University of Oregon

Society of Physics Students

A branch of the national SPS organization.

Latest News

02/17/12

Professor Eric Torrence: Experimental Particle Physicist

4:00-5:00pm

WIL350

02/03/12

Lokey Labs Tour!

4:00-5:00pm

01/23/12

Internship and Scholarship Info Session with Dean Livelybrooks

4:00-5:00pm

WIL350

11/15/11

Thinking about what to do after college?

A panel of physics graduate students will be discussing their paths in education and will be answering any questions. Also, Teach For America will be at the meeting to inform us about their program. Wil 240D

4:00-5:00pm

11/14/11

"The Dark Side of the Universe"

A Science Cafe talk by Professor Graham Kribs at Cozmic Pizza

6:00-7:00pm

10/04/11

First SPS Meeting of the Term!

Intro meeting with special guest Dr. Steve Kevan

09/23/11

Science Library's Open House

09/20/11

Next Meeting TBA. If you are a physics major, look out for an email once school starts!

04/16/2011

University of Oregon hosts the 1st Annual Northwest Undergraduate Women in Physics Conference in Portland this weekend

01/17/11

Raghu Parthasarathy: Tuesday, January 25th at 3:00 in Willamette 240D in the Oregon Center for Optics

What if the “emptiness” of space is actually something?

On Monday, November 14th at 6:00pm, University of Oregon’s Society of Physics Students hosted a Cosmic Science Cafe about “The Dark Side of the Universe” at Cozmic Pizza. A science cafe is a live—and lively—event in a casual setting aimed towards the public! There is no stuffy lecture or slideshow—the speaker presents the science in lay terms and facilitates a dynamic conversation with a diverse audience.

This cosmic event focused on the workings of the universe and what physics, quantum mechanics, astronomy, and cosmology can tell us about reality and…ourselves.

Dr. Graham Kribs from University of Oregon discussed dark matter, a topic inspired by the NOVA series, The Fabric of the Cosmos.

Questions Graham addressed:

What is dark matter?

Is it really dark?

Could dark matter be black holes?

Is dark matter in this room?

About Cozmic Pizza Discovered in 1953, pizza is the only food to have been eaten on the moon, blessed by a pope, and endorsed by Olympic marathoner Gezahegne Abera—the "triple crown" of food honors. Eugene’s downtown Cozmic Pizza is located in The Strand (the vintage 1945 building – once an Edsel car dealership) on the corner of 8th & Charnelton, two blocks from the library and bus station.

More information: www.cozmicpizza.com

About Dr. Graham Kribs

Graham conducts research in theoretical particle physics in the general area of "beyond the Standard Model" physics including understanding the origin of mass and the nature of dark matter. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1998, and conducted research at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, the University of Wisconsin, Carnegie Mellon University, and most recently at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory as a one-year Ben Lee Fellow during 2010-11. Since 2005 he has been a professor of physics at the University of Oregon. His main interest outside of physics is mountaineering and climbing, while running to keep in shape for big mountains.

About The Fabric of the Cosmos

The Fabric of the Cosmos is a four-part series from NOVA, one of the most-watched primetime science series on American television. The series is hosted by and based on the book by acclaimed scientist Brian Greene. For more information visit pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/fabric-of-the-cosmos.html.

The Society of Physics Students is a national organization aimed at creating a community of physics undergraduates across the nation. There are currently about 700 active chapters of SPS on campuses around the country, with more involvement every year. SPS is open to all students interested in physics, and includes a variety of majors including mathematics, chemistry, computer science, engineering, astronomy, and geology, among others. SPS is an organization under the American Institute of Physics (AIP), which helps fund and support SPS members. Visit the national SPS website here.

AIP Society of Physics Students Webpage

Be sure to also see the UO physics department webpage for more information about majoring in physics.

UO Physics Department Homepage

Please email Kendra if you have any questions, ideas, cool physics stories, or if you would like to become more involved. We would love the help and would be happy to appoint you an officer title if you want to become more involved in our SPS chapter.

Meetings are usually held at 3:30pm in Willamette 240D, Oregon Center for Optics.

Advisor: Stan Micklavzina (stanm@uoregon.edu)

Want the benefits of being a part of the national SPS organization? Click here to join! Only $20 annually for students.

Previous Events

Pine Mountain Observatory
Fall 2007 Duck Preview and Tour of Parthasarathy Lab
Tour of the Lori Lokey Nanotechnology Lab
Science Factory University Day Electron Microscope Demo
October Science Pub-Talk by Sue Peterson about the solar system
"A Crude Awakening" Film on peak oil and the energy crisis
Tour of the accelerator in the basement of the volcanology building
Physics BBQ for the dorms
Stan's Science Circus Fundraiser 07 and 08
Tour of the solar panels and instruments on the roof of Pacific
Presentations by Graham Kribs, Eric Torrence, Steve Kevan, Jim Brau, Raghu Parthasarathy, Stan Micklavzina, Jim Schombert, Heiner Linke and others!