Seminars and Colloquia, January through June, 2012


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Seminars and Colloquia, Typical Week:


Oklahoma High Energy Physics Seminar on Talk-Back Television:

Date:Thursday
Time:1:30-3:00 PM
Place:106 B Studio Room, Classroom Building, OSU
& Nielsen Hall, Room 103, OU
Inquiries: kaladi.babu@okstate.edu or kao@nhn.ou.edu

Physics Colloquium:

Date:Thursday
Time:3:30-4:30 PM
Place:PS 153
Inquiries: perk@okstate.edu or aihua.xie@okstate.edu

Journal Club on Statistical Mechanics and Condensed Matter Physics, and Optics (Informal):

Date:Friday (bi)weekly
Time:2:00 PM
Place:PS 147
Inquiries: perk@okstate.edu or girish.agarwal@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, January 2-6, 2012


No talks scheduled: Prelim Exams


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, January 9-13, 2012


First Week of Classes


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, January 16-20, 2012


Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 16, 2012

Second Week of Classes


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, January 23-27, 2012


No talks scheduled


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, January 30-February 3, 2012


Oklahoma High Energy Physics Seminar on Talk-Back Television:

Speaker:Dr. Hajime Ishimori
Department of Physics
Kyoto University
Date:Thursday, February 2, 2012
Time:1:30 PM
Place:106 B Studio Room, Classroom Building, OSU
& Nielsen Hall, Room 103, OU
Title:Flavor Symmetry and a Model of Σ(3N3)

Abstract:

Symmetries play an important role in particle physics. In flavor physics, non-Abelian discrete symmetry is especially important. The non-Abelian discrete symmetry can arise from the underlying theory, for instance, the string theory or compactification via orbifolding. We show a model of Σ(3N3) as an application of flavor symmetry. Using this model, mass hierarchy of charged lepton and two large mixing angles of lepton sector can be naturally explained.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, February 6-10, 2012


Joint Physics & SPS Colloquium:

Speaker:Dr. Dwight E. Neuenschwander
Department of Physics
Southern Nazarene University, Bethany, OK
Date:Thursday, February 9, 2012
Time:3:30 PM
Place:PS 153
Title:Emmy Noether’s Elegant Theorem:
Accessible Unity in Physics

Abstract:

Physicists who already know of Noether’s Theorem by name typically recognize it in the context of theories featuring local gauge invariance.  But this elite special-case application only scratches the surface of the theorem’s scope and accessibility.  Emmy Noether’s elegant theorem (1918), which connects continuous symmetries to conservation laws, offers a unifying perspective for almost all of physics, from classical mechanics to geometrical optics, from quantum theory to relativity, besides its applications to gauge theories.  In this pedagogical presentation, the Theorem’s definitions, strategies, and results will be introduced and illustrated with elementary examples.  Extensions of these concepts to field theory will be indicated.  Biographical notes will also be presented about Emmy Noether, who deserves wider appreciation within the physics community.  Undergraduate physicists are especially invited to attend.

Note: The traditional student-speaker chat will begin in Physical Sciences Room 147 at 3.00 PM. All students are welcome! Refreshments will be served.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, February 13-17, 2012


Physics Colloquium:

Speaker:Dr. John F. O’Hara
School of Electrical Engineering
Oklahoma State University
Date:Thursday, February 16, 2012
Time:3:30 PM
Place:PS 153
Title:Analysis and Applications of Nonlinearity in Metamaterials

Abstract:

Metamaterials are composite materials whose electromagnetic properties are determined by both the nature and arrangement of their constituent parts.  Typically, they are comprised of sub-wavelength sized metallic resonators arranged in a periodic, two-dimensional array.  These may be designed to interact with the electric or magnetic field, or both, of a propagating wave in ways not observed in natural materials.  After about a decade of metamaterials research, we have now observed numerous exciting phenomena and devices including invisibility cloaks, negative refractive index, and giant optical activity.  All of these are linear phenomena, but more recently, work has started to focus on nonlinear metamaterials.  The motivation of nonlinear metamaterials is a symbiotic relationship between the unprecedented control over electromagnetic waves in metamaterials and the vast number of electromagnetic phenomena that rely on a nonlinearity.  In this talk, I discuss this relationship as well as some of the extant work.  I will finally discuss some of our recent results in modeling nonlinear metamaterials from both a network analysis and modal analysis framework, which allows us to understand and even design optimized nonlinear phenomena in metamaterials.

