LHU students make presentations at physics meeting in Boston

APS holds world’s largest meeting of physicists

March 29, 2012

Lock Haven University had a major presence when the world’s leading physicists assembled in Boston, Massachusetts, February 27 - March 2, for the 2012 March meeting of the American Physical Society (APS). The APS March meeting is the largest physics meeting in the world.

Each year since 2009, LHU nanotechnology students have been presenting their research at the APS conference. The record began in 2009 with a single LHU student presenter with Dr. Senevirathne. This year, there were 16 LHU student presenters. Dr. Marian Tzolov, associate professor of Physics, and Dr. Indrajith Senevirathne, assistant professor, directed the trip to Boston.

The LHU student presenters at the 2012 APS March meeting were Alicia Amroski, Zachary Barcikowski, Brittni Blust, Karisa Bowersox, Jacob Cox, Eric Driscoll, Andrew Epps, Matthew Knarr, Morgan Olsen, Rose Pasquale, Krista Sitler, Lauren Swiger, Tracy Swinger, Joshua Tatham, and Kristy Warren. Also representing Lock Haven University was December 2011 graduate Austin Mohney, who made two presentations. One of the LHU presenters, Tracy Swinger, received an Undergraduate Presentation Award in recognition of her outstanding presentation of undergraduate research.

Attendance at the APS March meeting typically includes more than 12,000 of the top scientists in physics and chemistry research throughout the world. Attending Nobel laureates included William Phillips (1997 Nobel Prize in Physics) at NIST and Robert Laughlin (1998 Nobel Prize in Physics) at Stanford University.

The students’ presentations are based on experimental results which the students acquired using the state-of-the-art equipment at Lock Haven University, guided by the experienced faculty in the Nanotechnology program.

Lock Haven University is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), the largest provider of higher education in the commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Nearly 405,000 system alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.