Gettysburg College
Physics Department
  
STUDENT HANDBOOK
The Colloquium Series
 

"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother."                                      -Albert Einstein "Einstein explained his theory to me every day, and on my arrival I was fully convinced that he understood it." -Chaim Weizmann There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another that states that this has already happened."                         -Douglas Adams

Physics colloquia are held regularly throughout the academic year in Masters Hall 208 or  Mara Auditorium. These talks about physics or astronomy are given by speakers who include scientists from universities, government, and industry, as well as Gettysburg faculty and senior physics majors. The following list of past  colloquium topics is indicative of the varied nature of these talks: the physics of boomerangs, chaos, general relativity, plasma, astrometric inquiry from other observatories, the physics and chemistry of mesoscopic matter, high resolution imaging, holography, the top quark, solar sea power, superconductivity, the super collider, magnetic monopoles, and medieval astronomy. The level of sophistication varies: in some cases, a person with nothing more than a general interest in physics can understand the entire talk, while other colloquia will be at levels that even a senior physics major may find a stretch. Each colloquium, however, will have something of value to offer any student of physics. These are advertised in College publications (The Gettysburgian, This Week at Gettysburg, local newspapers, etc.), as well as on billboards in Masters Hall and around campus.  If you would like to have anyone placed on our mailing list, let us know. The colloquium series was established to serve as a valuable supplement to the regular physics program. The physics courses you take are as current as possible, but the majority of their content must be devoted to fundamental aspects of physics. This means that there are many new developments, interesting and novel applications, and historical anecdotes, which you may not hear about in class. The physics faculty believes you should know these things and meet some of the physicists involved, and thus has established this series of talks. Although the faculty has discussed making attendance at colloquia mandatory, we have always refrained from doing so. Our policy again is to rely on each student's growing sense of accountability and commitment. All students, from first year on, are strongly urged to attend, and it should be a rare occasion when a junior or senior physics major misses a colloquium. At this stage, you should want to know as much as you can about physics, remembering that such presentations are also good places to find out what fields interest you and what job opportunities exist. Frequently, graduate schools and potential employers inquire about a student's interest and dedication to an academic discipline, and attendance at colloquia is a good measure of such interest. A final note: The atmosphere at colloquia is designed to be casual, and the refreshment period before each talk is intended to encourage that atmosphere. Feel free to ask questions and to enter into the discussions. Back to Guide to Physics   /j2