Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Department of Physics
Newsletter
Issue 1
1845 Fairmount, Wichita KS 67260-0032
Summer 2008
Dean supports physics department
Department of Physics, Jabara Hall,
Room 046
Web site:
http://webs.wichita.edu/physics/
Phone: (316) 978-3190
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
FACULTY AND STAFF
Department Chair
Nickolas Solomey
Administrator
Susan Emerson
Professor
Elizabeth Behrman
Hussein H. Hamdeh
James Ho
Gerald (Skip) Loper (Emeritus)
Nickolas Solomey
Associate Professor
Jason Ferguson
Syed Taher
Assistant Professor
Adebanjo Oriade (Adjunct)
Instructor
Brilliant Bagaipalli (GTA Lab)
Josh Bryan (GTA Lab)
Haarika V. Gallapalli (GTA Lab)
Diwaker Reddy Katta (GTA Lab)
Joscelyn Nittler (Physics 502)
Greg Novacek
Anna Solomey (Lab Coord)
Humphrey L. Wamocha (GTA Lab)
Society of Physics
Students Co-President
Shannon Ray
Andy Schauf
Dear alumni, students and friends:
As a geologist and scientist, I am aware of the
physics involved in everything I do: for example,
understanding the basis of land formations, listening
to music using various media, and driving my car. As
an educator, it is my belief that everyone should have
a basic understanding of the laws of physics and an
appreciation for the role it plays in their lives.
As a discipline, physics strengthens the offerings
of Fairmount College, particularly in providing
educators an understanding of the scientific method
and basic scientific principles. It also provides an
important foundation for majors in engineering.
Engineers, as applied scientists, must understand the William D.
basic scientific principles upon which their particular
Bischoff
disciplines rest.
I support the goals of the Department of Physics
and I thank you for your support of the physics
program at WSU.
Sincerely,
William D. Bischoff, Dean
Chair Solomey shares vision
As I finish my first academic year at Wichita State University, it is a
good time to reflect upon the high ambitions I had when I accepted the
position as chair of the physics department. The reality is that what I want
to achieve—bringing in new, exceptional physics faculty and improving the
physics program offerings—is limited by the support and funding provided
by our alumni and friends, inside and outside of the university. It is
cooperation and collaboration among our supporters that will lead to
success in this endeavor.
The Dean’s and Provost's Offices are providing
funds to attract additional qualified faculty and to
make improvements to the Department of Physics
facilities. This support will eventually lead to an
improved physics program. An improved physics
program will benefit not only our liberal arts and
sciences students—particularly physics, biology and
chemistry majors—but also students in the College of
Nickolas Solomey Engineering.
Ph.D., University of
We have started on a very long road, a road that
Geneva,
will take at least six more years to travel. Although
Switzerland
we have spent $29,000 on new undergraduate
M.S., The Ohio
State University
B.S., Mount Union
College
laboratory equipment, we need at least three times
this amount to bring our laboratories up to national
standards. However, this amount does not include
additional equipment for advanced physics classes or
for the special classes like Physics 502, Science
Investigations: Physics, for education majors.
I recognize that improvement will be slow, especially for the next year;
but I envision steady progress over the years. We will start a search for an
experimental low energy nuclear group leader at the rank of associate
professor. For continued improvements to the undergraduate laboratories,
we are requesting special funding from a technology grant. I am
encouraging more of our physics faculty to apply for and establish funding
for their research projects and to incorporate more physics students into
those research projects. I strongly feel we are progressing in dramatically
improving the Department of Physics, and I will continue to push for more
improvements.
Sincerely,
Nickolas Solomey, Chair
WSU professor and alumnus leads off
IAU symposium in Sanya, China
Physics department supports
engineering student needs
Jason Ferguson, Associate Professor of Physics and WSU
alumnus, gave a presentation at the 2008 International
Astronomical Union’s week-long 252nd Symposium in Sanya,
China. Following the theme, “The Art of Modeling Stars in the
21st Century,” the symposium focused on improvement of
the physics used in modeling stellar environments and on
model validation by comparison of results to observed
characteristics of nearby stars.
As the lead-off presenter of the session, Professor
Ferguson was invited to review the state of opacity
calculations – a review titled, “Changing Abundances,
Changing Opacities." Abundance is the measure of the
presence of an element while opacity is a measure of the
absorption and/or scattering of light due to propagation
through a medium. In modeling stellar environments the
transfer of radiation by the outflow of energy is modulated by
the opacity of the medium. For example, hot ionized plasma
has a very different opacity than a cool molecular gas. His
presentation focused on the input atomic and molecular
physics necessary to compute the opacity, and what happens
to that opacity if the abundances change in the medium.
In the last three or four years there has been a bit of an
upheaval in the astrophysical community because the
observation-based oxygen abundance in the sun has
changed. As the idea of a "solar abundance" has changed,
astronomers are led to wonder: How does this affect the
opacity, or basic physics of stellar evolution models?
