The Department of Physics 50th Anniversary Celebration

Detailed Event Schedule | Parking | Hotels | Restaurants | Program (pdf)

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Detailed Event Schedule

Friday May 1, 2009
1:00-4:00pm Registration Physics Department Office
  Come by the Department Office and say hello. Be sure to pick up your packet, name tag, and, of course, some commemorative bling! Bring a few bucks if you want to buy the t-shirt. If you can't get here by 4:00pm, no worries. We'll get your stuff to you later.

2:00-4:00pm Floyd English Scholarship Reception Bell Memorial Union 210
  Floyd English was the first graduate of the Department of Physics. Every year his foundation bestows $50,000 of scholarships on the best and brightest science majors at CSU Chico. We have been invited to join the festivities. There will be light refreshments.
4:00-7:00pm Dinner in small groups  
  Since many of you will just be getting here Friday evening, we decided not to arrange dinner. Come by the Department Office and join a group heading for a downtown restaurant.
7:00pm-10:00pm Wine & Cheese - Show & Tell Physical Science Courtyard
  We want each of you to stand up and share something. Us education types might do a physics demo, while industry folks might show off a short video of their latest project, others might present an unusual physics toy they found, and some might just have a photo of their family. It will be a blast, but beware of the five minute gong! We will be welcomed by the Dean of the College of Natural Sciences, Dr. James Houpis. Adult beverages and an amazing array of hor d'oeuvres will be provided.
Saturday May 2, 2009
8:00-9:00am Bagels, Sweet Rolls, Fruit, & Coffee Physical Science Room 106
  A lovely spread of breakfast nibbles and some of the best light conversation you've had at this time on a Saturday morning in years!

9:00-9:15am Welcome Ayres 120
  Chris Gaffney, Physics Department Chair will kick off the day.

9:15-10:05am Invited Presentation Ayres 120
  "The Importance of Gamma-Ray Detector Energy Resolution for Homeland Security"
Mr. Thomas Gosnell, Radiation Physicist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The Department of Homeland Security's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office has established numerous radiation detectors at U.S. ports of entry to identify the presence of radioactive threat materials entering the United States. Identification is done primarily by recognition of the unique gamma-ray signatures of radionuclides. We have completed the first systematic study of the gamma-ray detector energy resolution needed to unambiguously discriminate between threat sources and the many non-threat sources encountered in daily in commerce.

10:15-11:45am Contributed talks Physical Science lab rooms
 
Time PS 104 PS 105
10:15-10:40am
Life of a 1st Year Grad Student
Ms. Tiara Diamond
Physics Graduate Student
Florida State University
More Scientists and Engineers Please! Some ways to trick high school students into liking physics and pursuing scientific courses of study in college.
Mr. David Atkinson
Physics Teacher
Lindhurst High School
10:45-11:10am
Angels and Demons and Physics or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Media
Mr. Brendan Diamond
Physics Graduate Student
Florida State University
Electronic Part Reliability in Earth, Mars, and Jupiter Missions
Mr. Joseph Piacentine
Electrical Engineer
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
11:15-11:40am
Fusion Cross Sections to Internal Transport Barriers: An Overview of Tokamak Physics
Mr. Eric Edlund
Physics Graduate Student
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Trains, More Than Bells & Whistles...You Gotta Have a One Track Mind!
Mr. Tuka Gafari
Union Pacific Railroad
Noon-1:00pm Picnic lunch Alumni Glen
  A terrific luncheon await us under the trees and next to the creek at the beatiful Alumni Glen.
1:15-1:30pm CSU Chico President Dr. Paul Zingg Ayers 120
  President Zingg has a few words to share with us on our special day.
1:30-2:20pm Invited talk Ayres 120
  "ElectroMagnetic Tools for Exploration"
Dr. Thomas Nielsen, Chief Technology Officer, Quasar Geophysical Technologies
The talk will give a brief overview of a number of past, present, and future electromagnetic sensing systems developed by the Quasar family of companies. Most of these systems will eventually end up on the seafloor, where they are used as exploration tools for hydrocarbons.
2:30-4:30pm Contributed talks Physical Science lab rooms
 
Time PS 104 PS 105
2:30-2:55pm
Electromagnetically Induced Transparency in GaAs Quantum Wells
Mr. Tim Sweeney
Physics Graduate Student
University of Oregon
Chemical Plant Process Improvement
Mr. David Snyder
Plant Superintendent
Georgia-Pacific Chemicals LLC
3:00-3:25pm
Atmospheric Boundary Layer Flow Visualization with the Raman-shifted Eye-safe Aerosol Lidar (REAL)
Dr. Shane Mayor
Research Professor
California State University, Chico
The Anatomy of a Pitch: Using Pitch/FX Data from Major League Baseball
Dr. David Kagan
Professor of Physics
California State University, Chico
3:30-3:55pm
Trends in Optics and Lasers at Chico State
Dr. Anna Petrova-Mayor
Professor of Physics
California State University, Chico
Making a Case for Case Studies
Ms. Lynda Klein
Professor of Physics
California State University, Chico
4:00-4:25pm
Einsteinian Quantum Theory
Dr. Tom Love
Professor of Mathematics
CSU Dominguez Hills
Critical Thinking and You! Ramblings of a New Skeptic
Mr. Andrew Fisher
L-3 Communications
6:00-10:00pm Banquet & Graduates Gala CARD Center
  We will send this year's class of graduates off right with a program that highlights our alumni and friends. Fresh Approach Catering has a fabulous feast planned from hor d'oeuvres to dessert. The CARD Center is at 545 Vallombrosa Avenue.

 

Time Event
6:00-6:30pm Hor d'oeuvres and hosted bar
6:30-6:45pm Group photograph
6:45-7:30pm Let the feasting begin!
7:30-9:00pm
Banquet Speaker: Dr. James Millerd
Chief Technology Officer
4DTechnology
"Grease Monkey to Quantum Mechanic: How Chico State and Physics Changed My Life."
Scholarship Awards, Sigma-Pi-Sigma Installation, Recognition of Graduates

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Parking

In Chico? Are you kidding? Things are no better now than when you went to school. There are many lots with parking meters (50¢ per hour) on Friday, but free on Saturday. The city maintains this parking map.

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Hotels

Here are the names of some downtown hotels: Here are some other hotels in Chico:

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Restaurants

Here are the names of some downtown restaurants: Here are some other restaurants in Chico:

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