•               Physics is fun day at Hershey Park- An annual Tradition!
•               SPS visit to the research labs at the University of Maryland
•               Designing and printing the COOLEST T-shirts on campus!
•               Physics is Phun Day with the University of Maryland
•               SPS meeting of all chapters in the Maryland area
•               Local high school outreach programs
•               Invited speakers in physics and astronomy
•               End of the semester pizza and bowling party!

 

 

Kate Chapman, Class of 2007
Kate did summer research in photonics with Dr. Mian, as well as Thermoluminescence Research with Dr. Pagonis. She studied the optical properties of binary lead silicate glasses of different concentrations, to determine possible correlations between different types of optical and thermal properties. She spent the summer of 2006 doing research at the University of New Mexico on fuel cell catalysts.

Danielle Kerzestenyi, Class of 2006
Danielle spent ten weeks during the summer of 2005 doing research in Non-linear Optics with Dr. Mian. She performed experimental work on the Nonlinear Thermo-Optical Properties of Binary Lead Silicate Glasses. She's currently employed in the Civil Engineering sector.

Natasha Borjemskaya, Class of 2005
Natasha is currently pursuing graduate studies in Optics at Georgetown University.  She did extensive calculational research with Dr. Pagonis, on a model for the predose effect in quartz. 

Click HERE for information on our Thermoluminescence Research

Chris Todd and Randy May, Class of 2005.
Chris and Randy spent several summers doing research with Dr. Mian, in the field of non-linear optics.   Chris is currently at the University Rochester pursuing Graduate Studies in Optics and Randy is studying Acoustics at Pennsylvania State University.

Selected Publications of Student/Faculty Research

The following are papers co-authored by physics students and faculty at McDaniel College.        

• V. Pagonis and H. Carty, "Simulation of the experimental pre-dose technique for retrospective dosimetry in quartz" Radiation Protection Dosimetry 109, (2004) p. 225-234.
• G. Kitis, V. Pagonis, H. Carty, and E. Tatsis, "Detailed kinetic study of the thermoluminescence glow-curve of synthetic quartz", Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 100, pp.225-228 (2002).
• V. Pagonis, E. Tatsis, G. Kitis, and C. Drupieski, "Search for common characteristics in the glow-curves of quartz of various origins", Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 100 , 373-376 (2002).
• V. Pagonis and C. Shannon, "An improved experimental procedure of separating a composite thermoluminescence glow curve into its components", Radiation Measurements, 32, 805-812 (2000).
• V. Pagonis, R. Drake, M. A. Morgan, T. Peters, C. Riddle, and K. Rollins, "Modeling forces on the human body", Physics Teacher, 37, 469-474 (1999).
• D. Guerra, M. A. Morgan, and D. B. Coyle, "An introduction to laser modeling studies with a nitrogem-pumped dye laser", American Journal of Physics, 67, 803-809 (1999).
• V. Pagonis, D. Guerra, S. Chauduri, B. Hornbecker, and N. Smith, "Effects of air resistance", Physics Teacher, 35, 364-368 (1997).
• V. Pagonis, E. Allman, and A. Wooten, "Thermoluminescence from a distribution of trapping levels in uv irradiated calcite", Radiation Measurements, 26, 265-280 (1996).

Selected Presentations of Student/Faculty Research

• C. J. Todd, R. T. May, S. M. Mian, and E. Van Keuran, "Thermooptic properties of polymer thin films using the Z-scan technique". Annual Meeting of the Optical Society of America, Orlando, FL, 2002.
• A. M. Austin, K. P. Hildebrand, S. M. Mian, A. Y. Hamad, and J. P . Wicksted, "Self-lensing effects in Eu-doped silicate glasses under resonant excitation". Annual Meeting of the Optical Society of America, Long Beach, CA, 2001.
• S. M. Mian and M. A. Morgan II, "Characteristics of thermal lensing Z-scans with large nonlinearity". Annual Meeting of the Optical Society of America , Providence. RI, 2000.
• M. A. Morgan, V. Pagonis, S. M. Mian, J. G. Smith, and T. N. Good, "Computational and Experimental Studies of Thermal Lensing Z-scan Experiments". Annual Meeting of The American Physical Society, Minneapolis, MN, 2000.
• V. Pagonis and C. Shannon, "An improved experimental procedure of separating a composite thermoluminescence glow curve into its components". Thermoluminescence Conference, Rome, Italy, 1999.

Here is what some of the physics alumni did after graduation: