1
The Annual Report of the Department of Physics and Astronomy
for 2006/07
Section 1: Introduction
Since the introduction of The Academic Plan in 1999, Physics and Astronomy has
accomplished a number of substantial achievements:
 A surge in the undergraduate major enrollment from 17 in 1997 to over 60 at
present.
 Reestablishment of the graduate program for astronomy-track students and now
physics-track students.
 One of the highest extramural funding levels per faculty at UW. P&A currently has
nearly $8 million in open grants (nearly $9 million taking into consideration our
new hire) among 7 TT/TD faculty. Both physicists and astronomers contribute
substantially to this figure.
 Our tenured and tenure track-faculty published 37 refereed journal articles in 2006,
many featuring students as co-authors.
 Research productivity is ranked #2 at UW by the 2004 Faculty Scholarly
Productivity Index (by Academic Analytics, LLC; Animal Science is ranked #1).
Current department accomplishments are found on our web site (and are updated
in a timely manner): faraday@uwyo.edu.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers a PhD program in physics that until
now has had only a single concentration in astronomy. We are expanding our
concentrations to include solid state/material physics in conjunction with new faculty
hires in this area, and have admitted two students who will arrive this fall and focus on
physics.
The centerpiece of the Department of Physics and Astronomy 5-year plan is the
addition to the department of a research group in materials physics. One subspecialty of
materials science is the development of designer materials for energy applications. The
US Department of Energy web site offers the following description of its interest in
funding materials science: “Through the Materials Sciences subprogram, DOE extends
the frontiers of materials sciences and engineering to expand the scientific foundations
for the development of materials that improve the efficiency, economy, environmental
acceptability, and safety in energy generation, conversion, transmission, and use.”
Over the next several years, DOE is putting its second largest R&D emphasis (behind
fusion) on materials science. Because of the interdisciplinary character of materials
science, obvious ties exist with Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering,
Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering.
The graduate program was reinstated in 2001 and our first new class of graduate
students were admitted in the spring of 2002, five years ago. The termination of
moratorium of the graduate program directed us to initially focus on
astronomy/astrophysics, establish external research funding, integrate graduate education
into our teaching and research, and to cultivate expertise in another concentration of
physics. By any measure we have accomplished these basic tasks in the reincarnation of
2
our graduate program and are making the next step forward, beginning the concentration
eager to move forward with identifying problem areas and implementing improvements.
The major problem in the department is limited manpower resources. Although
astronomy appears to be thriving on the surface, we’re running a minimal astronomy
program with limited numbers of research faculty.
At the same time we’ve now
accepted students into the Physics PhD program without being able to offer an adequate
number of courses. To solve these manpower issues we’re currently offering a hybrid
physics/astronomy graduate program that is a far cry from the programs offered by top
physics & astronomy departments.
In addition we’re offering cross-listed
graduate/undergraduate courses that do not optimally serve either population.
As it
stands now, we fall short of that goal. Given our facilities and expertise, we are capable
of offering a top-notch program in observational astronomy, but we are not yet there yet.
We are on track with our hiring plan to be able to offer high-quality programs in
astronomy and physics by 2010.
Section 2: Academic Planning Implementation
Department Goals from MF II are listed below, along with our response to these goals.
PHYS 1. Create an undergraduate+graduate physics program that supports an
interdepartmental Ph.D. program in materials science (with four new faculty
positions). (Supporting MF II areas of excellence in life sciences and materials
science. Supporting the A&S MF II goal of strengthening the graduate program
in Physics & Astronomy.)
In addition, Action Item 33 from MFII formulates a plan for examining Materials
Science as an area of excellence: “…commission a prospectus for a more
formal program in materials science and engineering.” This is also reflected in
Action Item 20 of the A&S Plan.