For the past few years, Professor Ferguson has worked
with many stellar evolution experts around the world
providing them with the opacity data they need to try to
understand the lives of stars. Future endeavors in the opacity
arena at WSU include improvements in the molecular
opacities of carbon species and a focus on how the changing
carbon-to-oxygen ratio in evolved stars can be better
modeled.
Professors Jason Ferguson, Kamran
Rokhsaz, Abu Masud, and Nick Solomey,
pictured below, reviewed the basic calculus-level
physics class to better meet requirements of
engineering students. Professors Rokhsaz and
Masud are faculty in the College of Engineering.
•The committee proposed:
An improved book with an online learning aid and
•homework system;
Upgrading laboratory equipment using an
$18,000 technology grant from the Provost's
Office and $10,000 from department operating
money;
•
Changing the class from a two semester, fourcredit hour course with two optional labs to a
three semester, three-credit hour course with
two labs.
For more information, see:
http://webs.wichita.edu/physics/Physics300_redesi
gn.html
Two new classes for physics majors
External review findings
Physics 595. Astrophysics. A course covering the
formation, lives, and deaths of stars. The following topics will
be covered: HR-diagrams, atomic and molecular spectra,
radiative and convective transfer, the structure and spectra
of stellar atmospheres, stellar evolution. Prerequisite: Physics
551.
Physics 675. Nuclear and Particle Physics. Theories of
Nuclear and Particle Physics, including experimental
techniques and important features of current data. Summary
of mesons, baryons, and leptons and their electromagnetic,
strong and weak nuclear force interactions.
Phenomenological descriptions of nuclear and high-energy
scattering and particle production leading to the quark theory
of matter and other new exotic particles. Prerequisite:
Physics 651.
New faculty memer hired
Holger Meyer, Ph.D., whose most recent work has been
on the Main Injector Particle Production (MIPP) Experiment at
the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, will join the WSU
physics department faculty as assistant professor in August.
Dr. Meyer presented recent results of the MIPP Experiment
during February, as part of the Physics Seminar Series for
academic year 2007-2008.
Committee members from left: Ferguson,
Rokhsaz, Masud and Solomey.
As part of his vision for improving the physics
department, Chair Nick Solomey invited an
external review panel to evaluate the physics
department this past academic year. The panel’s
report recommended improvements in teaching
and research effectiveness through such means
as:
• Decreasing class sizes or adding recitation
sections for large classes;
• Offering broader and higher level course
options;
• More carefully matching faculty to courses;
• Reviewing course content to meet the needs
of engineering and other departments;
• Attaining greater commitment by all faculty
to high quality delivery of teaching;
• Strategically hiring new faculty and staff;
• Aligning research activities with WSU’s niche
research areas (biomedical and nanoscience,
jointly with other departments);
• Investing in necessary research
infrastructure;
• Re-establishing a masters program as soon
as new hires and funding are in place
(subject to further review);
• Considering a Ph.D. program in three to five
years.
Post-doc researcher joins department
Mohamed Eltabey Elsayed, whose Ph.D. was granted
by the University of Ain Shams in Egypt, assumes a postdoctoral research position with Professor Hussein H. Hamdeh
this summer. Dr. Elsayed’s paper, “Temperature Dependent
Lattice Distortion in Fe-Mo-oxides” has been accepted for
publication in Applied Physics Letters. His research will center
on fabrication and characterization of nano-sized catalysts
and nanocomposite electrospun nanofibers.
External review
panelists from
left: Peter Ratoff,
Yasar Onel, Scott
Hinks, and Bob
Rosner and David
McDonald, WSU
Associate
Provost for
Research.
Physicist Francis Halzen selected as Watkins Visiting Professor
This year’s Watkins Visiting Professor in physics
is Professor Francis Halzen from the University of
Wisconsin at Madison. He is the Hilldale and
Gregory Breit Professor of Physics.
Professor Halzen also is the spokesman of the
Ice Cube experiment, a neutrino astronomical
observatory at the South Pole, and is the principle
organizer for this experiment. He is a famed
theoretical particle physicist
and Director of the Institute for
Theoretical Particle Physics at
the University of Wisconsin. He
is the author of the standard
textbook used in the senior
undergraduate and first year
graduate classes in elementary
particle physics. His many
achievements in science and
the ability to communicate its
need to the public made him the choice for 2008.
The Watkins Visiting Professorship was
created in 1974 by the Watkins Foundation. This
grant is now provided through the Watkins fund,
a part of the Wichita State University
Foundation’s endowment.
Dr. Halzen gave a public lecture, “Neutrino
Astronomy at the South Pole” on March 4. The
abstract appears to the right.
Student News
Degrees granted
Reina Kosai, B.S.-Physics, December
2007; Joscelyn Nittler, M.S.-Earth
Environmental and Physical Science
with an emphasis in physics, May
2008.
Scholarships awarded
Adam Thiessen, Jean and Henry
Unruh Scholarship, 2007-2008; Reina
Kosai, Douglas Knight Scholarship
2007-2008; Andy Schauf, Ralph and
Ina Shenk Scholarship, 2007-2008.
