in the celebration
of their
evengraduation.
in the summer, which he usually spent teaching at the
continued on page 6
University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. In the same period Martin
Tribute to Martin Johns
4
Physics and Astronomy
Department of
I wish to support The Jim Waddington Prize in Physics & Astronomy
With my gift of $
enclosed or
With my total pledge of $
over
Payments to be made:
$
$
annually
quarterly
Please charge to my credit card: [
Expiry Date:
$
$
] MasterCard
years.
semi-annually
monthly
[
] Visa
Card #:
Signature:
For more information please contact Mara Esposto at (905) 525-9140 ext. 24569.
Contributions can be sent as follows:
Alumni Reunion 2008
Mara Esposto
ABB 241
McMaster University
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1
The morning started off with a great presentation by UBC
Professor Doug Bonn (FRSC and Class of 1983) on High
Temperature Superconductivity during which he discussed the
unique resources and researchers at McMaster which helped
launch him into a successful career on High Temperature
Superconductors. This was followed by a stimulating lecture by
three of the younger faculty, Alison Sills, Ken Sills and Kari
Dalnoki-Veress on “Teaching Physics in the 21st Century,” who
wowed the audience with death-defying demonstrations and also
explained some of the strategies that they employ to keep students
engaged in classroom activities. The group then adjourned for
On atWednesday,
April
5, 2006, the graduates organized a special
lunch
Convocation
Hall.
Learning & Discovery, starting with a welcome greeting by
Charitable Registration #
11903 5988 RR 0001
Please make cheques payable to
“McMaster University” and make
reference to “The Jim Waddington
Prize in Physics & Astronomy”.
Receipts for Income Tax purposes
will be issued to all donors.
President
Peter George. Russell Donnelly then described the proContact
Information:
duction
of
PBS documentary,
“The McMaster
Making of University
Absolute Zero,”
Department the
of Physics
and Astronomy,
and
showed
the
first
act,
which
told
the
dramatic
story
1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1 of the race
between
James Dewarext.
and24559
Heike Kammerlingh-Onnes to liquefy
Phone:
905-525-9140,
hydrogen
and
ultimately
helium.
This was sufficiently inspiring
Fax: 905-546-1252
that
the
department
is
now
planning
to incorporate The Making of
email: physics@mcmaster.ca
Absolute
Zero
into
its
Level
II
Thermodynamics
course, 2H04.
http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/
Several of the graduating students then presented posters on their
undergraduate research, and this poster session was followed by a
presentation of the 3D movie, “Our Sun – What a Star!”
By John Berlinsky
Graduating Class of 2006
On June 7, 2008 the department held its first ever Alumni
Reunion. By all accounts it was a great success. In total, 90 alumni, alumni family, faculty, friends and members of the graduating
class of 2008 attended part or all of the day. Ted Gieruszczak, of
the Class of 1945 received the award for the member of the earliest graduating class at the event.
celebration in the Great Hall of the University Club where family,
professors
andinstaff
in the
celebration
of for
their
Thefriends,
afternoon
was spent
the all
newjoined
Michael
DeGroote
Centre
graduation.
Office Use Only
Allocation: S2572A
Appeal: GY2
John Berlinsky made some closing remarks and described how
alumni donors can contribute to the activities of the department
that interest them by designating their donations to McMaster to
Physics & Astronomy, or to one of our funds, the Martin Johns
Fund, the Russell Donnelly Fund and the James Waddington
Scholarship Fund. The uses of these various funds are described
on the back page of this newsletter.
5
The day ended with an extremely pleasant dinner at the University
Club. There were speeches reminiscing and thanks given to various people who had contributed to the Department and to the
event. There seemed to be widespread agreement that the Reunion
should be repeated more frequently, perhaps every five years.
Physics and Astronomy
Department of
2008 Graduating Class
Research News:
I wish
to support
The
JimWednesday,
Waddington
in the
Physics
2008
Graduating
Class
– On
AprilPrize
9, 2008,
grad- & Astronomy
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC): A new era, or the end of
uates organized a special celebration in the Dining Room of the
the
world?
