Recent News
Physics Professor and Students Develop Solar Cookware to Save Lives Worldwide
Jul 5, 2024
Schwartz celebrates with three women in the Southern Region, Malawi, who won a contest to use as little firewood or charcoal as possible. (Courtesy photo)
DONORS CONTRIBUTE TO STUDENT RESEARCH DURING THE SUMMER
JuLY 2024
by nick wilson
Each year, millions of people around the world get sick or die from emissions related to cooking with polluting materials such as firewood and coal.
To prevent illness and reduce environmental impact, a Cal Poly physics professor is working to expand use of solar cooking technology, coordinating with others to establish cookware in households worldwide.
Schwartz works with a man in a Kathmandu factory that can now manufacture the ISECookers. Two cookers have been imported to Cal Poly for more testing. (courtesy photo)
The innovative, cost-effective cooking tools developed by Professor Pete Schwartz and his students promote sustainable practices.
Schwartz's model, Insulated Solar Electric Cookers, is designed to use electric heaters connected directly to solar panels to cook food inside an insulated chamber. Solar cookers can be made on site worldwide.
"The benefit is that you get people interested in the technology and they can work toward manufacturing and shape how the product looks and works in their local communities," Schwartz said.
Schwartz has a comprehensive portal of information on his Solar Electric Cooking website, with posts on the technology, journal articles and insights into his travel experiences.
"These insulated cookers can be made locally (presently produced in Kathmandu, Malawi, Togo, Cameroon and Zambia), stimulating local economy, exciting interest in technology, and providing product support and customer feedback," Schwartz wrote on his site. "We support new manufacturing centers with funding, instructions, and a support community. We collaborate with local academic institutions to jointly study the technology and adoption."
Thanks to donor funding, four students working with Schwartz are conducting summer research this year to advance the new technology. Three students are being supported by the Frost Fund, and a fourth has been funded by a private donor. Another student is volunteering.
One group of summer researchers will develop a cost-effective electronic interface with the solar panel, and another group will pursue manufacturing improvements.
Schwartz has been innovating clean energy cookers for two decades, helping people in places where biomass (wood, charcoal, crop residues, and dung) and coal are burned to heat up food. Burning those materials can harm one's health.
Nearly 3 billion people in the world rely on the burning of biomass and coal in rudimentary stoves or open fires to meet basic needs for household energy, according to the World Health Organization website. WHO officials note that household air pollution from cooking, heating and lighting cause 3 to 4 million premature deaths annually, more than AIDs, malaria, and tuberculosis combined, and a wide range of illnesses.
Besides solar panels, power for ISECookers may come from the grid or from a combination of electrical sources. Energy can be stored thermally or in a battery. Low-power cooking, made possible because of the insulation, saves money by reducing electrical bills (if grid connected) or reducing the number of solar panels purchased.
However, those fuels may cause people in the developing world, primarily women and children, to become ill due to smoke with high concentrations of pollutants such as fine particles composed of toxic compounds. Approximately 500,000 people in the U.S. are affected by indoor air pollution from poorly ventilated stoves.
Additionally, producing and distributing sustainable cookers for developing countries also may help reduce the risk of sexual assault.
"Women (and children) are vulnerable when they leave their communities to collect firewood or purchase coal," Schwartz wrote in his blog.
Between September 2022 and September 2023, Schwartz visited collaborators in Africa, as well as India, Nepal, and Fiji, supporting local manufacturing and innovating uses of the cooking devices.
UK Aid Direct has provided about $200,000 in funding for Schwartz's work under its Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) program. The international community of collaborators has grown, through Schwartz’s online presence, as international innovators learn about ISECooking and reach out.
Salma Bougoune, from Togo, coordinated with Schwartz to build solar electric cookers in the western African country. Bougoune manages an organization that expands access to affordable and sustainable solar lighting systems in rural Togo.
"From the grant, I sent him $1,000 and Salma got going on using cookers," Schwartz said. "He sent a bunch of pictures of how they were progressing, and then I sent him more money to continue the work."
Schwartz spent five weeks in Togo, working with Bougoune and running a week-long workshop for 20 innovators from all over Africa. The experience has made the two men "like brothers" as Schwartz lived with Salma’s family, grew close to his son, and they shared meals, argued and laughed.
Schwartz said that solar panels may be purchased in Africa for between $30 and $100 and the cookware can be built as cheaply as $15, with increases in cost based on materials and added features.
