Astrophysics REU 2006

U of Wisconsin-Madison

Schedule

 

Week 1

Tue, May 30 Travel to Madison

 

Tue, May 30 7:00 pm Meet at Tripp Circle

              Pizza dinner for Astrophysics REU participants. Meet in front of Tripp Hall at Tripp Circle, Pizza in Upper Carson Gully. After, walk along lakeshore path to UW-Memorial Union Terrace.

 

Wed, May 31 9:00 Ð 11:00 am Sterling 4534A

              Astrophysics REU program orientation. Bagels, coffee, and juice! Brief tour of astronomy and physics departments. Introduction to the Astronomy Library with Kerry Kresse (10:45-11:00).

             

Wed, May 31 11:00 Ð Noon UW-Union South

              Walk to Union South to get ID cards

 

Wed, May 31 Noon Ð 1:00 pm UW-Memorial Terrace

              Lunch at UW-Memorial Terrace.

 

Wed, May 31 1:30 Ð 3:30 pm Meet with Advisors

 

Wed, May 31 3:45 pm Upper Carson Gully (across the circle from Tripp Hall)

              Bus pass distribution

 

Wed, May 31 5:30 pm Upper Carson Gully (across the circle from Tripp Hall)

All-Programs University Welcome Dinner

             

Wed, May 31 9pm [Washburn Observatory (uphill from Adams Hall)]¤

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

 

Thu, June 1 1:30 Ð 3:30 pm Sterling 4534A

Introduction to IDL with Nick Murphy. The basic syntax of IDL, how to

write a simple program, function, or script, how to plot things, and commands that Nick finds useful.

 

Sat, June 3 6am-2pm [Capitol Square]

            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! (http://www.madfarmmkt.org/)

 

Week 2

*Mon, June 5 10:45am Sterling 4534A

Astronomy Seminar series: Dr. Matt Haffner, Department of Astronomy, Title: The WIM with WHAM

 

Mon, June 5 1:30 Ð 3:00 pm Sterling 4534A

Introduction to IRAF with Thomas Nelson.

 

Tue, June 6 1:30 Ð 3:00 pm Sterling 4534A

IRAF training Part II, computer lab with Thomas Nelson.

 

Sat, June 10 6:00 pm Meet at Tripp Circle

         Field Trip: Universe in the Park, Governor Dodge State Park

 

Week 3

Mon, June 12 9:00 Ð 10:45 am Sterling 4534A

Web Page Design with Prof. Bob Benjamin.

 

Mon, June 12 10:45am Sterling 4534A

Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Eric Wilcots, Department of Astronomy, ÒThe IGM and other stuffÓ

 

Wed, June 14 1:00 pm Roof of Sterling Hall

Training for Rooftop telescope

 

Sat, June 17 6:00 pm Meet at Tripp Circle rain date

            Field Trip: Universe in the Park, Lake Kegonsa State Park

 

Week 4

Mon, June 19 10:45 am Sterling 4534A

Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Bob Benjamin, Department of Physics, Univ. of Wisconsin Ð Whitewater, ÒA Hitchhikers Guide to the GalaxyÓ

 

 

Week 5

Mon, June 26 10:45 am Sterling 4534A

Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Dan Mccammon, Department of Physics,

ÒThe Hot Interstellar MediumÓ

 

Wed, June 28 7:00 pm [Capitol Square]

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 2.

 

Thu, June 29 3:00 pm Sterling 4534A

              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.

 

Thu, June 29 7:00 pm Pine room-lower Carsons

Scientific Ethics Movie Night: ÒDouble HelixÓ

 

Sat, July 1 7:00 pm [Warner Park]

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. (http://www.rhythmandbooms.com/index.php)

 

Week 6

Mon, July 3 Meeting with Dorothy Sanchez

UW Graduate School, 11:00 a.m., Bascom Hall, Room 350

 

Tue, July 4 All day

University holiday (Independence Day observed)

 

Wed, July 5 4:30 Ð 5:30 pm Sterling 4534A

Practice Physics GRE. All rising seniors are highly encouraged to take a practice GRE Physics exam. Participation by rising sophomores and juniors is optional. (Prof. Bob Benjamin)

 

Thu, July 6 9:00 Ð 10:45 am Sterling 4534A

Physics GRE advice. Scores from the practice exam will be discussed, and suggestions on how to prepare for this exam will be discussed. (Prof. Bob Benjamin)

 

Thu, July 6 10:45am Sterling 4534A

Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Ed Churchwell, Department of Astronomy, and ÒBubbles in the Interstellar MediumÓ

 

Thu, July 6 1:20 pm [Sterling 6515A]

ÒInformal Education and Public Outreach in the Physical Sciences.Ó This course intends to provide graduate students with the opportunity to think about outreach situations and appropriate approaches and to plan and execute some outreach programs. It will be a service-learning course, with students required to participate in ongoing community outreach programs such as the Astronomy Department's Universe in the Park, Washburn Observatory public viewing, and Space Place programs.