Dr. O’Hara is an Adjunct Professor closely collaborating with Professor Weili Zhang.

Note: The traditional student-speaker chat will begin in Physical Sciences Room 147 at 3.00 PM. All students are welcome! Refreshments will be served.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, February 20-24, 2012


Physics Colloquium:

Speaker:Dr. Mario F. Borunda
Department of Physics
Harvard University
Date:Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Time:3:30 PM
Place:PS 103
Title:Imaging at the Nanoscale:
Exploring the quantum behavior of electrons inside nanostructures

Abstract:

I will present joint theoretical and experimental efforts aimed at understanding quantum coherent transport in graphene and semiconductor devices by using scanning probe microscopy (SPM). The electronic properties of graphene are still under intense debate and the focus of many research efforts. In the first part of the talk, I will present our work on imaging coherent transport on graphene. Using SPM, our team was able to image for the first time universal conductance fluctuations. In the second part of the talk, I will discuss how to achieve coherent control of interacting electrons in semiconductor quantum dots with the use of a SPM. The control of the charge states of electrons in quantum dots represent progress toward the manipulation of electrons for quantum information processing. These two systems provide a fascinating testbed for new physics and exciting opportunities for future applications based on quantum phenomena.

Note: The traditional student-speaker chat will begin in Physical Sciences Room 147 at 3.00 PM. All students are welcome! Refreshments will be served.


Physics Colloquium:

Speaker:Dr. Chandra Raman
School of Physics
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Date:Thursday, February 23, 2012
Time:3:30 PM
Place:PS 153
Title:Quantum Antiferromagnetism with Spinor Bose-Einstein Condensates

Abstract:

Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) have revolutionized atomic physics, a revolution which, seventeen years after their discovery, shows little sign of stopping.  The attention of the quantum gases community has increasingly shifted in recent years from studies of broad features of the many-body condensed state to more specific realizations based upon control of spin state, trapping geometry, dimensionality and temporal behavior.  Quantum gases exist at the interface between atomic physics and quantum condensed matter, and they can be manipulated and studied in ways simply not feasible with a macroscopic chunk of condensed material.  Experiments in our laboratory investigate the spinor nature of a sodium BEC, an example of a quantum antiferromagnet.  The interplay between the quadratic Zeeman effect and spin-spin interactions allows one to explore a rich phase diagram of possibilities.  In this talk I will describe experiments investigating the dynamical behavior of such a BEC in the vicinity of a quantum phase transition.  Our work highlights the experimental knobs and probes that are available to explore these fascinating quantum systems.

Note: The traditional student-speaker chat will begin in Physical Sciences Room 147 at 3.00 PM. All students are welcome! Refreshments will be served.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, February 27-March 2, 2012


APS March Meeting


Oklahoma High Energy Physics Seminar on Talk-Back Television:

Speaker:Dr. André de Gouvêa
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
Date:Thursday, March 1, 2012
Time:1:30 PM
Place:106 B Studio Room, Classroom Building, OSU
& Nielsen Hall, Room 103, OU
Title:Understanding the Origin of Neutrino Masses: from neV to YeV

Physics Colloquium:

Speaker:Dr. André de Gouvêa
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
Date:Thursday, March 1, 2012
Time:3:30 PM
Place:PS 153
Title:The Brave ν World

Abstract:

Neutrinos are the most elusive of the known fundamental particles. Nonetheless, over the last 15 years, heroic experimental efforts aimed at understanding neutrinos have discovered that neutrinos are more interesting than originally dictated by the standard model of particle physics—it turns out that neutrinos have mass! After introducing the neutrinos, I will discuss how we came to discover that neutrinos have tiny but nonzero masses and why this is a big deal. I will then describe some of the fundamental questions related to neutrinos, and how we hope to answer some of them in the near future.