As part of his curriculum at Cal Poly, Schwartz teaches courses that include cultural awareness and the design/creative process, such as PSC 391 and 392, which he introduced with guidance from former Cal Poly industrial and engineering Professor Sema Alptekin, combining theory and application.
"We look at global poverty, where it comes from, what efforts have been done to mitigate it, what failings there have been and how we want to be when it comes to all of that," Schwartz said. "Students are learning important things, but I also learn through this process incredibly. The fact that I'm learning while they are learning, students rise to that."
In these “hands-on” service-learning classes, an interdisciplinary group of four students directly work with an international collaborator – usually someone in the global learning community.
With continued student involvement, community outreach and collaboration worldwide around solar cooking, Schwartz said the project is still a work in progress.
"It's an innovative technology, but it's also an innovative designing process," Schwartz said. "How do you design a technology? How do you design a dissemination mechanism? How do you design a learning mechanism? There were so many things that I hadn't anticipated happening."
Last year, Ashesi University (Ghana) exchange student Ropa Nhanga (from Zimbabwe), who studied at Cal Poly in 2022-2023, was awarded funding though the Physics Department Faculty-Student Research to do research related to the solar cooking project.
"We are very glad that Pete proposed this summer research opportunity for Ropa because she could continue the work at Ashesi and with industrial partners in Accra (the capital and largest city of Ghana)," said Jennifer Klay, chair of the Physics Department.
After completing her final year as an undergraduate student at Ashesi, Nhanga will be attending graduate school at UC Berkeley this fall.
Back in San Luis Obispo, Schwartz said that one of the ways to practice and improve upon the tools are to use the cookware at home.
Schwartz explained: "That's something that I do personally and that I've always done with my students because it's really hard to design an improved cooking experience unless you’re living it."
Want to see more? Schwartz kept a comprehensive blog during his trip.
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Letter from the Chair: 2024
Jul 5, 2024
Dear Alumni, Friends, and Supporters of Cal Poly Physics,
Greetings from San Luis Obispo! I hope this letter finds you well and thriving. At the end of another academic year, I am delighted to share some exciting updates and achievements from our department over the past year. As always, your continued support and engagement have been instrumental in our journey, and we are excited to keep you informed about the progress we are making.
New Tenure-Track Faculty Hires
We are delighted to announce the hiring of four new tenure-track faculty members, Hyewon Pechkis, Joe Pechkis, Ben Shlaer, and Lizvette Villafaña, who will be joining our department in fall 2024. These outstanding individuals bring a wealth of expertise and innovative research interests that will significantly enhance our department’s academic and research capabilities. Their addition to our faculty underscores our commitment to providing our students with a robust and diverse educational experience, including excellent Learn by Doing research opportunities. We look forward to the fresh perspectives and new energy they will bring to our community.
Here's some info about their backgrounds:
Lizvette Villafaña, Assistant Professor of Physics
Dr. Villafaña just completed her Ph.D. in astronomy/astrophysics at UCLA, measuring the masses of supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei. She also earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from USC, where she worked on CubeSat guidance, navigation and control. She will bring a spectrum of experience to our department and provide exciting research opportunities for students interested in astronomy/astrophysics.
Ben Shlaer, Assistant Professor of Physics
Dr. Shlaer received his Ph.D. in physics from Cornell University in 2006. He is well known in our department as he joins the tenure-track from his current position as a full-time lecturer. Dr. Shlaer’s research is in early universe cosmology and he has recently taught our upper division quantum mechanics classes, PHYS 405/406. His research is popular with students, and we are excited to have him on our tenure-track faculty.
Hyewon Pechkis and Joseph Pechkis, Associate Professors of Physics
Drs. H. and J. Pechkis both earned their Ph.D.s in experimental atomic, molecular, and optical physics, in particular cold atom trapping, from the University of Connecticut in 2010. They join us from their current positions as associate professors at CSU Chico, where they also collaborate on curriculum to bring the concepts of quantum mechanics to a general audience through the physics of music. They are eager to build a vibrant experimental program with our students on their team!
