Featured SPS Chapter Archive: University of Tennessee
- Homepage:
- http://www.phys.utk.edu/sps/
- Officers:
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Presidents: Olga Ovchinnikov, Gail Zasowski
Vice President: John Carruth
Secretary: Sean Lindsay
Treasurer: Bill Holmes
Social Activities Chair: Chad Mitchell
WebMaster: Brad Allen - Faculty Advisor:
- Dr. Jim Parks
- Advisor Comment:
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The University of Tennessee SPS chapter is currently enjoying a period of tremendous success and growth. This phenomenon can be attributed to three key factors: strong leadership, innovative programs, and departmental support.
The UT SPS has enthusiastic, dedicated leadership from students who are unfazed by-and in fact welcome-new and challenging ideas. They aggressively recruit new members and are directly responsible for making UT's one of the largest chapters in the country. Several students share responsibility for directing the chapter's course and organizing its many and varied programs.
UT's SPS has worked hard to build a repertoire of projects that are fun and challenging; enlightening and service-oriented. The most ambitious is the Tennessee Cosmic Ray Observatory Project. Known as TECOP, this outreach venture involves high school students and teachers working side-by-side with UT students and faculty to establish a network of cosmic ray detectors in area high schools. On the lighter side, SPS has used physics demonstrations to dazzle and entertain UT alumni during homecoming and has raised money by selling homemade ice cream frozen with liquid nitrogen.
The physics faculty is proud of the contributions these students make to the overall life of the department. We have actively encouraged their development by including students on departmental committees, involving undergraduates in special events, and providing an undergraduate lounge where they can study and socialize. They are fantastic representatives of the University of Tennessee and wonderful ambassadors for the field of physics. - Outreach:
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Our main outreach program is TECOP (TEnnessee Cosmic-ray Observatory Project). This program started in 2001 as an effort by undergraduates to start an experimental research project in which they could involve area high schools. We designed and built arrays to detect cosmic ray showers, designed and built electronics to monitor the arrays and take data, and wrote computer programs to analyze the data. Each high school that participates sends students to workshops where they build their own detectors and electronics sets. The high schools then take their arrays to the school for the classes to use for educational purposes. The long-term goal is to have all the arrays linked together to create a large-area detection area.
During Homecoming, many of the departments set up exhibition booths in a campus park for alumni to look at; SPS runs the physics booth and wows people with demonstrations of magnetism, electrostatics, liquid nitrogen, engines, mechanics, and optics. (Liquid nitrogen is always a favorite.) - Awards:
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- SPS Blake Lilly Prize (2003-2004)
- SPS Undergraduate Research Award (2002-2003)
- SPS Outstanding Chapter Award (2002-2003)
- SPS Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher (Olga Ovchinnikov, 2003-2004)
- Nucleus Featured Chapter, Individual Awards for summer story posts
- Activities:
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- Liquid nitrogen ice cream sales on campus
- Movie nights
- Weekly dinners at local restaurants
- Barbeques before football games on the roof of the physics building
- Group seating at as many football games as possible
- Teacher of the Year presentation at departmental Honors Day
- Departmental Christmas dinner
- End of the year SPS-hosted picnic and softball game (faculty and grad students vs. undergrads-guess who wins?) for department