With
my
gift
of
$
enclosed
or
University Club where family, friends, professors and staff all
joined in the celebration of their graduation.
By Cliff Burgess
With my total pledge of $
over
years.
Payments to be made:
$
$
annually
quarterly
Please charge to my credit card: [
$
$
] MasterCard
How many physicists does it take to turn on an accelerator? You
might be forgiven for asking that question this fall, with news
reports of the first beam in the
LHC Use
on Sept.
Office
Only10, almost immedisemi-annually
ately followed by its lengthyAllocation:
shut-down due
to a failure with its
S2572A
superconducting magnets.
monthly
[
Appeal: GY2
Having just returned from a sabbatical year at CERN, on the out-
physicists worldwide are chomp] Visaskirts of Geneva, I know particle
Charitable Registration #
ing at the bit for this machine to turn on. (I have an alibi for the
11903 wants
5988 to
RRknow
0001what will be
day the machine broke.) Everybody
Expiry Date:
revealed once it begins colliding protons head-on, liberating a
Please
make The
cheques
to is
whopping 14 TeV in each
collision.
feverishpayable
anticipation
Card #:
“McMaster
University”
and
due to the expected breakdown
at LHC
energies of
themake
very suc“The Jim Waddington
cessful Standard Modelreference
of particletophysics.
Signature:
Prize in Physics & Astronomy”.
Back Row: Robert Peters, Yurij Petlura, Nicholas Ellens,
Receipts have
for staked
IncomeoutTax
In broad brush-strokes, theorists
threepurposes
broad classDaniel
Criger,
Adam Zalewski
For
more
information
please contact Mara Esposto at (905) 525-9140
be issued
to all
donors.
es ofext.
new24569.
physics that itwill
might
discover.
The
historically conserMiddle Row: Daniel Melnychuk, Chad Daley
vative option would be to find substructure for some or all of the
Front Row: Ann Kallin, Katherine Woods, Amanda
particles we now believe to be elementary. Slightly more racy
Contributions
can
be
sent
as
follows:
Mara
Esposto
Schembri, Jennifer LeNestour, Emma Mazurek, Tara Gorman
would be to find a slew of hitherto unknown particles, perhaps
ABB 241
Missing: Rachna Chandrani, Amandeep Mander
McMaster University including partners for all known particles as predicted by supersymmetry (a new kind of symmetry relating bosons to fermions).
1280 Main Street West
Most
Tribute to Martin Johns, continued from page 4 Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1 spectacular would be to find extra dimensions, a possibility
that is allowed (but not required by) fundamental theories of gravtwo students elected by each year of the programme, who met
ity
like string theory. Or could we be unlucky and just find the one
monthly over lunch with the Chair. That way he kept abreast of
missingInformation:
particle - the Higgs boson - of the Standard Model?
Contact
how the various courses were going, so that any developing probSince this isofalmost
last
time one can
dare to University
be wrong about
Department
Physicsthe
and
Astronomy,
McMaster
lems could be headed
off.
He
established
the
position
of
Associate
Graduating Class of 2006
Chair with responsibility for the graduate programme, a system
whatMain
the LHC
see,
I predictOntario
that extra
will be
1280
Streetwill
West,
Hamilton,
L8Sdimensions
4M1
that continues to this day. His teaching interest led to his being the
found.905-525-9140,
This is not justext.
optimism,
Phone:
24559 or intellectual bungee jumping
university Coordinator of Part Time Degree Studies from 1976(although
I do have my moments). I think observably large extra
Fax:
905-546-1252
1981. Thus when he retired in 1981 at age 68 he had held signifidimensions
are required to resolve the puzzle of the nature of the
email:
physics@mcmaster.ca
cant administrative roles continuously for 20 years with one three
mysterious dark energy that, cosmologists have found makes up
http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/
year break. After he “retired” his nuclear research continued for
more than 70% of the universe. (But don’t get me started...)
some years.