Note: The traditional student-speaker chat will begin in Physical Sciences Room 147 at 3.00 PM. All students are welcome! Refreshments will be served.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, March 5-9, 2012


Physics Colloquium:

Speaker:Dr. Jacques H.H. Perk
Department of Physics
Oklahoma State University
Date:Thursday, March 8, 2012
Time:3:30 PM
Place:PS 153
Title:Quasicrystals

Abstract:

Quasiperiodic structures had been studied by mathematicians and even appeared decorating medieval Islamic buildings. However, when in 1982 Dan Shechtman observed a ten-fold scattering pattern from a metal alloy crystal, he was ridiculed by his colleagues who said that his observations contradicted standard texts like Kittel’s. Although initially rejected, Shechtman succeeded in publishing his findings in 1984. For this work he received the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

In the talk I shall review several theoretical developments, Shechtman’s findings and some recent technological applications. Finally, I shall show some results obtained by Helen Au-Yang and myself without going into the mathematical details.

Note: The traditional student-speaker chat will begin in Physical Sciences Room 147 at 3.00 PM. All students are welcome! Refreshments will be served.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, March 12-16, 2012


No colloquium scheduled as potential speaker had to cancel.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, March 19-23, 2012


Student’s Spring Break


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, March 26-30, 2012


Physics Colloquium:

Speaker:Dr. DeokJin Yu
Department of Physics
Oklahoma State University
Date:Thursday, March 29, 2012
Time:3:30 PM
Place:PS 153
Title:Hybrid Nanocomposite Materials between Organic and Inorganic:
Carbon Nanotubes and Gold Nanorods

Abstract:

Nanotechnology is often referred to as handling materials on an atomic and molecular scale. For two decades, research studies in “nanoscience” and “nanoengineering” have been used to both understand and develop new nano-sized materials since they often exhibit properties and characteristics that are different from their bulk counterparts.

More specifically, nanocomposites, consisting of organic and inorganic materials, are of current interest due to their potential applications, such as in photovoltaic devices. It is possible to achieve novel properties in nanocomposites through the mixing of two different types of nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes and gold nanorods. I will discuss some of the synthesis of these nanocomposites along with the results of recent spectroscopic measurements.

Note: The traditional student-speaker chat will begin in Physical Sciences Room 147 at 3.00 PM. All students are welcome! Refreshments will be served.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, April 2-6, 2012


Physics Colloquium:

Speaker:Dr. Dennis S. Mackin
Department of Radiation Physics
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
University of Texas
Date:Thursday, April 5, 2012
Time:3:30 PM
Place:PS 153
Title:Developing Real-Time Imaging Methods for Dose Delivery Verification During Proton Radiotherapy

Abstract:

Currently, the true potential of proton radiotherapy cannot be fully exploited because of uncertainties in the dose deposition characteristics of individual proton treatment beams caused by patient setup errors, day-to-day changes in patient anatomy, and the overall response of irradiated tissues over the course of treatment. Therefore, current proton treatment techniques include the use of larger than desirable “treatment margins” and “safety margins” to ensure proper dose is delivered to the tumor in the presence of these uncertainties. These large margins lead to increased dose to surrounding healthy tissues, which in turn severely limits the dose that can be delivered to the tumor, and thus limits the curative potential of proton radiotherapy.

