"Traveling Back in time"
A Physics & Astronomy Alumnae reunion & Symposium
Schedule
Abstracts
The weekend is meant for us to reconnect with alumni and vice versa, and to give our current majors and minors the chance to interact with and learn about our alumni and their accomplishments post-Smith. Last but not least, the main motivation for holding it this year is that it coincides with the retirement of three dear members of the department. We will celebrate and recognize 65 years of combined service and commitment to the physics department by Malgorzata Pfabe, Piotr Decowski, and Jurek Pfabe, and wish them well as they retire.
Eighteen alumnae from the classes of 1991-2009 will be attending. They have had interesting careers launched by their physics and astronomy undergraduate preparation. The research talks cover astronomy, physics, medical physics, chemical engineering, and mathematics. Don't miss the sound bites and panel discussions!
Note: Meals are available only for those who have sent in a RSVP by Friday, April 1.
Schedule
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Note: All events take place in McConnell Hall, except for Sunday brunch.
11.30 a.m. Welcome in foyer
12-1 p.m. Lunch in foyer
1-1.15 p.m. Opening Remarks in Auditorium 103
1.15-2.15 p.m. Session I talks in Auditorium 103
Chair: Anna Boehle ’11
- Lighting up the High Redshift Universe: Gamma Ray Bursts as Probes of Cosmic Chemical Evolution.
Dr. Adria C. Updike
Physics & Astronomy Major, Class of 2003
Research Associate, Observational Cosmology Lab at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
- Harnessing Electrons from Microorganisms and Understanding How External Loading Conditions Influence Microbial Metabolism
Emily Gardel
Physics Major, Chemistry Minor, Class of 2006
Engineering and Applied Sciences, Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
2.15-3.15p.m. Sound Bites in Auditorium 103
Chair: Elizabeth Boulton ’11
Several alumnae has agreed to give 3-4 minute sound bites on their career paths since graduating from Smith.
3.15-3.30 p.m. Break
3.30-5.00 p.m. Session II talks in Auditorium 103
Chair: Catherine McGuinness ’11
-
Taking the Twinkle out of Starlight: Using Adaptive Optics to Correct for Atmospheric Aberration in Earth-Based Astronomical Imaging
1Lt Carolyn Tewksbury-Christle
Physics & Geology Major, Class of 2007
Chief Space Imaging Analyst, Starfire Optical Range, Kirtland Air Force Base, NM
- Medical Physics, Medical Dosimetry—What’s That?
Jacky Nyamwanda
Physics Major, Class of 1999
Senior Medical Dosimetrist, CMD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology
- Stable, Tunable Calibration Source for Large-Beam Optical Systems
Amy Raudenbush
Physics Major, Government Minor, Class of 1995
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Optical Systems Engineer - MIT Lincoln Laboratory
5.45-7.30 p.m. Dinner and Entertainment in foyer
The department will share its favorite physics demos, and current students will present original, amusing works.
After dinner: Telescope viewing on roof, weather permitting.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
8.40-9 a.m. Bagels, coffee and juice in foyer
9-10.30 a.m. Session III talks in McConnell B15
Chair: Haley Dell’Orso ’11
- Microfluidics: Physics, Engineering, and Biological Applications
Kate Carson
Physics & Chemistry Major, Class of 2004
Graduate Student, Tufts University, Chemical Engineering
- Juggling Patterns and Pipe Dreams
Dr. Michelle Snider
Physics & Mathematics Major, Class of 2004
Cornell University
- The Search for Exoplanets: Tools and Techniques
Elizabeth Jensen
Physics & Astronomy Major, Class of 2007
Graduate Student, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
10.30-10.45 a.m. Break
10.45-11.30 a.m. Panel Discussion: Questions to Alumnae from Current Students
Chair: Elizabeth Boulton ’11
11.30 a.m. Sunday Brunch & Reminiscences at Chase/ Duckett dining hall
Abstracts
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Session I
1.15-2.15 p.m.
Auditorium 103
- Lighting up the High Redshift Universe: Gamma Ray Bursts as Probes of Cosmic Chemical Evolution.
Dr. Adria C. Updike
Physics & Astronomy Major, Class of 2003
Research Associate, Observational Cosmology Lab at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Gamma ray bursts (GRBs) are brief but incredibly powerful explosions marking the death of a massive star, and can be seen almost all the way back to the beginning of our universe. Due to the bright nature of their afterglows, they allow brief glimpses into the earliest galaxies normally too dim to observe. I will discuss my work observing GRBs with telescopes in the Chilean Andes and my theoretical work modeling galactic chemical evolution with collaborators at NASA.
- Harnessing Electrons from Microorganisms and Understanding How External Loading Conditions Influence Microbial Metabolism
Emily Gardel
Physics Major, Chemistry Minor, Class of 2006
Engineering & Applied Sciences, Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University.