 

Thu, July 6 2:00 Ð 3:00 pm Memorial Union, check TITU

General GRE workshop

 

Thu, July 6 3:30 Ð 5:00 pm Great Hall, Memorial Union

Graduate School Fair

 

Thu, July 6 5:30 pm Meet at Tripp Circle

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.

 

Week 7

Mon, July 10 10:45am Sterling 4534A

Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Teresa Montarulil, ÒIce CubeÓ

 

Tue, July 11 1:20 pm [Sterling 6515A]

ÒInformal Education and Public Outreach in the Physical Sciences.Ó

 

Thu, July 13 9:00 am Meet at Tripp Circle

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 Ice Cube, a neutrino telescope at the South Pole. (With Steve Anderson, in the past Steve has made a stop a local grocery storeÉ stock up on supplies!)

 

Thu, July 13 1:20 pm [Sterling 6515A]

ÒInformal Education and Public Outreach in the Physical Sciences.Ó

 

Thu, June 13 7:00 pm Pine room-lower Carsons

Scientific Ethics Movie Night: TBA

 

 

Week 8

Mon, July 17 10:45 am Sterling 4534A

Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Andy Sheinis, Department of Astronomy, title ÒTBAÓ

 

Tue, July 18 1:20 pm [Sterling 6515A]

ÒInformal Education and Public Outreach in the Physical Sciences.Ó

 

Thu, July 20 6:30 am Meet at Tripp Circle

              Field Trip: Fermilab. 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.

 

Thu, July 20 1:20 pm [Sterling 6515A]

ÒInformal Education and Public Outreach in the Physical Sciences.Ó

 

Week 9

Mon, Jul 24 10:45 am Sterling 4534A

Astronomy Seminar series: Dr. Kelle Cruz, American Museum of Natural History, ÒIntroduction to Brown DwarfsÓ

 

Tue, July 25 1:20 pm [Sterling 4534A]

ÒInformal Education and Public Outreach in the Physical Sciences.Ó

 

Thu, Jul 27 9:30 Ð 10:30 am Sterling 4534A

How to Put Together Your Final Presentation

 

Thu, July 20 1:15 Ð 2:15pm

Field trip: UW Space Place. Part of the Informal Education and Public Outreach in the Physical Sciences class. All are welcome!

 

Thu, July 27 7:00 pm Pine room-lower Carson

Scientific Ethics Movie Night: ÒContactÓ (Astro students MUST attend)

 

Fri, Jul 28 3:00 Ð 4:30 pm WAA back porch

The Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA) invites all REU students to their back porch for an Babcock Ice Cream Social.

 

Where?: WAA back porch (Follow lake from Memorial Union past the Red

Gym.  The WAA is the next building over). Come enjoy the lake and UW's own Ice Cream on a Friday afternoon!!

 

Week 10

Mon, July 31 10:45am Sterling 4534A

Astronomy Seminar series: Prof. Ellen Zweibel, Department of Astronomy, title ÒTBAÓ

 

Mon, July 31 Noon Ð 1 pm Sterling 4534A

          Scientific Ethics Discussion, moderated by John Fields (Dept of Philosophy)

              PIZZA provided!

 

Tue, Aug 1 1:20 pm [Sterling 4534A]

ÒInformal Education and Public Outreach in the Physical Sciences.Ó

 

Thu, Aug 3 2:00-3:00pm Sterling 6515

Final Presentations, Part 1. Coffee and cookies at 1:45 pm.

 

Thu, Aug 3 3:15-4:15pm Sterling 6515

Final Presentations, Part  1I. Coffee and cookies at 3:00 pm.

 

Fri, Aug 4 Noon Sterling

Farewell pizza lunch! Roof of Sterling Hall (Rain location: Sterling 5517)

 

Sat, Aug 5 All-day Tripp Circle

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 Òcheck-inÓ period, and followed by lunch 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).