His interests outside the University resulted in his being named
“Hamilton’s Distinguished Citizen of the Year” in 1979. For many
years he was involved with the United Way of
Hamilton/Burlington, and the Family Service movement of
Canada presiding at the local, provincial and national levels. He
was also an active member of the United Church of Canada at the
local and national levels. After a career in Physics, he turned his
attention to writing family history. His first book, “Bamboo
Sprouts and Maple Buds,” dealt with his early life in China. It has
recently been republished in hard cover. The second, “Sugaring
Off,” is a tribute to the author’s parents who did such a good job
of “Sugaring
Off” five obstreperous and lively children. The third
On Wednesday, April 5, 2006, the graduates organized a special
volume,
“In
Praise
of a Small College”, recounts his experiences
celebration in the Great Hall of the University Club where family,
during
the
years
at
Brandon, which encompassed the depression
friends, professors and staff all joined in the celebration of their
andgraduation.
the war. The books are available from ``Titles”, the McMaster
bookstore.
If I'm right, then among other things, the LHC will produce lots of
exploding black holes when its protons collide. There has been
concern in the public that such black holes might be the end of us
all; eating up the Earth rather than exploding. Need we worry? Not
really. Many more protons, having much higher energy than the
LHC, constantly bombard the Earth from space, as well as hit
other planets and stars. If the LHC were to produce dangerous
black holes, we would have been destroyed long ago by black
holes produced by this cosmic bombardment.
Although the world may yet end next year, it won’t be the LHC
that does it.
6
Physics and Astronomy
Department of
etarium (see photo). Rob has been presenting shows in the planetarium for several years and is managing the day-to-day operaWilliam J. McCallion Planetarium
tions.
I wish to support The Jim Waddington
Prize inofPhysics
Physics& AstronomyAt the moment, this is a volunteer position but we are solicThe Department
iting donations to fund a graduate scholarship to support this work
and Astronomy is pleased
so that more time can be devoted to developing more innovative,
that,
to announce
With my gift of $
enclosed
or after
professional content for the planetarium and to bring the wonders
more than a year's closure
astronomy to even more people. Alumni who are interested in
of
for
renovations,
With my total pledge of $
over the
years.
this
initiative should contact the chair and/or see the back page for
William J. McCallion
more
details.
Planetarium will formally
Payments to be made:
re-open in January, 2009.
While the location of the
Office Use Only
$
annually
$ is unchanged,
semi-annually
planetarium
2009 International
Year ofS2572A
Astronomy
Allocation:
the new planetarium feaAppeal:
GY2
$
quarterly
$
monthly (IYA)
tures a vastly
more capable
digital projection system,
and Astronomy will be taking
can generate views
Please charge to my credit card: [which
] MasterCard
[ ] VisaIn 2009, the Department of Physics
Charitable
Registration
part
in
an
exciting
international
education
and outreach#initiative.
of the sky from any loca11903 5988
RR 0001
The year 2009 has been declared
by the
United Nations
tion in the solar system at
Expiry Date:
Educational,
Scientific
and
Cultural
Organization
(UNESCO) and
virtually any point in time.
the
International
Astronomical
Union
(IAU)
as
the
International
Please make cheques payable
to
The new projector allows
Card #:
Year
of
Astronomy
(IYA).
The
IYA
commemorates
Galileo's
“McMaster University” and make first
us to project realistic, real-time views of the Milky Way, the contelescopic observation of
the cosmos
400 years
in 1609. The
reference
to “The
Jim ago
Waddington
stellations (with artwork and lines to guide the eye), the planets
Signature:
goal
of
the
international
IYA
organizing
committee
is to give as
Prize in Physics & Astronomy”.
and their moons, meteor showers, deep sky objects such as galaxmany
people
as
possible
all
across
the
globe
a
"Galileo"
moment
Receipts for Income Tax purposes
ies and star clusters, and much, much more.
during
2009.