Despite the diminutive size of microbes, they are dominant members of our biosphere and play a key role in every known biogeochemical cycle. Metabolic pathways in microorganisms utilize pairs of reduction-oxidation reactions to harness energy through the transport of electrons within the cell, and eventually, across the cellular membrane. Anaerobic microbes use a variety of oxidants besides oxygen as electron acceptors, and current research has found anaerobes capable of using solid-phase oxidants, such as metal oxides, as electron acceptors. A microbial fuel cell (MFC) harnesses electricity from these anaerobes by separating the locations of the oxidation and reduction reactions. This system allows for quantitative measurements of microbial metabolism and, in upscaled applications, energy production or co-generation, bioremediation of toxins including radioactive materials such as uranium, and wastewater treatment. I will discuss how operating conditions can influence the MFC system leading to different current generation.
Session II
3.30-5.00 p.m.
Auditorium 103
- Taking the Twinkle out of Starlight: Using Adaptive Optics to Correct for Atmospheric Aberration in Earth-Based Astronomical Imaging
1Lt Carolyn Tewksbury-Christle
Physics & Geology Major, Class of 2007
Chief Space Imaging Analyst, Starfire Optical Range, Kirtland Air Force Base, NM
Obtaining clear images of astronomical objects from Earth is relatively difficult due to atmospheric interference. The obvious solution is to use a space telescope to take the atmosphere out of the equation entirely, but this option is both extremely expensive and hard to maintain. Research over the past couple of decades has pioneered a technique called adaptive optics that measures atmospheric distortions in incoming light, applies an inverse to a deformable mirror, and by reflecting the light off the deformable mirror, produces a perfect image. Starfire Optical Range (SOR) at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM is one of the foremost research institutions for furthering adaptive optics technologies and is equipped with a 3.5 meter telescope as well as a laser guide star. A description of adaptive optics and how it is applied to astronomic telescopes will be covered along with examples of AO-corrected images of satellites and binary stars.
- Medical Physics, Medical Dosimetry—What’s That?
Jacky Nyamwanda
Physics Major, Class of 1999
Senior Medical Dosimetrist, CMD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology
There is a growing, but still fairly invisible field called medical physics that most undergraduate physics students are not aware of. Medical physicists and medical dosimetrists are key personnel in all Radiation Oncology departments. They are tasked with modeling computerized treatment plans for patients undergoing radiation therapy. In addition, medical physicists are charged with calibration and quality assurance of linear accelerators and cyclotrons. In academic centers and larger community hospitals, medical physicists and medical dosimetrists are often involved in clinical research as well. My talk will give a broad overview of the exciting field of medical physics and the different career paths available.
- Stable, Tunable Calibration Source for Large-Beam Optical Systems
Amy Raudenbush
Physics Major, Government Minor, Class of 1995
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Optical Systems Engineer - MIT Lincoln Laboratory
An optical calibration source for free-space systems with large beams is presented. It produces a 2-W, 370-mm beam tunable from 1545-1570 nm with a wavefront error <λ/15 peak-to-valley and <0.013 λ rms at 1550 nm, power stability <±0.02 dB, arbitrarily selected polarization, and polarization stability <±10/hour in orientation and <±0.02/hour in ellipticity
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Session III
9.00-10.30 a.m.
McConnell B15
- Microfludics: Physics, Engineering, and Biological Applications
Kate Carson
Physics & Chemistry Major, Class of 2004
Graduate Student, Tufts University, Chemical Engineering
The field of microfluidics exploits the physics of tiny reactors to control particles, chemicals, and even living cells in a precise manner. Chips the size of postage stamps contain entire labs, fit to synthesize, manipulate, nourish, and test. In this talk, I will explain the basic principles that drive these microfluidic devices. Among the examples of the applications for these labs-on-chips, I will describe my research, which uses microfluidics and metabolic engineering to glean insight into how the liver metabolizes drugs.
- Juggling Patterns and Pipe Dreams
Dr. Michelle Snider
Physics & Mathematics Major, Class of 2004
Cornell University
Given collections of matrices, we may impose various “rank conditions'' which yield algebraic varieties with interesting geometric and combinatorial properties. I will introduce positroid varieties, which are by defined by certain cyclic rank conditions on non-square matrices. These can be indexed by juggling patterns, and have associated combinatorial diagrams called affine pipe dreams.
- The Search for Exoplanets: Tools and Techniques
Elizabeth Jensen
Physics & Astronomy Major, Class of 2007
Graduate Student, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
Nothing has captured the human imagination more than the prospect of life outside our own Earth. To date, over 500 exoplanets (planets orbiting a star that is not our Sun) have been detected. This talk will review several exoplanet finding techniques and tools used. The majority of exoplanets have been found through indirect techniques, such as Doppler and transit methods. This talk will discuss why Princeton University’s High Contrast Imaging Lab (among others) is aiming to capture directly an image of these planets to learn about the composition and look for signs of life. I will also analyze the technical challenges of accomplishing such a task and how engineers and astronomers are collaborating using the newest techniques in optics and instrumentation, and the largest telescopes in the world.