Hosting the 2025 Conference for Undergraduate Women and Gender Minorities in Physics
Another highlight of this year is that Cal Poly has been selected to host the 2025 American Physical Society Conference for Undergraduate Women and Gender Minorities in Physics (CU*iP). This prestigious event is scheduled for January 24-26, 2025. CU*iP aims to support and encourage undergraduate women and gender minorities in physics by providing them with the opportunity to network, present their research, and gain insights from professionals in the field. Hosting this conference underscores our commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within the physics community. We could not have done it without you. An important strength of our application was the financial support we are able to provide to participants thanks to the generous donations of our esteemed alumni and friends. We look forward to welcoming participants from across the region and showcasing Cal Poly's vibrant campus.
PHYS 100: Fostering a Sense of Belonging
In line with our efforts to enhance student experience and retention, I am pleased to report on the success of PHYS 100, a new course designed to help first-year physics students transition into university life and the physics community. The course covers a range of topics including academic skills, research opportunities, and career planning. More importantly, it emphasizes building a strong sense of belonging among our students. Early feedback indicates that PHYS 100 has had a profound positive impact, helping students feel more connected and supported during their critical first year. This initiative is a testament to our dedication to student success and well-being.
2023-2024 Distinguished Teaching Award
I am excited to announce that our own Professor Kat Gillen has been selected as one of the recipients of this year’s Distinguished Teaching Award. This is only the third time a physics faculty member has been so honored in the past 34 years (Ron Brown in 1994-95 and Matt Moelter in 2003-04).
From the official description of the award: "The Distinguished Teaching Award (DTA) was established to recognize faculty members who demonstrate excellence in teaching at Cal Poly. Only students and alumni, those who have been influenced most by faculty, are eligible to submit nominations. Then, a committee of faculty members evaluate nominees based on written documentation and in-class visitations. Awardees are announced at the end of the academic year and are honored by the university at several important end-of-the-year events."
We extend our hearty congratulations to Prof. Gillen for this tremendous recognition of her dedication to the craft of teaching and her commitment to student success.
Closing Thoughts
It has been a rewarding journey to navigate the department through these dynamic times, always with an eye on our long-term goals and aspirations. The achievements of this past year are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff, and students, as well as the unwavering support of our alumni and friends.
Please stay in touch and consider visiting us if you're ever in the area. We would love to share more about our exciting developments and explore ways you can be involved. Thank you for being an integral part of the Cal Poly Physics community.
Warmest regards,
Jennifer Klay
Professor and Chair
Cal Poly Physics Department
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Physics Department Newsletter 2024
Jul 5, 2024
Featured Articles
Solar Cooking Spreads Worldwide
Physics Professor Pete Schwartz (shown in above photo with solar cooking contest winners) and his students are working to advance solar cooking technology to reduce health risks and reduce environmental impacts across the globe.
Letter from the Chair
Physics Department Chair Jennifer Klay shares insights into new hires, an inclusive conference, a distinguished faculty member and fostering community.
Astronomy Research Examines Jets Near Black Holes
The Astronomy Faculty Research Fellowship, funded through a generous donation from the Marrujo Foundation, supports research of high-energy photons emitted by the intense environment found near mega-sized black holes.
Greetings from Department Chair Jennifer Klay 2023
May 24, 2023
Dear Alumni and Friends of Cal Poly Physics,
Greetings from all of us in San Luis Obispo! I am thrilled to introduce myself as the new department chair and share with you some exciting updates on the happenings within our department. Our newsletter was on hiatus in 2022 so there is a lot to catch you up on.
First and foremost, I’d like to extend my enthusiastic thanks to Karl Saunders, who stepped down as chair so that I could assume the role in September 2023. This year has been an opportunity for me to grow and learn the joys and challenges of this position and I am so grateful to have such a wonderful group of faculty, staff, and students who have supported me through this transition.
I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to all of our alumni and friends for your continued support of our department and our mission to provide a top-notch undergraduate education with a strong emphasis on student research. Your generosity and dedication to our department have played a crucial role in our success, and we are incredibly grateful for your ongoing support.
I am excited to report that as we are emerging from the challenges of the pandemic, our department has been bustling with activities, and our students and faculty have been making remarkable strides in their research endeavors. Our commitment to fostering a vibrant research culture among our undergraduate students has yielded remarkable results. Over the past several years, our students have had the opportunity to work on cutting-edge research projects with our esteemed faculty, resulting in numerous publications in reputable physics journals and presentations at national and international conferences. Our students' research has spanned a wide range of areas, including condensed matter physics, astrophysics, nuclear physics, and quantum computing, among others. It is truly inspiring to witness our students pushing the boundaries of knowledge and making meaningful contributions to the field of physics.
