Graduate Student Seminar Series - Spring 2008

Next seminar:

(untitled)
Peter Erslev

16:00, May 21, 2008
Wil. 240D (OCO)
No abstract



Current Schedule

DATE

TITLE

SPEAKER

ABSTRACT
16:00, Apr. 02, 2008
in Wil. 240D (OCO) 		Doctoral Education in the Physical Sciences: Results of the OCO Doctoral Survey Brandy Todd Research has shown that doctoral students across disciplines face numerous, serious hurdles to degree completion. Time to degree, attrition, professional development and post-graduation placement are areas of major concern for students in the physical sciences. In order to provide a platform for comparison, Oregon Center for Optics (OCO) staff administered a survey on doctoral education to a subset of physics and chemistry graduate students at the University of Oregon (UO). The results of the survey were then presented to a focus group of students. Feedback was solicited. We find that areas of concern for the UO Department of Physics are much the same as issues of national concern. Based on a review of the literature, faculty feedback and student survey results we present suggestions for improving the program. The preferred vehicle for programmatic change will be submission of a National Science Foundation Integrative Graduate Education and Traineeship grant proposal.
16:00, Apr. 16, 2008
in Wil. 240D (OCO) 		Rigorous Methods for Quantitative Comparison of Simulation Results to Experimental Data Matthew Sottile
CS Department 		This talk will focus on methods for understanding and comparing data sets from simulations and experiments for verification and validation purposes. The general idea is how one defines methods for measuring properties of data beyond raw numbers to get at the higher-level abstractions that an expert makes in judging that two data sets are similar, and distilling this qualitative expert comparison into a quantitative method that can be automated and also aim to remove expert bias and judgement variability.
16:00, Apr. 23, 2008
in Wil. 240D (OCO) 		Science Education in Museums and in the Classroom Kevin Kurtz
Science Factory 		A short, general overview of educating children about science, including some of the opportunities and challenges involved.
16:00, Apr. 30, 2008 Competing Orders in S-wave and P-wave Superconductors Qi Li No abstract
16:00, May 07, 2008 Electron Dynamics in Billiards and Nanoparticle Arrays Matthew Fairbanks In this talk, I will present the results of my research thus far, and where things are heading in the Taylor group. Three projects will be discussed: results on electron billiard arrays charting the dependence of phase coherence and energy level spacing on the conductance of the array, results on Au nanoparticle tunneling arrays on DNA scaffolding that exhibit Coulomb blockade, and some analysis concerning electron billiards in the nonlinear response regime. The talk will be essentially a draft version of what I expect to present to my committee for my oral comprehensives. Any constructive criticism would be much appreciated.
16:00, May 21, 2008
in Wil. 240D (OCO) 		No title Peter Erslev No abstract
16:00, May 28, 2008 Developing Greener Alternatives to Nanomaterials Research Bettye Maddux
Asst. Director
ONAMI-SNNI 		Nanotechnology offers great potential in many applications from electronics to medicine. Nanomaterials and the manufacturing techniques used to create them, however, may pose adverse environmental, health and safety effects. Thus, one of the challenges facing nanotechnology is the design of nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing methods that enhance performance while minimizing hazards. The Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Initiative (SNNI) is a major research thrust of the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI) developed to meet these challenges. Our multi-disciplinary team:
  1. incorporates proactive design strategies to produce greener nanoparticles for use in electronic and optical devices,
  2. tests the effects of nanoparticles in bioassays and collates this data in a nanomaterials-biological interactions knowledgebase,
  3. develops greener methods for large-scale nanoparticle manufacturing, and
  4. discovers efficient approaches for interfacing nanoparticles for device applications.
This presentation will highlight SNNI's leading research progress in adopting proactive design strategies to meet these objectives.


What is the “Graduate Student Seminar” (GSS)?

This seminar series exists to provide students a forum to share their work and interests with their peers. Seminar talks are given by students on the topic of their choice. The audience is comprised of other students. Faculty are not invited to these talks. The atmosphere is congenial and non-threatening. Our hope is to maintain a vigorous schedule of regular weekly talks. Please volunteer yourself, or suggest a friend; our contact information can be found below.


When and where is the GSS?

The GSS, by default, is at 4:00pm in the OCO conference room, 240D Willamette Hall. Deviations from this will be noted on the schedule.


Why should I attend?


Why should I give a presentation?


The GSS committee for Winter 2008 is:

If you feel the urge to give a talk or give comments about the GSS, these are the people to contact. If you feel the urge to shout loudly, try shouting into a pillow.

You may use this form to send an email to the GSS committee. If you wish to send an anonymous message, just leave the From: field blank.


Things we are working on:


Links

GSS talk archive:

Files of possible interest to physics graduate students:

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