Fluids in Microgravity – a suborbital Spaceflight project – Dr. Bunton

Currently a small number of companies are developing sub-orbital spacecraft for commercial use.  Among the leaders in this new and exciting field is the company Blue Origin which has been quietly developing the New Shepard vehicle.  William Jewell College Physics has been selected in collaboration with Louisiana State University Chemist, Dr. John Pojman, to be among the first to fly an experiment on a commercial sub-orbital vehicle.   We are studying how thermal gradients applied at an interface between miscible fluids can lead to fluid flow.    On earth this effect is completely masked by gravity-induced thermal convection currents.   However, in the microgravity environment we should be able to observe this effect.  Students at William Jewell College are currently testing various aspects of the experiment and will ultimately be involved in development of the flight hardware.  Students involved I this research gain experience in thermal control, optics, data flow, and other aspects of experimental design.  Ultimately they will get to say they were directly involved in one of the world’s first commercial suborbital flight experiments. 

Glass Far from Stability – Dr. Baker and Dr. Bunton

Most of our everyday experience with glass is with looking out windows.  But glass can exhibit many remarkable properties.   For example some glass can behave as a semiconductor – meaning that it can carry an electric current.   We are using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) to investigate the properties of exotic glass formulations.   Glass is fabricated at Coe College by heating the appropriate constituents to temperature over 1000ºC and then cooling it at rates approaching 100,000ºC per second.  Using this technique we can fabricate glass of non-traditional formulations.  Students at Jewell then investigate the properties of the glass using EPR.  Our facilities allow us to cool the glass to temperatures within four degrees of absolute zero.  We are looking for trends in atomic bonding as the constituents of the glass are changed.  Students have presented their research on this work at the Sigma Pi Sigma World Congress at Fermilab in 2008 and at the inaugural session of the Prairie Meeting of the American Physical Society in the fall of 2009.

Polymer Science – Dr. Bunton and Dr. Baker

Polymers are all around us including the plastics we use every day and much of living tissues.  Polymers are long chain molecules assembled from smaller molecular units called monomers.  Jewell students and faculty are currently involved in studying a relatively new technique for polymer fabrication termed frontal polymerization.  In this technique  heat is applied at one point in a batch of monomer and the polymerization reaction is self-sustaining and propagates as a front throughout the system.  We are using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) to study the radicals that remain after the polymerization occurs.  Our desire is to determine if the frontal process results in radicals that are different in concentration or type than in bulk polymerization.  Residual radicals can govern long-term properties of the polymer such as its stability under ultraviolet light or oxygen exposure.    Jewell students actually produce the polymer right here in the department and then study its properties.  Students have presented their results at the Sigma Pi Sigma World Congress at Fermilab in 2008 and at the inaugural meeting of the Prairie Section of the American Physical Society in 2009.  Students are involved directly in all aspects of the research from mixing the chemicals, collecting data, analyzing data, and presenting the results.

Pillsbury Observatory 

Open House Observing Sessions 
The next Open House will be held September 17 from 8:30-10:30 PM . We will be viewing the Moon.

About once a month, the observatory is open to the public for viewing. The observatory is on top of White Science Center. There will be signs giving directions inside the building.

The Pillsbury Observatory of William Jewell College is equipped with a 14-inch Celestron telescope on a Byers Class 2 mount in a 5-meter dome.

Accessories include a CCD camera (SBIG Model ST-9E) with color filters and image processing software and a full-aperture solar filter. A low-light-level monochrome TV camera and 20-inch monitor are available for observation of craters on the moon. Also, conventional film cameras are provided in both 35mm and 4x5 format, along with a well-equipped darkroom.

The Observatory is used during the Fall semester in the teaching of the Physics Department's Basic Astronomy course, which has a lab/observing session each Wednesday night. Both Fall and Spring semesters there are opportunities for its use by students who enroll in the Department's "Research Experience" course. There are also Open House nights scheduled each month for other students and members of the larger Liberty community.

Observatory activities are under the direction of Prof. Maggie Brewer, whose Ph.D. is in Observational Astronomy from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. Contact information: phone (816) 415-7881; email brewerm@william.jewell.edu

Pillsbury Research Scholars

 

One exciting opportunity for students in the Physics Department is our Pillsbury Scholars Research Program. Each year three students—typically from the first or second year class—are chosen to engage in eight weeks of paid summer research. Students selected for this program also receive free on-campus housing.

Students work closely with one or more faculty members on various projects. Some projects involve fundamental research on novel materials or calculations on various types of stars. Other projects are oriented toward engineering and design. One recent example of a design project is a water-purification system for use in third-world countries.

Besides laboratory work, students get a chance to interact with peers and faculty members in a setting outside of the usual classroom. As part of this interaction, students and faculty get to know each other by playing a game of Botchee Ball on The Quad or making liquid nitrogen ice cream. Students also enjoy a day together at Worlds of Fun.

To inquire about this program, contact our Department Chair, Patrick Bunton, at buntonp@william.jewell.edu.  

Physics Careers

One of the most frequently-asked questions among prospective students is: What can you do with a physics degree? Actually, physics students are very well-equipped for a variety of careers, after completing their studies at William Jewell College. Over the past several years, a number of our students have matriculated in Masters’ or Ph.D. programs in physics, chemistry, or engineering upon receiving the B.A. degree. In many cases, those students have pursued research or technical careers after graduate studies. These careers often involve positions as research scientists, project engineers, professors, or electrical, mechanical, or civil engineers.