And now for some news about faculty comings and goings. This year we hired three new experimental physicists, Hilary Jacks, A. Pasha Tabatabai, and Isinsu Baylam Toker, who will join us as assistant professors in Fall 2023, expanding the expertise of our department into new areas and providing excellent Learn by Doing research experiences for our students.
While we are excited about the new members joining our department, we also have some departures that we wish to share with you. Last year, Senior Lecturer Lizza Demsetz retired. Dr. Demsetz was one of our most beloved and experienced instructors with a passion and dedication for student success. We are fortunate that she is still in the area and will continue to teach for us part-time as her schedule allows.
This year, Professor Nilgun Sungar will fully retire from teaching in our department after 34 years. Professor Sungar was the first female faculty member in our department, first woman to serve a term as chair, and has been a mentor and friend to many. We are grateful for her leadership and dedication to our department over her long career and we look forward to her engagement with our department as she continues some of her innovative research activities as a volunteer.
Professor Matt Moelter will also retire at the end of this year, but he will continue teaching for a few years through the Faculty Early Retirement Program. Professor Moelter served as department chair twice in his career at Cal Poly and we are grateful that he will continue to teach and inspire students and faculty alike with his good nature and vast knowledge.
Finally, with sadness and a heavy heart, I share the news that Professor Emeritus David Hafemeister passed away this spring. His interesting and accomplished career included working with the U.S. Senate and State Department on issues related to nuclear arms control and disarmament. While he retired in 2000, he continued to be a champion of our department and was an inspiration to many of us. We wish his family and friends our deepest condolences.
This spring, the William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation opened, with a dedication ceremony on May 5, 2023. Several of our current faculty and one new one are moving their experiments into two new beautiful state-of-the-art research labs, where they will continue to make ground-breaking discoveries with their undergraduate students.
As part of a multi-year effort to build a stronger community and cultivate belonging, we have launched a new course, PHYS 100: Introduction to the Physics Major, also known as the “First-Year-Experience”, that brings together physics majors who are new to Cal Poly (whether freshmen or transfers) for activities, conversations, and food that help them build their physics identities and create community. We also use this course to support students through academic advising and career counseling for what they can do with their physics degree. As you can attest, there are many ways to build a career from a Cal Poly physics degree, and we want them to know that their effort and accomplishments will take them wherever they wish to go. On that note, if you are ever interested in being an alumni guest (in person or over Zoom) to share your pathway and advice, please reach out to me. We would love to host you and introduce you to the next generation of Cal Poly physics grads.
As you may have heard, Cal Poly is undergoing a major transition in 2025-2026, when we convert from quarters to a semester-based calendar. This endeavor was mandated by the CSU Office of the Chancellor, with one of our primary goals to increase opportunities for transfers students to earn a Cal Poly degree. We have been hard at work on the challenge of converting our curriculum and I believe we will continue to provide an excellent and nationally recognized program of Learn by Doing instruction for our physics majors. You will be pleased to know that our upper division laboratory courses, including the heart of our curriculum, the “Q-Lab” sequence, will continue to provide students with excellent hands-on training. We are excited about the opportunities that this transition will bring and as we look to the future, I want you to know that the faculty and staff of our department remain steadfast in our commitment to excellence in undergraduate physics education and student research. We are dedicated to nurturing the next generation of physicists and empowering them to succeed and thrive in whatever career path they choose to pursue.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to express once again my sincere appreciation for your ongoing support of Cal Poly Physics. Your generosity has had a profound impact on our department and has helped us create an exceptional learning environment for our students. I look forward to keeping you updated on our department's progress and achievements in the coming years. If you are ever in the area, please do not hesitate to visit us and witness the incredible work being done by our students and faculty. We would love to have you back on campus and show you firsthand the impact of your support and the amazing new facilities that are enabling us to include our students in ground-breaking research.
Once again, thank you for your continued support of Cal Poly Physics. Together, we are shaping the future of physics education and undergraduate research through Learn by Doing.
With warmest regards,
Jennifer Klay
Department Chair, Physics Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Newsletter 2023
May 24, 2023
Featured Articles
Exchange Program Connects Cal Poly with Africa
Three students from Ashesi University in Ghana are studying at Cal Poly as part of a new initiative. Find out more about the exchange program and their experiences.
Letter from the Department Chair
New Chair Jennifer Klay highlights cutting edge research, new faculty, and remembers the late David Hafemeister.
