Hixson Lied Science Building Room G81, Creighton University - 2500 California Plaza - Omaha NE - 68178 - Physics Department Seminar 11-20-2009
A physicist at the Collegium: A Colloquy between Faith and Reason
Dr. Gintaras Duda
Department of Physics, Creighton University
The Collegium is a week long conference/retreat for faculty from Catholic institutions to explore Catholic identity, Catholic tradition, and the interplay between faith, science, and reason. Faculty are deliberately mixed so that discussions between arts, science, theology, and engineering faculty can occur, hopefully leading to deeper and richer discussions. Here in the physics department at Creighton we have long struggled with fundamental questions such as: 1) What is the role of a physics department in a Catholic and Jesuit institution? 2) How is a physics department at a Catholic Jesuit institution different than at a secular institution? and 3) perhaps at a more personal level, how does one integrate science and faith or even how does one construct a worldview in which science and faith are complementary rather than being mutually exclusive? This talk will give a physicists perspective on these questions as influenced by the collegium, personal reflection, and Catholic theologians and teaching.
Welcome Incoming Freshmen
If you are in the honors program or are planning to major in physics or one of the physical sciences (such as chemistry), we recommend that you enroll in PHY 211 General Physics (any section) and PHY 191 Frontiers in Physics. Please see the
Newsletter X is now available!
You can read the latest news from the Physics Department in the Spring 2008-2009 Newsletter (Vol. X). To read previous newsletters visit the Department News section section of the website and select the newsletter from the list on the right sidebar. Thanks to Dr. Zepf for compiling and publishing this newsletter!
Field Day Champions
This year we had a great turn out with 15 teams fielded from Gross Catholic, Papillion, Abraham Lincoln, Mount Michael, St. Albert, Central Academy and Burke High School. Teams competed in seven events: Death Star Laser Aiming, Boat Building, Chalk Talk (Space physics portrayed in film), Quiz Bowl, Circuit Building, and Toothpick Bridge Building (The complete program can be found here.
And the winners of the 35th Annual CU Physics Field Day are...
First Place: Central Academy (Team 1)
Second Place: Gross Catholic (Team 5)
Third Place: Central Academy (Team 2)
Prototype testing of solar arrays
The Physics Department has the opportunity to assist in the planning and prototype testing for solar cell arrays on the Creighton campus. Any student who would be interested in becoming part of this effort should contact Dr. Cherney this week. A commitment of at least 5 hours per week would be required. In the process students can earn Independent Study (PHY 495) credit.
Sandra Behncke Selected as a NASA Year of Astronomy Student Ambassador
Congratulations to Senior Physics Major Sandra Behncke who has been named the NASA International Year of Astronomy Student Ambassador for Nebraska. 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, and NASA has selected ambasadors to actively participate in, and help coordinate their own outreach programs within the local community and beyond.
Smith and Brewer Tie for Alumni Award Scholarship!
Congratulations to Senior Physics Majors Joseph Brewer and Timothy Smith for their performance on the Modern Physics portion of the Graduate Comprehensive Exam. This exam is held annually and all senior physics majors are eligible to compete for the $1000 award.
New Major in Applied Physical Analysis
A new undergraduate major has been approved for students interested in pursuing engineering or a blend of computer science, math, and physics. This will appear in the next edition of the undergraduate bulletin. See the draft bulletin listing here.