This fact has led many researchers to study in-vivo imaging of positron annihilation (PA) gammas or characteristic “prompt” (CP) gammas produced during irradiation to monitor and ensure proper dose delivery, as a means of reducing uncertainties associated with proton therapy. In this talk, I first discuss the physics that makes proton therapy different. I will next discuss ongoing research to develop systems for detecting and imaging the gamma rays emitted by tissue during proton therapy treatments. Much of the talk will focus on the machine learning techniques which are applied to convert the prompt gamma signal into 3D images of the proton beam. The ultimate goal of this research is provide a method for verifying proton therapy treatments in situ, thereby allowing for smaller treatment/safety margins to be used during treatments.

Note: The traditional student-speaker chat will begin in Physical Sciences Room 147 at 3.00 PM. All students are welcome! Refreshments will be served.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, April 9-13, 2012


Physics Colloquium:

Speaker:Dr. Michael P. Marder
Director, UTeach
Department of Physics
University of Texas at Austin
Date:Thursday, April 12, 2012
Time:3:30 PM
Place:PS 153
Title:Breaking Airplanes, Fixing Schools

Abstract:

A little known triumph of 20th century physics and engineering was the discovery of why things break, and one of the most dramatic successes came in response to crashes of the earliest civilian jet airplanes. Some of the ideas that saved jet travel are general: find critical flaws in complex systems, and work in detail to remedy the flaws. I will discuss the history of how civil aviation was saved but came from Britain to the US, proceed to apply the metaphor to current educational systems, and discuss an approach to public school improvement on which I have worked for 15 years, the UTeach program to prepare mathematics and science teachers.

Note: The traditional student-speaker chat will begin in Physical Sciences Room 147 at 3.00 PM. All students are welcome! Refreshments will be served.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, April 16-20, 2012


Oklahoma High Energy Physics Seminar on Talk-Back Television:

Speaker:Dr. Joshua Sayre

Postponed until May 3.


Physics Colloquium:

Speaker:Dr. Kaladi S. Babu
Department of Physics
Oklahoma State University
Date:Thursday, April 19, 2012
Time:3:30 PM
Place:PS 153
Title:Probing Grand Unification via Proton Decay and Neutrino Oscillations

Abstract:

This talk will review the motivations for “grand unification” of forces and of matter and the experimental hints in its support.  The hallmark of these theories is the prediction that protons should ultimately decay, with a lifetime within reach of ongoing experiments.  They also predict small neutrino masses, leading to neutrino flavor oscillations.  Predictions of minimal theories for neutrino oscillation parameters are in excellent agreement with recent data.  A cosmological connection between proton decay and the origin of matter in the universe will also be discussed.

Note: The traditional student-speaker chat will begin in Physical Sciences Room 147 at 3.00 PM. All students are welcome! Refreshments will be served.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, April 23-27, 2012


Prefinals Week


Oklahoma High Energy Physics Seminar on Talk-Back Television:

Speaker:Dr. Tianjun Li
Institute of Theoretical Physics
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Date:Thursday, April 26, 2012
Time:1:30 PM
Place:106 B Studio Room, Classroom Building, OSU
& Nielsen Hall, Room 103, OU
Title:Electroweak Supersymmetry from the GmSUGRA

Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, April 30-May 4, 2012


Finals Week


Oklahoma High Energy Physics Seminar on Talk-Back Television:

Speaker:Dr. Joshua Sayre
Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Oklahoma
Date:Thursday, May 3, 2012
Time:1:30 PM
Place:106 B Studio Room, Classroom Building, OSU
& Nielsen Hall, Room 103, OU
Title:Prospects for Higgs Searches in the Tri-bottom channel in Unified SUSY Models

Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, May 7-11, 2012


No talks scheduled.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, May 14-18, 2012


No talks scheduled.


Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, May 21-25, 2012



Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, May 28-June 1, 2012



Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, June 4-8, 2012



Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, June 11-15, 2012



Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, June 18-22, 2012



Oklahoma State Physics Department

Seminars and Colloquia, June 25-29, 2012



Last Updated: October 12, 2012.

This page was prepared by Helen Au-Yang and Jacques H.H. Perk.

jhhp@jperk.phy.okstate.edu