Events Archive

Nov
03
2014
The Search for Modulated Superconductivity
In the mid 60's, theoretical physicists came to the conclusion that a strong magnetic field could lead to a superconducting state where magnetism and superconductivity are interleaved on the nano-scale: tidal wave like domain walls spontaneously form in the superfluid order, trapping unpaired spins. Over the past 50 years, our theoretical understanding of this proposal has greatly advanced, yet we still have not found definitive experimental evidence of the modulated superconducting state (also known as the FFLO state, after the initials of the theorists who anticipated it). I will describe the current state of this search, with a particular focus on how...
Oct
31
2014
School of Physics Homecoming 2014
 
Oct
30
2014
Scientific Symposiums - France Atlanta: New materials development at the SOLEIL Synchrotron: an international collaboration
In this lecture, Georgia Tech Physics Professor Ed Conrad and Director of Research at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) Amina Taleb will give a feel for how modern research is conducted in the era of small materials and big machines, showing an example of an international materials research collaboration between Georgia Tech’s School of Physics and researchers at the Synchrotron SOLEIL near Paris.
Oct
28
2014
The Physics of Frankenstein
In this talk we will revisit the science known at the time that inspired Mary Shelly to write her novel. Hers is one of the best examples of rigorous science fiction writing as she based it on the most up to date scientific theories and experiments of her era. We will talk about some of Luigi Galvani’s experiments that inspired Mary Shelly and use several hands on demonstrations to explain them and describe how electricity is the driver of muscle activity. Furthermore we will show how electricity can either lead to death or actual resuscitation, and explain the...
Oct
28
2014
K-12 Teaching Information Session
 
Oct
27
2014
In Pursuit of Dark Matter: Recent Results from the SuperCDMS Experiment
The existence of dark matter was first postulated by Jan Oort in1932 to account for the orbital velocities of stars in the Milky Way. Since that time, astrophysicists and astronomers have produced compelling evidence for the existence of dark matter and determined that it constitutes the bulk of the matter in the Universe. Despite this fact, the composition of the dark matter remains unknown. One compelling candidate for particle dark matter is the Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP). Working in a low-background...
Oct
23
2014
Scientific Symposiums - France Atlanta: Documenting Science
Freelance professional photographer Vincent Moncorge will share his experience on documenting science. Following a short historical exploration from the late 19th century and French photographer Etienne Jules Marey’s Chronophotograph, he will detail the new modern story-telling strategies the scientific community is facing today. Then, he will share about his own personal experiences with photographing synchrotron daily life to model organisms such as tiny Drosophila flies.
Oct
21
2014
The Astrophysics of Supermassive Black Holes
Black holes are perhaps the most mysterious and enigmatic objects that one can imagine. Their gravitational fields are so strong that light is unable to escape their grasp, and even fundamental quantities such as space and time are severely disrupted by their presence.  Yet, despite their fantastical nature, astronomers have compiled significant evidence that black holes are actually quite common and are lying at the centers of almost all massive galaxies....
Oct
21
2014
Women’s Careers in Science: Lessons from the Global Survey of Physicists
Previous studies of women in physics mostly focused on the lack of women in the field. The Global Survey of Physics goes beyond the obvious shortage of women and shows that there are much deeper issues. For the first time, a multinational study was conducted with 15000 respondents from 130 countries, showing that problems for women in physics transcend national borders. Across all countries, women have fewer resources and opportunities and are more affected by cultural expectations concerning child care. We show that limited resources and opportunities hurt career progress, and because women...
Oct
20
2014
Toward Progress for All: Statistics on the Physics Community
The number of physics PhDs earned in 2012 reached an all-time high of more than 1700 doctorates, and the number of physics bachelor’s degrees doubled between 1999 and 2013. However, the recession of 2008 continues to have effects on the number of physics faculty hired. In addition, a closer examination of the statistics for under-represented groups in physics reveals progress on some fronts, with little or no progress in other areas. Although the physics community commonly emphasizes increasing the numbers of women and minorities as a solution to the “diversity problem,” new data show that inequities exist in areas that have real impact on the careers of under-...

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