The motivation for the Department of Physics & Astronomy to start a program in
materials physics related to renewable energy is connected with the growing demands on
research and education in alternative energy resources, as well as the promising funding
situation at national agencies. These same national trends are taking place in the State of
Wyoming. Physics & Astronomy has long held a commitment to focus its rebuilding
efforts in the direction of materials science, aligned with multi-departmental research in
this area (e.g., Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Molecular Biology, and Chemical
Engineering, in addition to Physics & Astronomy) and currently has two physicists in
this research subfield: Yuri Dahnovsky and Jinke Tang (a recently hired full
professor). Since both Prof. Dahnovsky and Prof. Tang are doing significant work in the
area of energy materials (e.g. photovoltaic cells, high efficiency LEDs for lighting, and
energy-saving materials), we as a department have decided to focus our rebuilding in the
area of energy-related materials which has become an increasingly important part of
3
materials science; for example, the biggest R&D area funded by the Department of
Energy, outside of fusion, is the development of “designer” materials for energy
applications.
We plan to develop a comprehensive energy/materials program that includes:
 hiring new faculty with research interests in energy materials and related areas,
 developing new courses in energy physics and materials physics,
 developing and strengthening research programs in energy/material physics,
 focusing on search and investigation of novel energy related materials,
 developing interdisciplinary research between different UW departments in
energy related topics (currently, we anticipate such activities with Chemistry (Pat
Sullivan) and Geology (Carrick Eggleston), and
 developing outreach activities for undergraduate and high school students;
encouraging energy related research and disseminating such knowledge.
PHYS 2. Offer a Ph.D. in Physics with emphasis in condensed matter/materials
science (with the same faculty from PHYS 1). (Supporting the A&S MF II goal
of strengthening the graduate program in Physics & Astronomy.)
See above.
PHYS 3. Offer multiple tracks in the physics B.S. program
Faculty have designed a dual-track program in the physics B.S. Degree. One track is
geared towards the traditional physics major who will go on in physics at the graduate
level. The other track is a more flexible option, designed to attract students who will
pursue physics as a second major (e.g., students primarily majoring in geology, math,
chemistry, etc). This program is being submitted to the UW Board of Trustees for
final approval this summer.
PHYS 4. Provide necessary operational support for WIRO.
WIRO infrastructure has a number of critical unmet infrastructure and manpower
needs, as well as a significant increase in budget. The current WIRO staff was
adequate when the facility was in an under-utilized state. However, it is now
insufficient to provide the support required with the demands of increased use, and
requires the addition of at least one more staff member. Even more critical, however,
are infrastructure needs. These include:
1) Replacement of the antiquated telescope control system,
2) Replacement of at least one sno-cat, and
3) Replacement of the deteriorating telescope dome.
PHYS 5. Increase the number of GAs to provide the necessary instructional
support for the Department.
4
Although P&A had its TA allocation increased to six GAs for AY 2005-2006, the
number has decreased to five in AY 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. This is a disturbing
trend, as the department needs to increase its GA allocation to 11-12 over the next
four to five years in order to support the minimum teaching and research needs of the
department.
PHYS 6. Secure long-term support for a full-time planetarium director to ensure
that the planetarium can continue to provide for an adequate mix of public
shows and specially scheduled programs for school classes.
This has been abandoned owing to a lack of funding. We continue to rely on a workstudy student to present shows.
Departmental Hiring Plan
AY 2006-2007: Search for and hire a condensed matter/materials science
experimentalist.
Teaching load: 1/1
(hiring completed)
AY 2007-2008: Search for and hire an APL
Teaching load: 2/2
(hiring completed)
AY 2007-2008: Search for and hire a condensed matter/materials science
experimentalist.
Teaching load: 1/1
Startup: $350,000
AY 2008-2009: Search for and hire a condensed matter/materials science
experimentalist.
Teaching load: 1/1
Startup: $350,000
AY 2009-2010: Search for and hire an observational astronomer.
Teaching load: 1/1
Startup: $75,000
Section 3: Teaching Activities
The department faculty continue to place a strong emphasis on teaching, and the use
of modern and innovative teaching practices, including:
 The Interactive Classroom Performance System was in wide use by Profs.