Astronomy Fellowship: Exploring the Lives of Stars
New astronomy research fellowship expands opportunities for students, explores white dwarf stars.
Everyone Belongs: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Physics
Jun 10, 2021
As part of its ongoing efforts toward increasing diversity, embracing equity and committing to inclusion, the Physics Department has been engaged in three national initiatives.
The department is an active participant in the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance project of the American Physical Society, joining a network of around 100 U.S. and foreign universities, national labs and research centers that are developing and implementing plans and policy changes to ensure that all department members thrive. This massive campaign allows us to benefit from broader community efforts and informs our work locally.
In winter 2021, the department was selected to implement the recommendations promoted by the American Institute of Physics’ Task Force to Elevate African American Representation in Undergraduate Physics & Astronomy (TEAM-UP) report. The report recommends evidence-based practices that physics departments can adopt to recruit and support African American students, who are underrepresented and underserved in the field of physics.
The department also contributes to the College of Science and Mathematics’ leadership efforts to build our collective capacity for student belonging, especially for those who have been historically excluded from the sciences. This project is funded by a planning grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
The department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, led by professors Kat Gillen and Louise Edwards, implemented the concept of shared faculty-student leadership and extended full membership to student leaders of all physics clubs. Savannah Silva, president of Women in Physics; Xochitl Ryan, president of Minorities in Physics; Chad Dutra, president of the Society of Physics Students; and Andrew Jarymowycz, president of the honors physics society, ΣΠΣ, led efforts to design, refine, implement and analyze the results of a student climate survey.
The department is engaged in these efforts because of its fundamental value that as physics belongs to everyone, everyone belongs in physics.
Bringing Hands-on Physics Labs Home
Jun 10, 2021
Cal Poly physics faculty make significant contributions to fundamental and applied knowledge about the world and the universe. Undergraduates explore, experiment, publish and present alongside their faculty mentors, creating a vibrant learning environment. Below you'll find a sampling of what students and faculty have done and discovered in the last year.
Electronics and Instrumentation
with Matt Moelter
I taught Physics 206 Electronics and Instrumentation in winter quarter, and the students did the labs at home.
From online sources students purchased a digital multimeter, an electronics kit (wires, breadboard/power supply, resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, etc.) and an EspoTek Labrador oscilloscope/signal generator that plugs into a USB port. A few weeks into the quarter students were sent or picked up from the Baker Center some additional components (555 timer, 741 op amp, counter, decoder, 7 segment display).
In addition, the department purchased modules to make oscilloscopes we already owned internet accessible. This allowed me to set up circuits in the Baker Center that students could investigate remotely while controlling the actual signal generator and oscilloscope via a web browser.
We did almost all the experiments usually done in person: intro to DC circuits; oscilloscope basics (esp. triggering); “unknown” circuit characterization; high/low/bandpass/notch filters; I-V characteristics of diodes; transistor switching and amplification; op-amp followers, (non)inverting amplifiers, relaxation oscillators; generating digital pulses with counting and display.
The students seemed to appreciate handling equipment. They were enthusiastic and handled the challenges well. You can imagine them holding their breadboard up to the shared Zoom screen and me saying, “Which row is pin 6?” or “I think the second orange wire on your left should be one hole to the right.”
Optics
with John Sharpe
We put together a suite of experiments for Physics 323 Optics that could be implemented in the students’ own homes. The experiments included optical imaging, diffraction, interference and polarization optics. Many components were off-the-shelf, and we also put together rotation mounts, laser power supplies and photodetector systems. The photograph shows one of the student's experiments where light from a white LED is collimated by the first lens and the grating spectrum observed in the back-focal plane of the second lens.
Quantum Lab
with Tom Bensky
I taught Physics 341 Quantum Lab virtually. This is one of our department's core advanced labs for physics majors. It was important for me that the students get some hands-on work, even from home in a virtual class. So, I had them buy some electronics parts which would allow them to build circuits at home to study some physical phenomena.
It went well overall, but just like an in-person lab, sometimes things just don't work. In this case, the circuit involved coaxing a 12.1 Volt Zener diode into fits and spurts of conduction with a suitable reverse bias voltage of about 11.8 volts. The statistics of when conduction occurs is of interest, and data was captured using an Arduino.
One student simply could not get their circuit to work, no matter what he tried. So, using Zoom we both cleared our breadboards and rebuilt our circuits together from scratch, piece by piece. In the picture (see top of page), you can see my triage setup: an iPhone mounted on a tripod showing a livestream of my workspace. We were also exchanging pictures and texts using Slack.
