Physics

Night on Mars

DATE: Sunday August 5, 2012
TIME: 6:00 PM- 2:00 AM
PLACE: Science Hall East Room 2064
PARKING: Lot 2

The Mars Science Laboratory, Curiosity, will land in Gale Crater at 1:30 AM EST on August 6th. Come on out to the wilds of New Jersey to celebrate and learn in style! Hosted by NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Jason Kendall, we'll have a public talk about the search for life on Mars. We'll also do fun hands-on activities, such as building Mars landers, walking through human orrerys, looking through spectroscopes, and possibly stargazing with the University's telescopes.  As the evening goes on, we'll also watch "Roving Mars" the iMax movie about the little Mars rovers that could, and just before the live NASA coverage, we'll watch the 1953 "War of the Worlds". Bring your PJs. We'll serve the pizza. It's all free and open to the public, at Science Hall East on the campus of William Paterson University.

For Information:

Contact:    Dr. S. Chung, Physics Department Chairman

                  Phone #: (973) 720- 3458

                  E-mail: chungs@wpunj.edu

June 6, 2012- Dr. S. Chung- Physics Department Chairman, Dr. Jamie Weiss- Biology Professor, Prof. M. Mikhaiel- Physics Adjunct, and Ms. Iris Dimaio- Youth Programs, were chosen to be judges in the Annual Science Fair at John F. Kennedy High School.  

Prof. Mikhaiel is invited as a guest speaker to participate in the Seventh International Conference on Science, Mathematics and Technology Education that will take place in Oman from November 4 to 7, 2012. Title of the paper is "Teaching Physics  On-line vs. Teaching  Physics in-Class: Are they really similar?"

Star Party at William Paterson

William Paterson University takes part in Global Astronomy Month on the eve of the Global Star Party.  Please join Prof. Jason Kendall, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador for New York City, as he presents the stars live  ! 

That night, if it is clear, Prof. Kendall and his student Star Ambassadors will bring out their telescopes to show you the Moon, planets and stars. Saturn rises in the East at 9:30 PM with its rings putting on a beautiful show.   Come out for a great evening of stargazing fun and join the World as we look at the stars together. 

In the event of inclement weather, Professor Kendall will give a talk titled, Curiosity: Is There Life on Mars? in Science Hall East Room 2064.

Amateur astronomers are also invited to bring their telescopes. Children and families are welcome. The event is free. Visitors are invited to enter Camp Veritans via Campus Entry 1 off Pompton Road and park in the Camp Veritans lot. For directions go to www.wpunj.edu/maps

Date: Saturday April 28, 2012 (weather permitting – please call 973-720-3458 for status and alternate arrangements)

Time:  7:30 PM to 10:00PM

Place: Camp Veritans (near campus entry 1)

For more information please contact S.H. Chung (ChungS@wpunj.edu)

Astronomical Observations

The first of a series of public astronomical observations will be held on Friday, November 13 at 6:30 PM. Observation of the planet Jupiter and  identifying Fall constellations will be the main topics of the evening.  The observations will be held at the football practice field of William Paterson University.   To find out more about scheduled observations at William Paterson University,  please contact  G. Swangin at 908-479-1322 or S.H. Chung 973-720-3458.

Successful Strategies for Studying Physics

On October 13, Professor Harry Weston gave a presentation on "Successful Strategies for Studying Physics" to the MAST & GSLSAMP Workshop hosted by the Associate Dean Dr. Jean Fuller-Stanley. Attached above is a copy of the study strategies.

Professor  Gary Swangin  of the Physics Department, will  be the Keynote speaker at the annual Science Day event on Friday November 20, 2009.  He will discuss the search for life in the universe, based on  his  award-winning documentary, “Are We Alone in the Universe?” sponsored by the American Chemical Society and W.R. Grace & Co. In an informative and entertaining multi-media lecture, Professor Swangin will take us on a cosmic journey through the universe to unravel life beyond Earth. Professor Swangin draws upon his interviews with Dr. Carl Sagan, Dr. Frank Drake, and  other scientists to discuss the age-old search for extraterrestrial life with modern technology.  

To accommodate student needs and growth, during the past year the Department has restructured the scheduling of classes, increased the number of course sections, and offered its first on-line course during the Winter session .  All physics courses experienced an increase in enrollment size, with the largest increase found in Astronomy PHYS 170.    Fall 2009 student enrollment as of October 1, 2009 is 377, an increase of 55% from last year's enrollment of 243.  The percent increase in student enrollment  for Spring 09 and summer 09 are 31% and 95%  respectively.

In June 1982 Professors Sung La (Physics Department) and O. Shimomura published a paper: 

S.Y. La and O. Shimomura, Fluorescence polarization study of the Ca+2-sensitive photoprotein, FEBS LETTERS, Volume 143, #1 (1982).

Professor Shimomura was one of the three recipients of the 2008 Nobel Prize
in Chemistry.

International Year of Astronomy 2009

In the year 2009, the world will celebrate the International Year of Astronomy
as it commemorates the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s use of a telescope
to study the skies, and Kepler’s publication of Astronomia Nova. 2009 is
also the anniversary of many other historic events in science,
including Huygen’s 1659 publication of Systema Saturnium.