Kobulnicky, Dale, and Michalak for introductory level courses. Pedagogicallybased conceptual questions, in concert with the 'clicker' technology, can test
student understanding based on common student misconceptions about physics.
 Prof. Michalak uses surveys querying not only a student’s answers regarding
physics questions, but their confidence in their answer to assess student learning.
 WebCT or its electronic equivalent Mastering Physics are now used to administer
all homework in the two Astronomy 1050 sections, PHYS 1050, PHYS 1090,
PHYS 1120, and the two Engineering I & II classes PHYS1210/PHYS1220.
Surveys showed that students preferred the online homework over traditional
paper-based homework.
5




Professor Dahnovsky is the first P&A faculty to experiment with tablet PC
technology. Tablet PCs comprise a new area of teaching technology, one that
enables faculty to access and project new and previous lecture material, and to
edit them, in real-time. This technology can be particularly useful in
mathematics-intensive courses such as Solid State Theory. The students thought
the new technology enabled more learning compared to that allowed by
traditional lectures.
Just-in-Time teaching was used in multiple classes. Faculty use JIT to test student
comprehension before class, allowing them to modify the in-class focus for each
day.
Professor Dale has developed a system for advanced courses that utilizes a
whiteboard plus computer projection to facilitate an interactive teaching and
learning environment. Students work with their peers and the professor to flesh
out gaps in the lecture slides, gaps purposely placed to prod student understanding
and actively engage the class.
Professor Brotherton taught a class in reality-based Science Fiction was taught for
the first time last spring.
Innovative teaching techniques are discussed and encouraged informally among faculty
and are based on a positive teaching culture within the department.
Section 4: Research and Creative Activities
All of the Department’s tenured (4) and tenure track (3) faculty are actively
funded by NASA and NSF. Although we now have 7.0 FTE TT/TD faculty, the amount
of department grant funding per tenure/tenure track faculty is now generating is $220,000
per faculty in 2006, or over $1.5 million in grant funding. Faculty published 37 refereed
journal articles in 2006. Five faculty, Brotherton, Dahnovsky, Dale, Kobulnicky, and
Pierce are P-Is on large multi-year research grants from NASA or NSF. P&A is
receiving grant funding in physics, astronomy, physics and astronomy education, and
bioengineering. All faculty are expected to involve undergraduates in their research.
Section 5: Service and Outreach Activities
The Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium (WSGC), which operates out of
the Department, pursues a number of outreach activities. One of the initiatives for 2006
was to organize the Women In Science (WIS) conference, which was held on May 8,
2007. Women in Science conferences are designed to allow young women in grades 7
through 12 to learn first-hand about careers in science, mathematics, engineering and
technology from accomplished professional women. This year’s conference was very
successful, with 340 young women who participated in this day of science. Students from
Laramie, Cheyenne, Baggs, Big Piney, Casper, Chugwater, Douglas, Glenrock,
Wamsutter, and Worland attended this year’s event. Each student attended two forty-five
6
minute workshops of hands-on science activities in a field of their choice. This year’s
workshops include topics from the following areas: Animal Science, Astronomy, Botany,
Chemistry, Civil & Architectural Engineering, Communication Disorders,
Developmental Psychology, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Family & Consumer
Science, Geology & Geophysics, Kinesiology & Health, Meteorology, Microbiology,
Molecular Biology, Nursing, Physics, Renewable Resources, Science Education,
Veterinary Science, Wildlife Biology, Zoology & Physiology. The students also received
information about the University of Wyoming from the UW Admissions Office.
Financial support was available for transportation and lodging for students
traveling from all over the state. In addition to Space Grant, the event received financial
support from the Wyoming NSF EPSCoR, the Brown & Gold Outlet, the Laramie
County School District #1, Albany County School District #1, nanoMaterials Discovery
Corporation, Wickman Spacecraft & Propulsion Company, National Weather Service –
Cheyenne, and many University units. These UW units included the Office of the
President, the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Education, Helga Otto Haub School
of Environmental and Natural Resources, Office of Academic Affairs, College of Health
Science, the UW Bookstore, and the Office of Admissions.
Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium is currently funding the development
of a “BalloonSat” program to be run through the Civil Air Patrol. The BalloonSat
program is a project-oriented outreach program that will allow students in Albany County
to build balloon payloads (such as thermometers, barometers, and digital cameras) to be
launched on weather balloons. These balloons collect atmospheric data that can be
recovered and analyzed, giving students an exciting, hands-on introduction into space
science.
During fall 2006, the Civil Air Patrol successfully launched a small balloon
satellite from a site just west of Laramie, WY. Unexpectedly, the balloon’s actual flight
took it behind the Laramie Mountains, which cased the signal to be lost. However, a
couple of weeks later, the balloon payload was found and returned to the Civil Air Patrol
by a rancher. WSGC and the Civil Air Patrol are still in the process of constructing a
larger tracking package so full-sized balloon satellites can be launched. Eventually we
envision this program expanding to CAP chapters in other parts of the State.
For more information and details about WSGC activities please visit
http://wyomingspacegrant.uwyo.edu.
Kobulnicky and Dale have outreach money earmarked for mentoring high school
science teachers. Two teachers, Michelle Long (Science Zone, Casper Science Museum)
and Matt Bryant (physics teacher from a private high school in Akron, OH) spent several
weeks during the summer of 2006 using WIRO and Red Buttes Observatory to carry out
astronomical research and participated in Astro Camp.
P&A holds an annual WIRO Open House on homecoming weekend. In 2006, we
ferried nearly 150 visitors (a record) to the summit in SUV rentals to view the stars
through the 2.3-meter telescope. This event was enormously successful, judging by the
comments of the visitors.
Faculty continue to serve on high-profile national review panels. In the last year
this includes proposal review panels for the Hubble Space Telescope, the NSF, the
Spitzer Space Telescope Review Panel, and the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility.
7
Our summer SURAP program, led by Ron Canterna, involves undergraduates
from across the country in research at Wyoming and also leads to both applications and
matriculations in our graduate program. The NASA EPSCoR program, directed by Paul
Johnson, is funded through P&A and is currently leading an effort to build an interdepartmental materials science program.
We plan to host a community college articulation meeting during AY 07/08.
Section 6: Student Recruitment and Retention Activities and Enrollment Trends
Enrollment Trends
The number of undergraduate P&A majors decreased in the early 90’s, reflecting
a national trend in the decline of undergraduate majors. This number bottomed out in
1997 and rose dramatically until 2002, presumably due to a substantially increased effort
by P&A in recruiting majors. We have now reached a plateau of 60+ majors. During
AY 2004-2005, the number of undergraduate majors = 63, the number of graduate majors
= 9, and the number of minors = 6.
Total enrollments in AY 2006-2007 remained steady in nearly all of the lowerlevel courses for non-majors from the previous year, after a steady increase for more than
6 years. During AY 2004-2005, the department generated 6392 student credit hours:
5875 SCHs in lower-division courses, 294 SCHs in upper-division courses, and 223
SCHs in graduate courses. In addition, 237 SCHs were generated in the summer 2003
semester.
We have been admitting 2-5 new graduate students per year since the graduate
program was restarted four years ago. These small numbers preclude an analysis of any
trend, but one should note that it is, and has been, very difficult to recruit quality graduate
students.
A. Undergraduate Recruiting Activities
P&A has updated its undergraduate brochure and continues to develop its web site
specifically oriented toward student recruiting, for both undergraduate and graduate
students. We have changed our web page to be more inclusive of our alumni. The web
page reflects the changes in the department along with new programs the department
offers.
