News
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Sounding out the Deep: Neilsen’s Trip to the North Atlantic
A recent research adventure took Dr. Traci Neilsen and two students to the North Atlantic Ocean. Neilsen, an associate professor of physics at BYU, and her team apply artificial intelligence to noises in the ocean to classify the seabed. To further their research, they participated in a seabed characterization experiment aboard the research vessel Neil Armstrong in May 2022.
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Reveling in Uncertainty
Despite the inherent time constraints of engaging undergraduate and graduate students in research, Bergeson enjoys teaching this “seek and find” principle to his students, a principle that has become his philosophy for life. He has found that whenever there is a lack of a clear direction on how to move forward, it simply means a need to experiment has presented itself. Navigating the unknown happens at all levels, from the micro error bar type that occurs in specific experiments to the macro awareness that there are still swaths of the universe we do not understand. For Bergeson, embracing this uncertainty is a given in any adventure―in research, in life, and in every worthwhile pursuit—and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
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A Keystone to Overcoming Doubt: Olivia Fisher’s Journey to Winning the Goldwater Scholarship
Olivia Fisher vividly remembers driving back to BYU after a family vacation on the East Coast. Her father was encouraging her to take the computer science (CS) classes that simultaneously enthralled and intimidated her. After realizing the processes in her current chemistry lab would be more efficient if they were computer-automated, Fisher debated declaring the CS minor. That’s when the counsel from her father to bridge the gap between chemistry and CS truly changed her life’s direction. He wisely told her, “If you don’t do it, nobody will.” That night, Fisher added the introductory computer science course to her registration and started on a journey that would eventually lead her to win the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship. However, the challenge of overcoming her fear to take unfamiliar classes would not be Fisher’s last obstacle.
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New Chair of Department of Statistics
Dean Grant Jensen of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences is pleased to announce that BYU has appointed Professor David Dahl as chair of the Department of Statistics starting July 2022. Dahl is replacing Professor Scott Grimshaw. Candace Berrett and William Christensen will serve as associate chairs
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New Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Chair
Dean Grant Jensen of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences is pleased to announce that BYU has appointed Dr. Jaron C. Hansen as chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry starting July 1, 2022. Hansen will replace David V. Dearden, who has served as department chair since 2016.
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Vote for BYU: AI Song Contest
Professor Dan Ventura and BYU Alumnus Paul Bodily are finalists in an Artificial Intelligence Song Contest
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Ion Trap Mass Spectrometers and the Art of Winning
Chemistry Ph.D. student Radhya Gamage swept both the college- and university-level Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competitions with a presentation about her research developing a new ion trap mass spectrometer. The 3MT competition gave Gamage the opportunity to hone her communication skills to present in-depth scientific topics in layman’s terms in only three minutes. “I started with something compelling that I knew the audience could relate to,” she said, “then I moved into explaining what my research was doing.”
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Finding the MOST Teachable Moments
Imagine yourself sitting in your high school math class. As your teacher is speaking, another student raises his hand to ask a question, and he and your teacher start having their own back-and-forth dialogue about an equation that has been written on the board. Lost in the commotion of what is now going on between the other student and the teacher, you start drifting off. As you drift off, you miss important information that may have answered some of your own questions.
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Student Highlights
Students in the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences are achieving great things every day. Here are some CPMS students who are working hard in their respective departments.
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Center for Bright Beams
How do we collect information about the world around us? How do we organize it in a way that makes sense so we can improve society? Can we make improvements in science that will help other scientists in their work?
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In Memoriam: B. John Garrick, Pioneer in Development and Application of Risk Sciences
The BYU College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences is saddened to announce the passing of alumnus and College Volunteer Leadership Council member, B. John Garrick. We are grateful for legacy and service. He will be missed.
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Student Research Conference Winners 2021
Congratulations to all the students who participated in the 2021 Student Research Conference. This year’s session winners are listed below.
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Tyler Mansfield and Joshua Robinson Win Annual Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship
The College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences wishes to congratulate Tyler Mansfield and Josh Robinson for their distinctions as the winner and runner-up of the 2020 Phi Kappa Phi College Award.
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Digital Immortality
From the elixir of life to the fountain of youth, people have been searching for a way into immortality since humans could think.
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How to Prepare for the STEM Fair
The BYU STEM Fair is a career fair for fields in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Companies attend to speak one-on-one with BYU students. Held in the WSC Ballroom, the fair will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, February 8, 2018. It is a great opportunity to network and find a potential job or internship.
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BYU researchers dig up ways to improve Utah Lake
Utah Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the United States. Each summer, the body of water is used by thousands in the Utah Valley as a place of recreation to go boating and fishing.
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Student Research Conference Application
The Student Research Conference will be held on February 29, 2020. Find all the information about the conference here. If you are ready to submit your abstract, apply to SRC here. The last day to apply is on February 7, 2020.
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5 Events You Won’t Want to Miss this Semester
This semester, there are a lot of great opportunities for you to present research, network with potential employers, and learn from other students and professors. Here are four events you won’t want to miss.
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How to Apply for College and Department Scholarships
It’s scholarship, grant, and FAFSA application season! Even though the university scholarship deadline has passed, you still have several options for earning scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic year. Here are a number of scholarship opportunities specifically for students in the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.
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Brittany Knighton: A Star from the Lab to the Stage
If you asked PhD chemistry candidate Brittany Knighton what exactly she does in the lab all day, she’d offer a frank response: “I use lasers to make things do stuff.”
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