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3/26/2004
Congratulations to Dave Pierson and Dave Aspnes on their news story on mine detection by time reversed sonar scattering.
Breakthrough Mine-Detection Turns Ocean Floor "Transparent" (see February 26 release from NC State News Services). Quoting in part:
"Since 1776, when naval mines were invented, navies have rightfully feared the stealthy and relatively simple weapons, which can disable or destroy warships and paralyze vital shipping. Navies worldwide employ a host of mine-detection technologies and techniques, most of them complicated, expensive, and far from perfect. So a simpler, more effective method for detecting these mines, developed by a physicist at North Carolina State University, could make big waves in naval headquarters around the globe.
Unlike current mine-detection techniques, the patented methodology finds objects buried in the ocean floor without the use of complex, unreliable modeling and without the usual arrays of sonar transmitters and receivers. Instead, the method records the return echo of a sonar transceiver's "ping," then time-reverses and transmits that signal. The following echo clearly shows buried objects, and suppresses the response from the seafloor itself, making the underwater terrain 'transparent.'
Dr. David M. Pierson, then a doctoral student in physics at NC State, demonstrated the new approach in research he conducted with Dr. David E. Aspnes, Distinguished University Professor of Physics, in late 2003. The project was supported by a grant from the Office of Naval Research. Pierson has since joined the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where his work is supported in part by the U.S. Navy."
Congratulations to John Hubisz, one of two College nominees for a 2003 NC State Alumni Outstanding Extension Award.
The College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences is pleased to announce the 2004 Awards for Excellence nominees!
The SPA nominees are:
Adrian Blue - Dept. of Statistics,
Terry Byron - Dept. of Statistics,
Joanna Carter - Dept. of Statistics,
Retta Clemons - College of PAMS,
C. J. Hathorne - Dept. of Physics,
Harold Henion - MEAS,
Connie Hockaday - MEAS,
Michele Kephart - MEAS,
Cynthia Martin - Dept. of Chemistry,
Leonard Page - Dept. of Chemistry,
Denise Seabrooks - Dept. of Mathematics,
Frankie Stephenson, Dept. of Mathematics.
The EPA nominees are:
Marcie Belisle - Dept. of Chemistry,
Dr. Mary Louise Bellamy - The Science House, Susan Cady - Chemistry,
John Griggs - Dept. of Mathematics,
Ameenulla Syed - State Climate Office,
Jennifer Wittmeyer - MEAS
Dean Daniel Solomon will introduce the nominees and announce one SPA and one EPA representative for the College at the PAMS Awards reception on April 7 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm in 126 Witherspoon. Both representatives will receive a plaque, and a check for $250.00 and eight hours of leave. These representatives will represent PAMS in the University Awards for Excellence Program.
The university level winners will be announced at the 2004 Awards for Excellence Luncheon scheduled for 12 noon, Wednesday, May 26 at the McKimmon Center.
Physics majors Amber McFarland and Nader Moussa visited Centennial Campus Middle School on February 19th to demonstrate examples of Newton's Laws to the 8thgrade students.
The 2004 Park Scholars at North Carolina State University present a Creativity Symposium on Thursday, March 25th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Stewart Theater in the Talley Student Center. This year's topic of creativity will feature a creative leadership expert, Dr. Stan Gryskiewicz as well as German architect, Werner Sobek, and will include a panel discussion with Elena Page, a Disney Imagineer, and the Artistic Director of the Carolina Ballet, Robert Weiss. The symposium will be preceded by a reception at 4:00 p.m., which will feature an original creative menu designed by Chef Bill Brizzolara. The event is free and open to the public. For more information about the speakers and schedule, please visit:
www.ncsu.edu/park_scholarships/symposium .
Annual Faculty Retreat
The annual Physics Faculty Retreat is scheduled for THURSDAY, May 12, at the conference room at Lake Wheeler Park. All regular and teaching faculty are invited to attend.
Please let Becky Savage know by May 5 if you will be attending. A map to the retreat will be distributed at a later date.
Dates to Remember:
Easter Break, no class: April 8 & 9 (Note: this is not a University Holiday for SPA Personnel.)
Last Day of Class, Spring 2004 - April 30
Faculty Retreat - May 12
Spring Commencement - May 15
Memorial Day, University Holiday-May 31
Recent and Upcoming Travel:
John Hubisz, to Meredith College, Raleigh, to Run the Section Meeting of the NCS-AAPT; to College Park , MD, - serving as Chairman of the AIP Committee to select Congressional Science Fellow; and to Stephenville, Texas to give the Invited plenary talk at Tarleton State University - Texas Section AAPT/APS/SPS Meeting "What You Can Do to Improve the Quality of the Science Preparation of Your Children."
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