PAMS Focus - October 2001

Welcome to our first issue of PAMS Focus, a periodic e-mail newsletter about activities, achievements and other news from the NC State College of Physical & Mathematical Sciences.

The purpose of PAMS Focus is to keep supporters of our College informed by sharing a sampling of recent developments.

If you have any suggestions or comments, please share them with me, or with Sally Ramey, Director of College Relations, at 919-513-0300 or slramey@ncsu.edu.

We hope you find PAMS Focus to be helpful.

Physics --

The Physics Department recently presented its annual Thomas Lecture, which featured Nobel Laureate William D. Phillips. Phillips spoke on how lasers can be used to slow down the movement of atoms, thereby cooling them to temperatures near absolute zero. This technology can produce super-accurate atomic clocks, and may lead to development of new devices such as atom lasers. He presented a similar lecture to 200 students at Hillside High School in Durham.

State Climate Office --

The State Climate Office will mark its 25th anniversary with a symposium on Oct. 26. The symposium will be kicked off with announcements about ECONet, the combination of several weather-monitoring networks across the state. ECONet will enable the Climate Office to produce more accurate climatological data, which will be useful to various industries and government agencies.

Science House --

The Science House has started a distance-learning course for high school teachers needing special training for the new advanced placement physics courses. Teachers from North Carolina and Virginia are participating. Science House is celebrating its 10 th year, and hosted a birthday party this summer. To see a few photos from the event, visit the following link:

http://www.science-house.org/whatsnew/archives/whatsnew09122001.html#deep

Mathematics --

The Math Department is conducting its annual math competition for Wake County Schools. This competition promotes mathematics to bright students, and the competition's winners are eligible for scholarships should they later be admitted into any PAMS program. We are in search of a sponsor for the $1,000 needed for student prizes.

Marine, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences --

Graduate student James Lamb discovered a unique dinosaur embryo fossil, perhaps the only one of its kind in the world. After his research is complete, the fossil will be displayed in a special exhibit at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. For a copy of the news release, go to the following link: http://www2.ncsu.edu/ncsu/univ_relations/news_services/press_releases/01_10/284.htm

Alumni News --

Dr. Eric C. Bigham will be honored by the university at an Oct. 26 luncheon as the PAMS' Distinguished Alumnus for 2001.

Dr. Emily Peck will be honored by the university at a Nov. 17 dinner as recipient of the Alumni Association's Meritorious Service Award. PAMS nominated Dr. Peck for the award.

Other College News --

Dean Solomon recently spoke at a meeting of the Kiwanis Club of North Raleigh.

The Foundation sponsored a wolf in Raleigh's Red Wolf Ramble, a project of the Raleigh Arts Commission designed to promote public art. About 100 fiberglass wolves, painted by local artists, are located around the city. Twenty of them are on campus. After several weeks of public display, the wolves will be auctioned. Proceeds from the auction of PAMS' wolf will go back into a Foundation account.