Physics also is excellent preparation for professional schools in business, law, and medicine. In today’s highly technical world, more and more businesses are looking for students trained in business and in technical fields such as physics. Therefore, many MBA programs are accepting an increasing number of scientifically-trained students. At the undergraduate level, our own Science and Technology Management degree prepares students in science and business. In the field of law, physics provides outstanding preparation for becoming a patent lawyer. Finally, professional schools in health care, including medical, dental, and optometry schools, require strong backgrounds in science.

Other possible careers, following undergraduate preparation, are teaching and engineering. Students interested in teaching physics at the secondary level can obtain a teaching certificate from Jewell with a four-year degree. Students pursuing undergraduate engineering degrees usually complete “3-2” or “4-2” programs in which the students complete 3 or 4 years of study at Jewell, followed by 1-2 years of study at select engineering schools. Following completion of the engineering curriculum, students receive two undergraduate degrees—one from Jewell in physics and one from the engineering school in a specific field. Students interested in these unique engineering programs should contact Professor Pat Bunton (buntonp@william.jewell.edu) or Professor Blane Baker (bakerb@william.jewell.edu).

Society of Physics Students

Physics students at WJC are members of a national organization known as SPS (Society of Physics Students). As a participating group within this community, Jewell’s SPS chapter has garnered Outstanding Chapter Awards in 2005-06 and 2006-07. WJC students regularly present posters and/or talks at national conferences sponsored by SPS.

On the local level, SPS holds regular meetings on the first Monday of each month. Speakers at the monthly meetings have included scientists, mathematicians, high school teachers, patent lawyers, and engineers. Over the past five years, approximately 30 speakers have visited the WJC Physics Department. The local chapter also participates in Homecoming, summer science camps for kids, and service organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. The group often makes trips to regional SPS meetings, museums, and other attractions during the academic year. SPS officers for 2009-10 are: Jen McKnight (President), John Spiegel (Vice President), and Kenneth Whitmore (Secretary).

The 2010-2011 SPS and KME meeting schedule (with speakers indicated) is below:

• September 13: Fall Kick-Off Meeting—Pizza/Movie Night
• October 4: Panel on "Getting a Job With a Physics and/or Math Degree" (Stephen Bader, Jenna Gales, and Dane Engquist)
• November 1: "Update on Blue Origin Flight Experiment" 

Student News (2009-2010)

• Blair Unger completed his PhD in Optics at University of Rochester.
• Jen McKnight is pursuing a PhD in Physics at Washington University.
• John Spiegel is working as a Customer Service Representative for Boston Financial Data Services. 
• Pierce Tucker is working at Fiserve in Dallas, TX.

Student News (2008-2009)

• Blair Unger is completing his PhD in Optics at University of Rochester.
• Cam Cooper is working at Burns and McDonnell as an engineer.
• Tom Rychlewski is employed at CRB Consulting Engineers, Inc.
• Shane Price received his PhD from KU in August 2009. Shane is Instructor of Chemistry at William Jewell College.
• K.C. Maynes is employed as an Operations Research Systems Analyst.
• Jenna Gales is employed as an Operations Research Systems Analyst.  

Faculty

D. Blane Baker, Ph.D.
Wallace A. Hilton Professor of Physics
bakerb@william.jewell.edu
B.A., William Jewell College; M.A., Washington University; Ph.D., Washington University.

Maggie Brewer, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Physics
brewerm@william.jewell.edu  
B.S., Emory and Henry College; M.S., Ph.D., University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Patrick H. Bunton, Ph.D.
Professor of Physics and Chair
buntonp@william.jewell.edu  
B.A., East Tennessee State University; M.S., Ph.D., Vanderbilt Universit

Charles Don Geilker, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor of Physics
geilkerc@william.jewell.edu  
A.B., William Jewell College; M.A., Vanderbilt; Ph.D., Case Institute of Technology. His special interests include experimental physics, micro-electronics, the electromagnetic signatures of severe convective storms and observational astronomy.

Message from the Physics Chair

Preparing Graduates for Lifelong Success One Student at a Time
You are about to embark on a journey that will affect who you are for the remainder of your life. Like any journey of significance, it should be begun with careful planning, investigation of the options, and due consideration of the consequences of your choices. You are about to begin an education in the field of physics or engineering. The opportunities are many, almost certainly far more than you have imagined. Career opportunities exist as a research scientist in condensed matter physics, cosmology, and materials science to name a few. You may pursue one of various fields of engineering such as mechanical, electrical, biomedical, civil, and others. Or perhaps you can imagine yourself as a medical physicist in a hospital or other clinical setting or performing research in diagnostic imaging or radiation oncology. You may choose to combine your study of physics with business and prepare to work in high-technology industry or to continue your education by pursuing an MBA or even the study of Law. Patent and intellectual property lawyers with backgrounds in science in general and physics in particular are in demand. The field of optics is in high demand in this age of fiber-optic communications and information processing. Keep an open mind; investigate the options.

However, this journey you are about to begin is not merely one of career preparation. Your time in college will in so many ways determine your attitude toward life, your view of what it means to be successful, and just as importantly, your view of what it does not mean to be a failure. These few years will shape how you view yourself and the world around you. They will shape who you will choose as friends and why. They will address issues of deep significance as you ask questions such as “Is there a God and can I know Him personally?” Perhaps you have only begun to scratch the surface of these issues or maybe you have wrestled with them for what seems like all your life. William Jewell College is a place where you will come face to face with such issues and struggle to come to grips with them. You will discover the business of day-to-day life often revolves around these areas of deeper meaning and significance. As you choose a college, consider the consequences of choosing a college that has a committed faculty who cares about you and your success in every facet of life. The faculty of the Department of Physics at William Jewell College is here to help you to find a meaningful career that suits your talents, goals, dreams and abilities. We are here to rejoice in your successes and to help you make the tough decisions when the path is not so clear. We are dedicated to preparing graduates for success, one student at a time.