A
wide
variety
of
exciting
events
have
been
planned
For more
information
contact
Mara
atheav(905) 525-9140 ext. 24569.
will be issued to all donors.
Visitors
to the
planetariumplease
will enjoy
viewing
theEsposto
projected
locally,
nationally,
and
internationally.
ens from the comfort of thirty-five brand-new reclining chairs.
The
new planetarium
is also
with an elevator,
making it
Contributions
can be
sentequipped
as follows:
Mara Esposto
In January, the department will kick off its IYA festivities with the
possible for the first time to accommodate physically
ABB 241disabled
re-opening
of McMaster's William J. McCallion planetarium. The
guests.
McMaster University
department has partnered with members of the Hamilton Amateur
1280 Main Street West Astronomers for a series of monthly Sidewalk Astronomy events,
In addition to being more visually engaging, the upgraded planeHamilton, ON L8S 4M1
during which large portable telescopes will be set up on street cortarium is a much more powerful teaching tool than the old one.
ners
around the Hamilton area to give passers-by the opportunity
We can now match the content of our shows to virtually any curto
stop
for a moment and engage with the skies above their heads.
Contact Information:
riculum and are working on developing shows suited to our most
We
hope
"Galileo"
moments McMaster
to unsuspecting
passers-by
Departmenttoofbring
Physics
and Astronomy,
University
frequent types of Graduating
visitors. We canClass
now display
the names of the
of 2006
all
year
long!
In
April,
the
department
will
also
participate
in the
1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1
constellations and other celestial objects in a tremendous variety
100
Hours
of
Astronomy,
an
international
event
which
will
coorPhone: 905-525-9140, ext. 24559
of languages, so we are now offering shows in languages other
dinate
major
public
observing
nights
with
live
webcasts
from
Fax: 905-546-1252
than English on a by-request basis. Our first show in French will
major
astronomical
observatories,
linking
the
whole
planet
togethemail: physics@mcmaster.ca
take place soon and we hope to be able to offer shows in Spanish
er for 100 continuous hours of "Galileo moments". As part of the
http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/
and Mandarin Chinese, depending on staff availability.
Galileo Lecture Series, Hamilton will also host free public talks on
recent developments in astronomy, from the search for Earth-like
We are currently training staff to operate the new planetarium and
planets outside the solar system, to the formation of galaxies, to
are offering private shows on a limited basis to university, school,
the origin and fate of the universe. The first of these talks will be
and community groups. The planetarium will formally re-open on
held in concert with McMaster's Origins Institute, whose ongoing
January 15, 2009 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by
series of exciting public lectures, many of them on physics and
McMaster President, Peter George, and a host of guests drawn
astronomy
themes, will also continue throughout 2009.
from across Hamilton and Halton. Those interested in attending
the event should contact Dr. Michael Reid at reidInterested readers can find out more about local and national IYA
ma@physics.mcmaster.ca to request an invitation.
events by visiting www.astronomy2009.ca. Information about
IYA events taking place in Hamilton will be posted there in the
Shows in the new planetarium can be booked by calling (905) 525coming
weeks. Our plans continue to develop, so keep an eye on
9140, extension 27777. Evening public shows on special topics
the
website
during 2009 for the latest information!
will resume in 2009.
On Wednesday, April 5, 2006, the graduates organized a special
celebration in the Great Hall of the University Club where family,
Thefriends,
planetarium
is also
to welcome
astronomy
professors
andpleased
staff all
joined in McMaster
the celebration
of their
graduate
student
Robert
Cockcroft
as
the
new
manager
of
the plangraduation.
7
and Astronomy Physics and Astronomy
Department of
Physic
Those who wish to support undergraduate and graduate students in physics and astronomy at McMaster can designate their donations to
Department
McMaster Physics
& Astronomy,of
or to one of our funds:
Physics and Astronomy
I wish to support The Jim Waddington Prize in Physics & Astronomy
& Astronomy (see front page for more info).
