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Newsletter of the Department of Physics, University of Arkansas | ||||||||
| Volume III, Number 1 | SPRING 1995 |
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New Physics Building Dedicated
September 9, 1994 was a beautiful Fall day. The afternoon sun was shining
brightly on the physics building. A large crowd of current and former physics
students, faculty and friends had gathered in front the newly constructed
expansion of the physics building. With the flip of a switch UA Chancellor
Ferritor and Physics Chair Gupta caused a lightning spark to travel up a
`Jacob's Ladder' to burn the ribbon in two. This traditional ribbon-cutting
ceremony worthy of physicists marked the completion of renovation and
expansion of the new Physics facilities. This renovation and expansion
completes the phase I of the two-phase plan for the physics building. |
The speakers at the grand opening ceremony included President of the University of Arkansas system, Dr. B. Alan Sugg; the Dean of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Bernard Madison; Chancellor of the University of Arkansas, Dr. Dan Ferritor, and Physics Department Chairman, Dr. Raj Gupta. Special guest and speaker at the grand opening ceremony was distinguished scientist, Professor Elsa Garmire, Director of the Center for Laser Studies at the University of Southern California.
Speaking at the opening ceremony Dr. Bernard Madison congratulated Physics Department on its new facilities. Citing many outstanding research accomplishments by the physics faculty and students that have gained worldwide recognition, he said that the College and the University take great pride in the many accomplishments of physics department.
Ferritor in his remarks said that the opening ceremony was not to celebrate a building but, a nationally recognized faculty. He said that the improved facility merely allows them to do the kind of work that they do best. "We finally have facilities that our students deserve," said Raj Gupta. He reminded the guests that the present building was originally intended as a temporary home for the physics department. He said that during the two years of construction day-to-day physics operations were strained but physics research continued. Gupta was praised by Dr. Michael Lieber, physics Vice Chairman for his services in the renovation. Prof. Elsa Garmire said that the recent advances in lasers and photonics only revealed the beginning of the capabilities physics students can reach with their new modern class-rooms and state-of-the-art laboratories.
The grand opening was followed by an open house. All physics facilities, including teaching and research laboratories, were open for visitors. There were powerful lasers, holograms, scattered photons, fluorescing atoms, superconductors - the stuff of science fiction movies, and scores of displays illustrating principles of physics. The complete program included a general interest talk by Prof. Elsa Garmire, entitled "Photonics: Optics Impacting Information Technologies" in Giffels Auditorium, Old Main, on September 8. Prof. Garmire surveyed the rapid growth that has occurred in the area of photonics (information systems that use optics and lasers). She also spoke of technical challenges that must be met in order to continue the current pace of advances in photonics.*
More on the Grand Opening and Renovation...
The Banquet
The Photo Album
The Long March to Renovation
PAUL C. SHARRAH SCHOLARSHIPThe Paul C. Sharrah Scholarship was established to honor Prof. Paul C. Sharrah's contributions to the Physics Department. Our goal for this year is to build an endowment of $10,000 to be able to offer a four-year scholarship of $500 to an entering undergraduate physics major. Many friends and alumni have contributed to this fund and we are nearing the half-way point. We acknowledge the generous gifts by the following friends to this fund during the past year: Richard Anderson, Charles J. Armentrout, Donald Avery, James J. Billings, Ernest G. Bylander, Patricia F. Campbell, Darrell W. Collier, Jack Dodd Jr., Jack G. Dodd, Raj Gupta, J. William Helbron, Allen Hermann, The family of Wallace A. Hilton, Raymond H. Hughes, Charles & Elaine Jones, J. Walter Keller Jr., Clarence G. Leonard, Michael Lieber, Larry D. Merkle, Peter W. Milonni, Ann Minnis, Charles B. Richardson, Louis A. Rosocha, Surendra P. Singh, M.L. Talmadge, Reeta Vyas, George K. Wallace, Richard C. Waring, Leon West Jr., and Robert D. Maurer. * |
Thank YouFriends and alumni continue to support the department through their annual gifts. We acknowledge support from the following people during the past year: Ramona L. Bates, Elizabeth Brehen, Patricia F. Campbell, Darrell W. Collier, Gary Culp, John William Dixon, William Daniel Evans, Betty L. Gabriel, Hugh F. Gingerich, J. William Helbron, Alan Hughes, Philip B. Hurley, Clint Jaco, Charles and Elaine Jones, Hunter Judkins, David B. Kay, William C. Kiehl Jr., Frederick J. Koperski, William C. Meck, Robert Nunnally Jr., Howard Petefish, Arthur W. Pillow, Charles Scharlau IV, Azad Siahmakoun, Jim Spann Jr., Hardy Walton Jr., James Watson Jr., Nolen A. Webb, and Gregory L. Westbrook Errors and omissions in these lists are sincerely regretted.* |
REFLECTIONS, Editor : Surendra Pal Singh; Published by the Department of Physics, University of Arkansas, and distributed free to alumni and friends. Copies may be obtained by writing to REFLECTIONS, Department of Physics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701; Phone : (501)-575-2506 The University of Arkansas is an equal opportunity /affirmative action institution.