P&A continues to host the High School Visitation program developed in
conjunction with the State Science Fair, which has been held on the UW campus during
the last three years. We invite all of the students and teachers participating in the state
fair to attend this program. Students and teachers attend a pizza dinner and planetarium
show on the Sunday preceding the fair. In addition, they listen to research presentations.
We received a fantastic response with over 300 students and 25 teachers attending in the
spring of 2005 and a similar response in 2006. The State Science Fair has been most
effective in building a physics-teaching network between the high school science
community and us.
8
Led by Chip Kobulnicky and Danny Dale, Wyoming AstroCamp consists of two
separate summer camps. The first is a 5-day camp for 24 junior high students from
around Wyoming. A second 3-day camp for 20 at-risk youth was held as well, in
partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wyoming and the Youth Alternatives of
Cheyenne. Campers use telescopes to make astronomical observations, analyze digital
astronomical images, build and lunch rockets, discern various chemical elements with
spectroscopes, learn how astronomers measure distances to stars, and many more
activities. A highlight of the event is an underwater scuba spacecraft assembly exercise
held in the Half Acre pool. AstroCamp is now routinely oversubscribed, with more
applicants than available positions for campers. AstroCamp also includes participation
by 3-4 secondary science teachers each year. Teachers assist with running camp
activities, develop new science curriculum, and participate with astronomers in research
projects before and after the camp.
B. Undergraduate Student Retention
P&A student retention begins with building cohesiveness among our
undergraduate majors, among our graduate students, and between our students and
faculty/staff.
Undergraduate retention is clearly enhanced by the numerous
undergraduate-accessible research opportunities in our department.
We continue to encourage all of our students to become members of the Society
of Physics Students (SPS), which holds monthly meetings. Rudi Michelak is the SPS
advisor and has reinvigorated SPS through faculty research talks and field trips, including
trips to the American Physical Society meeting in Denver, Western Research (Laramie)
and the National Renewable Resources Laboratory in Golden. P&A has numerous social
events to which undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff are invited. Our
2007 spring picnic easily had the largest undergraduate turnout in recent years. The
scholarships awarded at the spring picnic (a recently-renewed practice) have played a role
in this increased attendance. The hallmark of our undergraduate program is the heavy
involvement of majors in our research efforts, and this clearly leads to enhanced
retention.
Advisees are distributed among all of the tenure track and tenured faculty
according to their major and the research interests of the advisor. Advisees are assigned
immediately upon notification that they are receiving a PIN/PERC number, or whenever
they make initial contact with the department, whichever comes first. P&A has had little
turnover in advisors for a number of years.
C. Graduate Recruiting Activities
Faculty and students regularly attend the semi-annual American Astronomical
Society meetings and make an effort to meet prospective students and distribute
brochures. Many of our successful recruiting efforts have involved informal networking
with professional colleagues at other universities who have advised students to apply.
Our summer SURAP program involves undergraduates from across the country in
9
research at Wyoming and also leads to both applications and matriculations in our
graduate program. Finally, each year we bring our top tier of graduate student recruits to
campus for a weekend, so we can have them meet us and each other. We fly out students
(and on several occasions spouses) for visits, host parties, provide personalized
transportation to/from Denver, and conduct recruiting down to our admit line (where we
think students have a chance for success) even when that goes past April 15. Our
recruitment efforts show that we already compete with established graduate programs
like Indiana, Michigan State, and New Mexico State; we should become increasingly
competitive as our department grows in both size and reputation.
Section 7: Development Activities and Public Relations
A. Development
P&A uses its annual newsletter and an annual informal letter from the Department
Head as an entree to potential donors. Our newsletter solicits funds for our scholarship
programs. We also follow up donations with thank-you letters and phone calls in order to
garner repetitive donations.
We are in periodic contact with the A&S development
office to refine ideas for development. Future editions of our newsletter, beginning with
the fall 2007 newsletter, will feature retired faculty and staff as a means to connect with
alumni.