The Martin Johns Fund – this fund is used to provide entrance scholarships to Honours Physics undergraduate students, and to send
Physics
undergraduates
With
my gift of $to the Canadian Undergraduate
enclosed
or Conference.
Department of
I The
wish Jim
to support
The Jim Waddington
Prize in Physics annual
& Astronomy
(see
page with
for more
info). achievement in Physics 1BA3 who is
Waddington
prize for
thefront
student
the highest
With
my total
pledge ofPrize
$ – this fund supports an
over
years.
years.
entering an Honours Physics program.
With my gift of $
Physics and Astronomy
enclosed or
Payments
to be made:
The McCallion
Planetarium Fund – donations to this fund will be used to start a graduate scholarship that will allow a graduate stu-
Message from the Chair
With my total pledge of $
over
years.
dentI to
coordinate
activities
of the newly
renovated
planetarium.
wish
to supportthe
The
Jim Waddington
Prize
in Physics
& Astronomy (see front page for more info).
Office Use Only
Office Use Only
$
semi-annually
Allocation: S2572A
With my gift of $
enclosed or
Appeal:
GY2
quarterly
$
monthly
annually
$
semi-annually
$
annually
Payments to be made:
cemi-annually
.
$$
d
monthly
With my total pledge of $
over
c
h
$
Please
charge toquarterly
my credit card: [ $] MasterCardmonthly [
Payments to be made:
a ] Visa
Charitable Registration #
s
Please charge
to my credit card: 11903
[ ] MasterCard
5988$ RR 0001[
Expiry
$ Date:
annually
years.
] Visa
] Visa
semi-annually
Allocation: S2572A
The GY2
end of 2003 marked the
Appeal:
Office Use Only
retirement of Jim Waddington, who
Allocation: S2572Ajoined McMaster as a post-doc in
Appeal: GY2
1970, but was quickly moved onto
Charitable
Registration #
the faculty where he rose through
11903
5988 toRR
0001 Jim has had
the ranks
professor.
Office Use Only
Charitable Registration #
a stellar
research
as an
Allocation:
11903
5988Please
RRS2572A
0001
make
cheques
payablecareer
to
experimental
nuclear tophysicist
Appeal:
GY2
Please
make
cheques
payable
“McMaster University” and make
Expiry Date:
s
$
quarterly
$
Please make cheques
payable monthly
to
Card #:
studying
highlyand
deformed
nuclei.
.
University”
make
Please make “McMaster
cheques
payable
to scholarship
reference
to
the
of
your
“McMaster
University”
and
make
s
He
was
the
leader
of
the
Card #:
reference
to
“The
JimIncome
Waddington
“McMaster University”
and
make for
Please charge to my reference
credit card:to[ “The
] MasterCard
[ ] Visa
choice.
Receipts
Tax
Charitable
Registration
#
Jim Waddington
p
NSERC-funded
8TC
gamma-ray
Signature:
reference to “The
PrizeJiminWaddington
Physics
& Astronomy”.
will
to allan instrument
t
11903purposes
5988
RR
0001be issued
Prize in Physics & Astronomy”.
Signature:
spectrometer
project,
Prize in Physics
& Astronomy”.
Receipts
for
Income
Tax
purposes
Expiry
Date:
f
donors.
Receipts for Income Tax purposes
which
started
its life at AECL in
Receipts for Income
purposes
For more information please contact Mara Esposto at (905) 525-9140 ext. 24569.
will beTax
issued
to all
donors.
o
Please
cheques
payable
to later migrated to
5) 525-9140
ext. 24569.
willcontact
be issued
toEsposto
all donors.
For more
information please
Mara
at (905) 525-9140 ext. 24569.
will be
issued make
to all donors.
