UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-CLEAR LAKE
PHYS 4732 Modern Physics Research Seminar
Spring, 2011
Meetings: M 7:00-9:50 PM, SSB 1100
Instructor: David Garrison, Ph.D.
Office: 3531 Bayou Bldg.
Phone: 281 283-3796
E-mail: garrison@uhcl.edu
Office Hours: T R 2:30-5:30 pm and by appointment
UHCL Emergency Hotline: 281 283-2221 (call this number to see if the university is closed for bad weather)
Prerequisites: None
Textbook: None
Objectives: 1) Familiarize students with the general methods of attacking physics research problems. 2) Acquaint students with research topics in physics and space science.
Course format: A few introductory lectures and seminars by outside speakers.
Method of evaluation: Students will write a 1-2 page paper following each talk. Final oral presentation.
Attendance Policy: Students will maximize their learning experience by regularly attending class. You will be asked to sign an attendance roster at each class period. You get out of a course what you put into it.
Academic Honesty: All students should be aware of the university’s policy on academic honesty: I will be honest in all my academic activities and will not tolerate dishonesty.
Compliance with the American Disabilities Act (ADA): If you are certified as disabled and entitled to accommodation under the ADA, section 503, please notify the instructor as soon as possible. If you are not currently certified and believe you may qualify, please contact the UHCL Health and Disability Services office at 281 283-2627.
6
Drop Rule Limitation: Students who entered college for the first time in
Fall 2007 or later
should be aware of the course drop limitation imposed by the Texas
Legislature.
Dropping this or any other course between the first day of
class and the
census date (February 2) for the semester/session does not affect your
6 drop
rule count. Dropping a course between the census
date and the last
day to drop a class (March 30) for the semester/session will count as
one of
your 6 permitted drops. You should take this into
consideration before
dropping this or any other course. Visit www.uhcl.edu/records <http://www.uhcl.edu/records>
for more information on the 6
drop rule and the census date information for the semester/session.
Learning
Outcomes: Upon
completion of this course, students will be able to 1)
Understand how advanced scientific research is performed and 2)
Communicate
details of advanced physics and space-science research to a general
audience
both orally and in writing.
UHCL Physics Spring 2011 Seminar
Schedule:
Jan. 31: "Research
into Practice - Practice Informing Research: A case from the physical
science
laboratory for elementary teachers”
Milijana
Suskavcevic, Associate
Director for Research School, Science, and
Technology Program Wiess School of Natural Sciences, Rice University
Feb. 7:
“The
Fabrication of Thin Film Solar Cells on
the Surface of the Moon”
Alex Ignatiev,
Hugh
Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Professor of Physics, Chemistry, and
Electrical and
Computer Engineering, Director, Center for Advanced Materials, UH
Feb. 14: “The 2007 Chinese
ASAT Test – Implications to the Impact of Space Warfare on
the LEO Environment”
David
Talent, Visiting Assistant Professor of
Physics, UHCL
Feb. 21: "Dealing with
Rare and Extreme Space Weather Events"
Dan
Fry, Space
Radiation
Analysis Group, Johnson Space Center
Feb. 28:
"Plasma Physics
Applications to Aerospace
Technology"
Alfonso
Tarditi, Research Assistant
Professor of Physics, UHCL
Mar. 7:
“Structural
and Optical analysis of InASs/GaSb
Superlattices”
Donna
Stokes, Associate
Professor of Physics, UH
Mar. 21: "Gamma-Ray
Bursts, Shocks, and Relativistic Jets"
Tim
Giblin, Space
Flight Instructor, Johnson Space Center
Mar.
28: "How much can you
enhance student
thinking?"
John Clement,
Physics Instructor, St. Pius X
High School
April 4:
“Studying
Active Galactic Nuclei through GRMHD
and Radiation Transport Models”
Guy
Hilburn, Ph.D. Student, Rice
University
April 11:
“Biological
Issues in Space Radiation
Protection with Shielding”
Honglu Wu, Laboratory
Manager, Radiation Biophysics Laboratory, JSC
April 18: Shapley Lecture -
“Mysteries
of the Dark Universe”
Edward Kolb, Arthur Holly
Compton Distinguished
Service Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics and the College
and Chair of
the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics
at the University of Chicago
April 25: Student
Presentations