In the end the student's circuit still didn't work and my home office was a total mess. So, I pulled some parts off my circuit and mailed them to him. It ended up working, and the student got their data. A happy ending after all!
Newsletter 2021
Jun 10, 2021
Featured Articles
Physics in the Kitchen
Physics faculty pulled out all the stops to make virtual labs a true Learn by Doing experience. From optical imaging to DC circuits to quantum lab, physics students worked hands-on even though they were at home.
Letter from the Department Chair
Karl Saunders reviews a year like no other in the space-time continuum of Cal Poly Physics.
Everyone Belongs in Physics
The department joined three national initiatives focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Read more about the department's inclusion and equity work ›
Greetings from Department Chair Karl Saunders 2021
Jun 10, 2021
Dear Friends of the Physics Department,
A lot has happened since I last wrote to you.
When we ask our current and former physics majors what they appreciate about our department, the most common sentiment is our faculty’s commitment to students’ success. This incredible dedication has never been more evident than this last year. Despite the enormous challenges, our faculty made herculean efforts to continue to bring Learn by Doing to our students in this much-changed environment.
Thanks to our innovative and ingenious faculty, we provided hands-on, at-home experiences for students in our electronics and optics courses. I find it particularly touching that much of the equipment that we sent to our students was made possible by our generous donors. To see our former students helping our current students is always so uplifting and has been an especially bright light in the darker days of the last year.
Because the newsletter fell by the wayside as we made these adjustments last year, I missed the chance to introduce our new assistant professor, Laura Ríos, who joined us in fall 2019. Laura’s expertise is in the field of physics education research, including the upper division laboratory experiences for students, which aligns well with our dedication to the effective Learn by Doing preparation of our students. We also welcomed two full-time lecturers, Benjamin Shlaer and Chad Miller.
As a department, we continue to increase our focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. We’re proud to be part of multiple national projects working to increase the number of physicists from underrepresented backgrounds and ensure that they have the opportunity to thrive within the discipline.
In addition to curricular excellence, our research experiences continue to be a vital part of our students’ growth. Our faculty and students study physics from the far reaches of the universe to the waters of Morro Bay, over length scales from galactic to sub-nuclear. Despite the challenges of the last year, our faculty have continued to mentor our students both in-person and virtually. It is an incredible testament to our faculty, staff and students that last summer’s research program involved 65 students working with 25 faculty. It culminated in a day-long virtual summer research symposium that was an incredible showcase of our department’s spectrum of research.
While this has been a year of heart-breaking losses and unprecedented challenges, I will look back on it as the year that I have been most amazed by our faculty, staff, students and alumni. Frankly, I have never been prouder to be part of the Cal Poly Physics family.
Please keep in touch,
Karl Saunders
ksaunder@calpoly.edu
Ross and Sue Benitez Space Exploration Forum 2022
Apr 16, 2019
The Journey of the James Webb Space Telescope
Where we are and where we are going
Thursday, March 3, 7-8:30 p.m.
Online and Live in the Advanced Technology Laboratories (007-01)
Free and open to the public
Register for the live event
Register for the online event
For more information call 805-756-2448
In late 2021, scientific innovation took the next step into space exploration and journey. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was launched into space on an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana. Webb will be the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers and planetary scientist worldwide. It is an orbiting infrared observatory that will complement and extend the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope but with longer wavelength coverage and greatly improved sensitivity. It will study every phase in the history of our Universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own Solar System. In this talk, Planetary Scientist Stefanie Milam will provide a status update of the Webb Telescope, briefly review the main science themes for JWST and conclude with some revolutionary science planned for the first year of operations.
Stefanie Milam
Stefanie Milam is a planetary scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and serves as the James Webb Space Telescope Deputy Project Scientist for Planetary Science. She is an expert in rotational spectroscopy, observations, and laboratory modeling of astrochemistry and molecular astrophysics of the interstellar medium, evolved stars, star formation regions, protoplanetary disks, and comets with an emphasis on isotopic fractionation and astrobiology of primitive materials.
In 2014, Milam was appointed as the Webb Deputy Project Scientist for Planetary Science to continue her role through launch. She works through the Project Science Team as an in-house, planetary science expert to evaluate science and operations trades and design decisions that will be required to finalize Webb's solar system observing capabilities.