News
Physics & Astronomy Professor Alison Sweeney, Visits Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
Dr. Sweeney was brought to SCH through the Kleckner Scientist in Residence program, which brings a talented scientist to the school each year to work with students over a three-day period. This program is unique in that students get to actually work with scientists, exploring topics connected to that researcher’s area of expertise. The students learn about the scientist’s current work and passions, work with the scientist to collect and analyze data using new, state-of-the-art equipment supported by the program, and communicate with the scientist when doing follow-up labs.
Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Masao Sako Takes Us Way Back.
"Next time you take a sip from your water bottle, you might want to consider the fact that you are ingesting 14-billion-year-old molecules."
To watch the 60-second lecture, please visit: https://www.sas.upenn.edu/series/frontiers/origin-elements
Congratulations to Professor Randall Kamien on Pushing New Topical Group, GSOFT Off the Ground!
In Spring of 2014, GSOFT was founded, the topical group on soft matter. The first official GSOFT meeting, held during the 2015 March meeting, generated a roughly 50% increase in the number of submitted soft matter abstracts over previous years. After existing for just one year, its now gained support from over 900 members.
"Soft matter has no fundamental overarching theories. The challenge in soft matter is to pose the right questions, make the right measurements, and find patterns in the materials that nature has provided."
Penn Researchers Help Make Maps of the Universe’s Dark Matter
Members of the Dark Energy Survey have released the first in a series of maps that show the concentration of dark matter in the cosmos. These maps, created with one of the world’s most powerful digital cameras, are the largest contiguous maps created at this level of detail and will improve researchers’ understanding of dark matter’s role in the formation of galaxies.
After the Higgs: Penn Gears Up for New Physics Discoveries at CERN
After a two-year hiatus, the Large Hadron Collider at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, is gearing up for its second run. The LHC enabled the 2012 discovery of the Higgs boson, which gives mass to all particles, but the world’s most complicated scientific apparatus is far from finished.
"Penn's Best Professors"
After receiving 150 nominations in the vote for the best Professor at Penn as noted in 34th Street magazine, Congratulations to Dr. Robert Johnson on being voted Penn's Best in the Department of Physics of class, Physics 140!
Physics Professor Mark Devlin Awarded 2015 Ira H. Abrams Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching!
Congratulations to Professor Devlin achieving the IRA H. Abrams Memorial Award. An award for the high recognition of teachnig excellence. We applaud Professor Devlin's extraordinary commitment to the education of our students. Other winners of this award will be honored at a School-wide reception on Thursday, April 30 at 4:00 p.m. in 200 College Hall.
Penn Physics Team Discovers New Liquid Crystal Configurations
New research from physicists at the University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore College have advanced the field’s understanding of this class of materials, demonstrating never-before-seen configurations by confining a water-based liquid crystal in a cylinder.
Congratulations to Professor Masao Sako, Awarded 2015 Lindback Award AND 2015 Charles Ludwig Distinguished Teaching Award!
Congratulations to Professor Sako, the recipient of this highest of teaching honors. The Lindback award serves as recognition for teaching excellence. We applaud Professor Sako's extraordinary commitment to the education of our students. Other winners of this award will be honored at a School-wide reception on Monday, April 27 at 5:00 p.m. in Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce Street.
We also congratulate Professore Sako on being the recipient of the 2015 Charles Ludwig Distinguished Teaching Award of Arts & Sciences created by the College Alumni in memory of their long-time president.
Eli Burnstein Lecture on Soft Materials: "Physics to Physiology via Computing (March 24, 2014)
A lecture on Soft Materials provided by Professor Michael L. Klein of Temple University. For more information, please visit the 'Events' section.