Scholarships announced
Richard Traverzo, Jean and Henry
Unruh Scholarship, 2008-2009; Justin
Cole, Douglas Knight Scholarship,
2008-2009. Shannon Ray, Ralph and
Ina Shenk Scholarship, 2008-2009.
Statement of Nondiscrimination: Wichita State
University does not discriminate
in its programs and activities on
the basis of race, religion, color,
national origin, gender, age,
sexual orientation, marital status,
status as a Vietnam Era Veteran
or disability. The following person
has been designated to handle
inquiries regarding
nondiscrimination policies:
Director, Office of Equal
Employment Opportunity, Wichita
State University, 1845 Fairmount,
Wichita, KS 67260-0205;
telephone (316) 978-6791; e-mail
ted.ayres@wichita.edu.
Professor Halzen chats with WSU physics majors
during a private pizza lunch after his scientific talk.
Abstract: An international collaboration is melting
eighty holes over two kilometers deep in the Antarctic
icecap over the next five years to be used as an
astronomical observatory. Into each hole is lowered a string
knotted with football-size light detectors which are sensitive
to the shimmering blue light emitted in the surrounding
clear ice when ghostly particles called neutrinos pass
through the Earth. These neutrinos are cosmic messengers
from the most violent processes in the Universe: for
instance, giant black holes gobbling up stars in the heart of
quasars, and gamma-ray bursts which are the biggest
explosions since the Big Bang. Neutrinos will tell us if there
are dark matter particles trapped in the heart of the Sun,
and perhaps even reveal if there are additional dimensions
in space.
To view the slides and listen to the audio, go to:
http://webs.wichita.edu/physics/PhysicsWatkins.html
Alumnus portrait:
Warren E. Pickett
The physics department
recently welcomed home our
most distinguished physics
alumnus, Professor Warren
Pickett. Dr. Pickett received his
B.S. and M.S. from Wichita State
University in 1969 and 1971,
respectively, after which he
went on to obtain a Ph.D. in
physics from the University of
New York at Stony Brook.
Professor Pickett spent 18
years at the U.S. Naval Research
Laboratories, and the past 11
years as Professor of Physics at
the University of California at
Davis. In July 2008, Professor
Pickett became the new physics
department chair there.
Warren E. Pickett.
Master's thesis title: Impurity
Scattering in an Isotropic
Superconductor; Advisor:
Joseph L. Strecker.
Celebrating 25 years:
Susan Emerson
Susan Emerson
In late May 1983, Susan
Emerson joined the staff of the
WSU physics department—then in
the Mathematics and Physics
Building—as secretary. Today, she
serves the department and the
Fairmount Center for Science and
Mathematics Education as senior
administrator.
Ms. Emerson has seen much
change in the department over the
years, especially with regard to
technology. From using a
typewriter, then learning to use an
early personal computer, to
working with today’s multi-media
computer, Ms. Emerson has
navigated technological changes
with ease. She has also noted the
difference that computer
technology has brought in the
department’s research work and
teaching laboratories.
Ms. Emerson’s favorite part of
her work has been interacting with
the people. Many of the faculty,
staff and students feel they owe
some measure of their successes to
her.
The Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education
Most university departments provide community outreach, ranging from a making presentation in an
elementary school classroom, to working with in-service teachers, to giving a radio or television interview. The
Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education is Fairmount College’s outreach organization to serve
the sciences and mathematics communities. Each year more than 25,000 people experience the fun and
excitement of learning about science and mathematics through Fairmount Center presentations and programs.
Center programs include the Kansas Science Olympiad, Kansas Junior Academy of Science, Lake Afton Public
Observatory, classroom presentations on topics in science, a lending library of math and science kits, and the
Kansas JASON Project.
Since its formation, LAPO has had a close relationship with the physics
department and the Fairmount Center. The center also uses faculty of the physics
department as event supervisors for Science Olympiad events and as judges for
the state meeting of the KJAS. By bringing students to campus for these events
and introducing them to members of the science and engineering faculty, the
hope is that they will consider studying science at WSU when they start thinking
about college. Students from the physics department are not only offered
available positions at Fairmount Center as student assistants, but they also are
afforded the opportunity to use the equipment at LAPO to do a research project in
astronomy. The Fairmount Center’s offices occupy space adjacent to those of the
physics department and the two units share an administrative assistant.
Greg Novacek, Director of the Fairmount Center, was awarded an M.S. in physics by WSU in 1986. He
also earned a secondary teaching certificate in physics and mathematics, further suiting him for outreach
activities. Since the mid-1980s, Mr. Novacek also has taught some of the astronomy classes offered by the
WSU physics department.
For more information of the activities of the center, visit: http://webs.wichita.edu/facsme/
About this newsletter
The Department of Physics Newsletter is planned for annual publication. If you are an alumna or alumnus
interested in coordinating the 2009 edition, please contact the Physics Department, phone 316-978-3190;
e-mail susan.emerson@wichita.edu; or contact Evelyn Schall, B.A., Physics, 1962; M.S., Engineering
Mechanics, 1974; phone 316-788-1700; e-mail schallonline@earthlink.net.
Wichita State University
Department of Physics
1845 Fairmount St
Wichita KS 67260-0032
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