All scholarships (Cinammon) were awarded this year. We insist that thank-you
letters are written directly to the donors in a timely way. This year was particularly
successful in that we had one donor, Wilbur Bunch from Richland Washington, who
donated $105,243.16 to the Department.
B. Public Relations
Public relations receives a great deal of emphasis. P&A issues press releases and
holds photo ops frequently; as a result, we have received much attention by the press.
Faculty are frequently encouraged to issue press releases and A&SYLI notes regarding
their activities. Ron Canterna writes a column for Wyoming newspapers called “Wyo
Skies.” This column is circulated through UW News Service, and is carried by several
Wyoming newspapers.
The Department web page now has a new Alumni section listing Physics &
Astronomy undergraduate and graduate degree recipients back into the 1960's. The page
also includes a brief summary of the current positions and career trajectories of degree
recipients, if known. A web-based update form lets alumni keep in touch with the
Department regarding their current professional activities.
Section 8: Classified and Professional Staffing
10
The past several years saw considerable changes in our office staff and WIRO
staff. This last year we have been able to run with the same staff as the previous year,
allowing us to achieve a higher degree of efficiency, professionalism, and service.
The department’s Planetarium has remained a student-run operation, with a loss
of the ability to commit to regularly scheduled public planetarium shows. Our ability to
continue this into the future tenuously depends on the department being able to recruit an
appropriate junior/senior major. This has had a significant negative impact on
department public outreach. Staff no longer handles the department’s web site or
advising.
.
Section 9: Diversity
In this last year we conducted a search for one tenure-track faculty position. We
encourage a diverse population of applicants by widely advertising in the most widely
read publication in the physics community: Physics Today.
Of the nearly 100
applications received, almost all were from foreign nationals, with the bulk of the
applicants from Europe, Asia, the mid-east, and the Indian subcontinent.
The department’s diversity goals are to have a faculty and student population that
reflects the diversity of physics and astronomy faculty and students nationwide. We
pursue this goal by recruiting graduate students and faculty as broadly as possible.
Section 10: Assessment of Student Learning
A. Student Learning Outcomes
P&A learning outcomes, goals, objectives, and competencies can be found at
http://faraday.uwyo.edu/goals_and_objectives.pdf and have not changed over this
reporting period.
B. Assessment Activities
The faculty has agreed on the outline of an assessment plan and has begun
implementation. Undergraduate assessment instruments include: an alumni survey, exit
surveys of students, consultation meetings with the College of Engineering, pre/post
testing in introductory courses, and use of the ETS Major Field Test in Physics. Graduate
assessment instruments include: exit interviews and longitudinal tracking (via career
updates to be made every five years after graduation with an alumni survey).
The department is now adding two new forms of assessment of the curriculum:
the Educational Testing Service’s Major Field Test in Physics and pre-/post- testing in
freshman courses.
Pre- and post- testing is now commonly done in the physics community for both
algebra- and calculus-based introductory physics courses, and to a less extent,
introductory astronomy courses. This method allows the instructor to test the progress
11
that students as a whole have made over the course of the semester in their understanding
of physics concepts. Results allow the instructor to gauge the effectiveness of their
teaching, in comparison with others at similar institutions, as well as measure the effects
of changes to their teaching methodology over time.
The Major Field Test in Physics, a nationally administered test, is a GRE-like test
given to seniors to evaluate strengths and weaknesses in the physics curriculum. It also
allows a somewhat biased comparison with MFT results from other institutions (biased
because these are institutions that elect to use the MFT). The Major Field Test was
given to our seniors last year. The test was successfully administered in 2005, as a
requirement in the senior capstone course taught by David Thayer. This year we did not
have the minimum number of graduating seniors, not having previous taken the MFT,
necessary to administer the test (5).
C. Tracking
We try to track all alumni after graduation via our department newsletter and web site
The
results
are
listed
on
the
department
web
site,
at
http://faraday.uwyo.edu/Alumni/alumni.html , and are fairly complete back to 1988.