Chalk
River,
f
Card #:
“McMaster University”
and
make
Berkeley, California, and is now in
t
John Berlinsky
reference to “The Jim
Contributions
canbebesent
sent
as follows:Mara Mara
Contributions can
as follows:
EspostoEsposto
useWaddington
by Jim and his collaborators at
e
Signature:
Prize in Physics & Astronomy”.
ABB 241
ABB 241
the ISAC facility at TRIUMF. He is also a former Director of the
h
Receipts for Income Tax purposes
McMaster University
e
University
McMaster Accelerator
For more information please contact Mara McMaster
Esposto at (905)
525-9140 ext. 24569.
will be issued Laboratory.
to all donors. However Jim will likely be
ersity
1280 Main
r
remembered by many of the readers of this newsletter as one of
1280Street
MainWest
Street West
et
r West
Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1
their best professors.
d
t
Mara
EspostoON L8S 4M1
Hamilton,
ABB 241
Contact Information:
In 2003 Jim’s superb teaching record led to his receiving the
McMaster University
Information:
DepartmentContact
of Physics
and Astronomy,
McMaster
University
President’s
Award for
Excellence
in Instruction which recognized
1280
Main
Street
West
2003
Department
Holiday
Celebration
Contact Information:
1280 MainDepartment
Street
West,
Hamilton,
Ontario
L8S
4M1
of
Physics
and
Astronomy,
McMaster
the
fact
that
he
had
established
himself
as University
the best teacher in
Hamilton,
ON
L8S
4M1
Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University
L8S 4M1
ion
ore.
or
to
ET
he
nt
on
to
to
Contributions can be sent as follows:
Graduating Class of 2006
1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1
Phone: 905-525-9140, ext. 24559
Fax: 905-546-1252
2003 Department Holiday Celebration
email: physics@mcmaster.ca
http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/
Phone: 905-525-9140,
1280Physics
Mainext.
Street
West, Hamilton,
Ontarioof L8S
4M1 Jim has been an
&24559
Astronomy
over a period
33 years.
Fax: 905-546-1252
Phone:
905-525-9140,
ext.
24559
inspiration
to
generations
of
students.
He
believes strongly in
Information:
email:Contact
physics@mcmaster.ca
Fax:
905-546-1252
involving
undergraduate
students
in
research,
and many of the
Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University
http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/
whom
he supervised
physics@mcmaster.ca
1280 email:
Mainstudents
Street
West,
Hamilton,
Ontario L8Shave
4M1 gone on to pursue successful
Phone:
905-525-9140,
24559
careers inext.Physics.
Jim continues his involvement in the
http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/
Fax: 905-546-1252
department’s teaching through his participation in the new “Big
email: physics@mcmaster.ca
Questions” courses for which he will have administrative
http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/
responsibility over the next few years. He also plans to remain
active in research.
In honour of Jim Waddington’s retirement, the department has
decided to establish a prize which will be called “The Jim
Waddington Prize in Physics & Astronomy.” This prize will be
awarded each year to the student with the best performance in
Physics 1BA3 who then enters an Honours Program in Physics or
Astronomy. The rationale for creating this award is as follows: One
of Jim’s main teaching assignments in recent years was Physics
1BA3, the second semester of Physics for 1st year students who are
heading toward the physical sciences. This course is a gateway into
Honours Physics & Astronomy, and Jim has acted as a beacon,
On the evening of Tuesday, December 2nd members of the Department
and their friends and families joined together for a holiday celebration
at the West Town Bar and Grill on Locke St. The evening turned out to
be full of great food and company.
On Wednesday, April 5, 2006, the graduates organized a special
On the evening of Tuesday, December 2nd members of the Department
celebration
in friends
the Great
Hall of
thetogether
University
Club where
family,
and their
and families
joined
for a holiday
celebration
friends,at the
professors
and
staff
all
joined
in
the
celebration
of
West Town Bar and Grill on Locke St. The evening turned out totheir
graduation.
be full of great food and company.
8