What Physicists Do
Physics 123 Spring 2018
(First 5 weeks) Fridays, 6a (3:30-4:30), Olin 141 1 Credit; S/CR/NC
The Department of Physics and Astronomy is pleased to announce this year’s Physics 123 Line-up. “What Physicists Do” is our annual series of five lectures by invited speakers, many of whom are Carleton Physics alumni. It is intended to introduce students to a broad range of real-world physics and to give some perspective on the kinds of work done by people with a physics background. The course is open to all interested students who have taken PHYS 151; those considering a major in physics are particularly encouraged to enroll.
The presentations are in OLIN 141 on Fridays during 6th period (3:30-4:30pm). The only requirement, beyond attending five talks, is to read an assigned article beforehand and then to submit a short (one page) typed essay afterwards commenting on both the talk and the reading. Speakers will be available for informal discussions over refreshments afterward. Questions: Arjendu Pattanayak, Olin 337, x7166,
March 30Lukas Fried ‘09 “Physics: An Unexpected Pathway to Global Citizenship”
Lukas Fried '09 discusses how a passion for physics and international travel has taken him all over the globe, from teaching high school science as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uganda, to developing technical security solutions for U.S. embassies worldwide, as an engineer and diplomat in the United States Foreign Service.
April 6Kendra Strode ‘10 “Applied Physics: Solving Tech Support Problems”
I work at the ITS helpdesk at Carleton. How on Earth is that something a physicist would do? It turns out that solving technical problems and solving physics problems have a lot in common - often you just have to change how you think about a problem to get closer to the solution. I'll share some fun tales from tech support, the things I've brought from physics to my job (and vice versa - I held this job as a student) and what exactly it is that I want to be when I grow up: happy!
April 13Sophie Bushwick ‘11 “Communicating Science with a Popular Audience”
At its best, popular science communication excites and unites the public. Compelling stories inspire people all over the world to celebrate the discovery of gravitational waves or watch a new rocket launch live online. All too often, however, inaccurate and decontextualized reporting leads to TV news stories about how, say, dark chocolate prevents cancer. This talk will discuss how to share science with a popular audience, and to do it well. Learn what it takes to embark on a career in science journalism, and the ups and downs you’ll encounter along that path. If you prefer to stay on a research track, we’ll also discuss how scientists can communicate effectively with the press and share their work directly with a popular audience.
April 20Emily Petroff ‘12 “Fast radio bursts: our newest cosmic mystery”
Most things in the universe happen over millions or even billions of years but some things change on the timescales of human life and can be seen to change in a matter of months, days, or even seconds. These sources are called transients and are some of the most extreme events in the Universe, things like the collapse of a dying star, or a collision of two massive objects. With recent advances in telescope power and technology, astronomers are observing more and more transients each year and even finding new types. In 2007 we discovered a brand new type of transient called fast radio bursts (FRBs), bright radio pulses that last only a few milliseconds. Their origin is one of the newest unsolved mysteries of astronomy but it is clear they are produced in tremendously energetic processes, possibly even billions of light years away. I will talk about some of the exciting new work happening in this area, where niche fields like this fit in the broader context of astronomy, and what it is like to use a physics degree in astronomical research specifically and academia more generally.
April 27Aaron Heidgerken-Greene “The Science of Hands-On Interactives”
Museums present a unique pedagogical problem: how do you teach someone without directly interacting with them? To address this problem, many museums strive to create exhibits that present content to learners in engaging, hands-on ways. These exhibits must be understandable to new learners, yet appealing to people who may already know the content. Science museum interactives in particular strive to show real phenomena and demonstrate rather than simulate physical principles.
Solving all these problems while creating a durable and attractive physical object is what I do on a daily basis. The challenge and the joy of my work lies in solving engineering problems in elegant ways so that the exhibit inspires viewers to learn. Both physical fabrication challenges and digital code problems combine to keep the work interesting whether I am programming robot arms, working with high-speed cameras, welding or woodworking.
Aaron Heidgerken-Greene attended St. Olaf College from 2005 to 2009, where he earned a B.A. in Physics and Mathematics. Since 2010, he has worked for the Science Museum of Minnesota as an Exhibit Prototyper. In this role, he works to develop, design, and build interactive Museum exhibits for clients across the country. In this presentation, Aaron will discuss the process through which exhibits are brought from idea to object, the skills and training needed to enter the field, and how his own unique background and diverse interests prepared him for a career as a professional tinkerer.