Astrophysics REU 2004
U of Wisconsin-Madison
Preliminary Schedule
Welcome
dinner for Astrophysics REU participants. Meet in front of Tripp Hall at Tripp
Circle, and walk along lakeshore path to UW-Memorial Union Terrace. Location: Lakefront
on Langdon Restaurant.
Astrophysics
REU program orientation. Continental breakfast (rolls, bagels, juice) provided.
Brief tour of astronomy and physics departments.
Lunch
at UW-Memorial Terrace.
Public night (weather and telescope permitting). Every Wednesday night during the summer, Washburn Observatory has public viewing sessions. These sessions are usually run by a graduate student from the Astronomy Department
An
Introduction to UNIX (Dr. Bob Benjamin)
FarmerÕs Market. Held every Saturday morning during the summer, you can get all manner of fresh produce, as well as cheese curds so fresh they make your teeth squeak!
All-Programs
University Welcome Dinner (w. Christer Watson)
Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Eric Wilcots
(Astronomy)
Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Ed Churchwell
(Astronomy)
Field Trip: Synchrotron Radiation Center and Physical
Sciences Laboratory. Come see one of the largest synchrotron sources in the
country, run by the University of Wisconsin-Madison on behalf of the National
Science Foundation. At the Physical Sciences Laboratory, you can see where they
are making components of IceCube,
a neutrino telescope at the South Pole.
Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Peter Timbie
(Physics)
Summer Graduate School Fair. Over 20 departments
and programs at UW-Madison will be represented. There will be tables where you
can ask about different grad programs (not Physics or Astronomy, however) as
well as the Graduate School. They also have drawings for some reasonable
prizes. I would encourage you to get there at 2:30 and stay as long as youÕd
like.
Scientific Ethics Movie Night: TBA
Field trip: Yerkes Observatory Field
trip.
How to Make Your Research Web Page (Dr. Bob
Benjamin)
Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Dan McCammon
(Physics)
Concert on the Square: The Wisconsin Chamber
Orchestra starts their weekly series of outdoor classical music concerts. Bring
a picnic dinner and a blanket, or buy your dinner there. The series continues
weekly through August 4.
Grad
School panel discussion. We will have a panel discussion of current graduate
students and faculty who have served on the graduate admissions committee to
discuss when, how, and where to apply for Astronomy and Physics graduate
schools. You are also encouraged to check out www.physicsgre.com before next weekÕs
session on the Physics GRE.
Rhythm & Booms: MadisonÕs premier firework
show. Although you can see the fireworks from the UW-Memorial Union, for the
full effect youÕll want to bus or bike over to Warner Park. Warning: It can get
crowded, and be sure to bring mosquito repellent.
University holiday (Independence Day observed)
Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Matt Bershady
(Astronomy)
Practice Physics GRE. All rising seniors are
highly encouraged to take a practice GRE Physics exam. Participation by rising
sophomores and juniors is optional.
Physics GRE advice. Scores from the practice
exam will be discussed, and suggestions on how to prepare for this exam will be
discussed. (Dr. Bob Benjamin)
Field Trip: Yerkes Observatory. One of the last
and greatest refractors in the world, this telescope was built in Wisconsin by
the University of Chicago. (A book on the history of the telescope is on the
bookshelf in REU central.) You can marvel at the telescope design, the
architecture, and the fact that the site is still used for scientific research.
Meet at Tripp Circle to leave at 7:45 for a 9-10:30pm tour which will include a visit to the telescope, a tour of
ongoing research, and some viewing using smaller telescopes on site. The trip
will only be cancelled if there are horrible storms; weÕre still on if there is
cloudy or humid weather. Tour contact: Richard Dreiser (262 245-1432).
Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Ellen Zweibel
(Astronomy)
Scientific Ethics Movie Night: TBA
Field Trip: Pine Bluff Observatory. Built in 1958, this
small telescope is still in heavy use, with several different projects sited
here. One lucky graduate student from the Astronomy Department gets to live out
here rent free (although they do have to do a significant number of chores.)
New resident astronomy Andy Fox will give us a tour.
Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Bob Morse
(Physics)
Scientific Ethics Movie Night: ŌContactĶ
(Astro students MUST attend)
PIZZA
provided!
Field
Trip: Fermilab, with stop-off
in Downtown Chicago. Fermilab is one of the top particle physics laboratories
in the world, and also has been a major partner in the Sloan Digital Sky
Survey, one of the most important sky surveys of the last decade.
How to Put Together Your Final Presenation (Dr. Bob Benjamin)
Astronomy Seminar series: Dr. Barb Whitney
Dinner at Dr. Bob BenjaminÕs place (corner of
Baldwin St and Sherman Ave). IÕll supply the vegetarian lasagne, and some other
dinner type foods. You just find a way to show up. ItÕs about a 45 minute walk
to my apartment from campus. The #2 and #28 bus go right by the apartment. At
the end of the evening, IÕll be happy to ferry people back to the dorm.
Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Linda Sparke
Final Presentations, Part 1. Coffee and cookies
at 3:30 pm.
Final Presentations, Part 1I. Coffee and cookies at 3:30 pm.
Farewell pizza lunch! Roof of Sterling Hall
(Rain location: Sterling 5517)
Depart for airport. Airport transportation
arrangements will be e-mailed to everyone.
¤
All locations given in
square brackets indicate that the event is not a planned event, but merely
suggested. You will need to make your own plans for these events.
* Each Astronomy seminar is preceded by a 15 minute Ōcheck-inĶ period, and followed by dinner with the speaker at noon at the UW-Memorial Union (assuming speaker is available). A pre-talk reading will be handed out in the week previous to the talk (and can be picked up in Sterling 4569).