The Four Corners has arrived in Utah Valley.
More BYU students than ever attended the 2014 Four Corners Meeting of the American Physical Society on October 17 and 18. This year’s conference was held at Utah Valley University, making travel convenient for BYU students, some of whom wouldn’t otherwise have been able to attend.
The Four Corners meeting is an annual regional conference sponsored by the American Physical Society where physics and astronomy students have the opportunity to network, present research, and hear from respected scientists. A highlight for many at this year’s conference was hearing from physics Nobel laureate John Lewis Hall, who focused his remarks on his advice for future physicists. Hall won a Nobel Prize in 2005 for his work in precision spectroscopy.
Dr. Jean-Francois VanHuele, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and an organizer of the BYU group, was happy to see the high number of BYU students who attended and won Outstanding Paper Awards, in addition to former summer research fellows from other universities who joined the group.
“The Four Corners meeting is a tradition that all BYU physics and astronomy majors should have the opportunity to participate in,” VanHuele said. “BYU’s reputation at the Four Corners meetings is outstanding and we want to keep it that way.”
Dr. Karine Chesnel, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, also attended the meeting with her research students. She feels the Four Corners meetings are especially valuable because of the opportunities they afford students to expand their education outside the classroom.
“The Four Corners meeting is a good opportunity for students to present in front of a larger audience and to hear from renowned scientists,” Chesnel said.
For some, this conference was their first time presenting at an academic conference while others had more experience. Students enjoyed hearing about what their peers were working on and networking with physicists from other universities.
“My favorite part of the conference was after I gave my presentation on my research, a professor from Arizona State University wanted my contact information to discuss with me how he can better implement my research in his lab,” said physics student Dallin Smith.
Another highlight for students was attending a panel discussion about using physics in industry. Student Emma Hogan felt that the advice was very relevant and accessible for students in all areas of physics research.
“I came away feeling inspired to pursue what I love and take more risks as I begin my career in a science and engineering field,” she said.