Bowling Green, Ky. - On Nov. 18, six Western Kentucky University physics students traveled to Bloomington, Ind., to explore the graduate opportunities at Indiana University.

The visit included tours of the Indiana University Physics and Astronomy departments, as well as the IU Cyclotron Facility (IUCF).

“Visits to major research universities are very important for physics undergraduate students,” Dr. Alex Barzilov, assistant professor and associate director of WKU’s Applied Physics Institute. “It highlights the modern research activities in various areas, helps students with current research projects and will play a crucial role in their future career.”

WKU students visiting IU were Jeremy Board of Brandenburg; Jeremy Maune of Taylorsville; Ian Rice of Fort Campbell; Selva Calderon, Joe Howard and Alison Rohde, all of Bowling Green. Dr. Barzilov organized the visit and accompanied the students on the trip. WKU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy sponsored the trip.

During the tour of IU’s Physics Department, WKU students were able to meet with several IU graduate professors and attended “tea room” talks that covered the latest activities conducted by the physics faculty.

Professor Harold Ogren discussed research projects in high energy physics, including the ATLAS experiment in CERN, Switzerland, and the CDF and DZero experiments at Fermi Lab in Chicago. Dr. James Glazier, director of the Biocomplexity Institute and a professor of physics, described research opportunities in the area of biocomplexity; the area of biophysics that studies the emergence of self-organized, complex behavior from the interactions between simple agents. It focuses on the networks of interactions and the general rules that govern those networks.

Professor Mark Messier presented the department’s neutrino physics research projects that included a Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search project. Physics Professor Adam Szczepaniak also discussed opportunities for graduate studies at the department.

The Department of Astronomy tour included a visit to the historic Kirkwood Observatory and observation of solar activity. WKU graduate Tala Monroe, who is a graduate student at IU, discussed the department’s graduate program opportunities in astronomy and astrophysics. IU graduate students provided a tour of the university’s campus, followed by a group lunch with informal discussions about graduate student life at IU.

Professor Paul Sokol, director of the IUCF, presented an overview of current projects. He described research and development programs in the areas of accelerator physics, nuclear physics, condensed matter physics and medical applications. Research and development activities are carried out by scientists and students from around the world. Research experiences are available for high school to post-doctoral students.

The IUCF is also home to the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute, one of four facilities in the nation that offer proton radiation therapy. Dr. Barbara von Przewoski presented details of the Radiation Effects Research Program, including critical equipment tests for NASA missions.

The talks were followed by a tour of the cyclotron facility. Students visited the cyclotron control center and various experimental beam stations, including the radiation effects studies system. They had a chance to look at the unique medical treatment proton station that is under construction. The station includes a gantry system for precise rotation and control of proton beams, a robotic “arm” for positioning of a patient, patient on-line monitoring systems; all systems are computer controlled.

Students also visited the Low Energy Neutron Source (LENS), dedicated to neutron scattering studies of condensed matter. Accelerator-based LENS produces cold neutron beams for fundamental and applied research using relatively low-energy. Students discussed a three-fold mission of this facility: to conduct material research with neutrons, develop new neutron instrumentation for both fundamental and applied research, and to enhance education in the science and technology of neutrons at all levels.

At the end of the day, students attended the IUCF seminar covering novel topics in physics research. Dr. Peter Mueller from the Argonne National Lab presented his research on laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms.

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