Marshall University Science Olympiad and SPS Student Organizations Work Together – Support from the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium for $2,400
Our chapter also earned a grant from the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium for $2,400 to coach 15 students on the West Virginia State Championship team for Science Olympiad who belonged to a local high school. This was a joint effort with the Science Olympiad student organization here on campus who also helped with the coaching. Both student organizations helped prepare the high school team members for the 2021 virtual National Science Olympiad Competition. This opportunity for Science Olympiad coaching was made possible by the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Grant # 80NSSC20M0055. President Jacquelyn Sizemore and member Peter Burbery (along with other students from the Marshall University Science Olympiad student organization) were coaches for this project. They met weekly with respective groups of students to practice for particular events in the competition. Both student organizations thought it worked out well and are encouraged to apply for future funding to continue this effort annually.
Screenshot from a Marshall University Science Olympiad coaching session led by SPS member Peter Burbery, who was sharing his screen to show students Jada Mullins and Breann Tennyson the resources for studying Disease Diseases on the Science Olympiad website. Photo courtesy of Peter Burbery.
- A University Press Release was issued for the event and is found here: Students coaching 2021 West Virginia Science Olympiad team in national competition – Marshall University News
Conference Attendance by SPS Members
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and university and state travel restrictions, travel to physics meetings was limited for our members. However, Marshall University SPS Vice President Ellie White attended three virtual conferences: the GNU Radio Conference in September 2020, the URSI National Radio Science meeting in January 2021, and the American Astronomical Society meeting in January 2021. She presented the following talks and workshops:
- White, E., Croft, S., Pollak, A., & Kozel, D. (2020, Sept. 24). GNU Radio enabled capabilities at the Allen Telescope Array [lightning talk]. GNU Radio Conference, virtual. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7-yi2Tx6PU&list=PLbBQHMnVMR41mcwwUrBaa7BjeLSXnICD_&index=12
- Presented for a workshop at the GNU Radio Conference led by Dr. Steve Croft, titled “Hands on with SETI Data and the Allen Telescope Array.” https://www.gnuradio.org/grcon/grcon20/workshops/
- White, E., Ghigo, F. D., Frayer, D. T., Prestage, R. M., Brandt, J., Egan, D., Maddalena, R. J., Nelson, J. D., & Ray, J. (2021, Jan. 8). The Green Bank Telescope: Pointing model and metrology systems [research talk]. URSI National Radio Science Meeting, virtual. https://www.usnc-ursi-archive.org/nrsm/2021/papers/1179.pdf
- White, E., Croft, S., Pollak, A., & Kozel, D. (2021, Jan. 6). GNU Radio and Public Engagement at the Allen Telescope Array [research talk]. URSI National Radio Science Meeting, virtual. https://www.usnc-ursi-archive.org/nrsm/2021/papers/1177.pdf
Screenshot from Ellie White’s talk, “GNU Radio-Enabled Capabilities at the Allen Telescope Array” at the 2020 GNU Radio Conference. Photo courtesy of Ellie White.
SPS member Jeremy McCloud also attended West Virginia University’s Virtual Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium in July of 2020, and presented the following poster video recording on his research:
- McCloud, J., and McBride, S. P. (2020, July 23). Rejection Comparison of Molecular Dyes Through Non-Functionalized and Gold Nanoparticle Functionalized Polycarbonate Filters. West Virginia University’s Virtual Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Fall 2020 to Spring 2021
Awards, Scholarships, Fellowships Granted to SPS Members
Jacquelyn Sizemore (SPS President):
- Inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma spring 2021
Ellie White (SPS Vice President):
- Received 2021 SETI Forward Award from the SETI Institute for her work as a Berkeley SETI Research Center intern.
- Awarded an REU position with the UC Berkeley SETI Research Center for Summer 2021.
- Awarded an Undergraduate Research Fellowship from NASA WV Space Grant Consortium for Fall 2020 – Spring 2021.
- Received an Award for Academic Achievement in Physics from the Marshall University Physics Department.
- Received the Alva and Dixon Callahan / John Marshall Scholarship from the Marshall University Physics Department.
- Received the Outstanding Undergraduate in Physics Award from the Marshall University Physics Department.
- Received the A. Dixon Callihan, Donald C. Martin, and Ralph P. Hron Memorial Physics Scholarship from the Marshall University Physics Department.
- Inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma in spring 2021.
Screenshot of Marshall University SPS Vice President Ellie White (right) receiving the SETI Forward Award at SETI Institute’s annual Drake Awards ceremony, which was held virtually this year. Astronomer Dr. Jill Tarter (left) introduced the award, and Adam Savage of Mythbusters (top right) was Master of Ceremonies for the event. Photo courtesy of Ellie White.
Jeremy McCloud (SPS member):
- Awarded a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) scholarship in Summer 2020 to work in the Dr. McBride Laboratory.
- Awarded an REU position at Miami University in Oxford Ohio for Summer 2020 (unfortunately cancelled due to COVID-19).
Andrew Prostor (SPS Club Treasurer):
- Awarded a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) scholarship in Summer 2020 to work in the Dr. McBride Laboratory, but was forced to decline for personal reasons.
Alec O’Dell (SPS member):
- Received an Award for Academic Achievement in Physics from the Marshall University Physics Department.
- Dixon Callihan, Donald C. Martin and Ralph P. Hron Memorial Physics Scholarship from the Marshall University Physics Department.
- Alva and Dixon Callihan Scholarship/John Marshall Scholarship from the Marshall University Physics Department.
- Inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma in spring 2021.
Peter Burbery (SPS member):
- Received the A. Dixon Callihan, Donald C. Martin, and Ralph P. Hron Memorial Physics Scholarship from the Marshall University Physics Department.
SPS President Presents Project at Physics Department Spring 2021 Convocation Day
All SPS members also showed up virtually on Zoom April 22nd, 2021 to support their SPS president Jacquelyn Sizemore when she gave a Physics Department Convocation Day talk on “Teaching Quantum Key Distribution Through Simulation”. This was part of an Independent study completed with SPS advisor, Dr. Sean McBride, as part of her graduation requirements. Jacquelyn also drafted a paper and completed a poster on this topic for the independent study course.
Invited Speaker Dr. David G. Simpson
Dr. David G. Simpson, from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, was hosted by SPS on March 22, 2021, 12pm. David G. Simpson, Ph.D. provided a talk on “Exploring Space through the Eyes of the Hubble and Webb Telescopes”. This was mostly a talk geared toward SPS members and invited Engineering students. This talk discussed the Hubble Space Telescope, its design and construction, and some of its important discoveries. Dr. Simpson also provided some information about the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope, and discussed career opportunities at NASA for students in physics and engineering. Here is a link to his talk: https://youtu.be/o3svXa9MrCY Member Peter Burbery organized this event.
SPS students run virtual Trivia Series – Happy Herd Hours
Toward the end of the semester, three club members (Ellie White, Jacquelyn Sizemore, and Peter Burbery) also helped run a virtual physics trivia night as part of a series of trivia events hosted by the university, which provided a fun community-building activity for the club members and event attendees from across the campus, while doubling as a potential recruitment opportunity. This trivia series was called ‘Happy Herd Hour’ Fun was had by all.
Sigma Pi Sigma Inductions – Spring 2021
SPS President Jacquelyn Sizemore, SPS Vice President Ellie White, and SPS member Alec O’Dell were all inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma in a virtual induction ceremony on April 22nd, 2021. The ceremony was run by our SPS Advisor in the Physics Department.
The physics department was on a path of doing annual Sigma Pi Sigma inductions for junior/senior physics majors with impressive GPAs every fall during their newly established Physics Week. During their traditional physics week, the physics department invites all alumni that they have contact info for to these events. In recent years, illustrious alumni have been invited to speak at these annual events accompanied with a welcoming dinner with all department faculty, alumni, and family and friends of inductees and speaker’s. However, COVID-19 disrupted this new routine and this recent event was simplified this year into a virtual format. Jacquelyn Sizemore (SPS President), Ellie white (SPS VP), and Alec O’Dell (non-SPS physics major) were all recently inducted this past spring in an effort to make sure some students were inducted before their graduation (fall 2020 ceremonies were not possible due to guidelines put in place on events by the university following the CDC and state guidelines). The department will make sure to host virtual inductions as needed, but looks forward to hosting the induction ceremonies as done in years past.
SPS Advisor Attends The Zone 7 SPS Meeting and Zone 7 SPS Kickoff
On behalf of the SPS members at Marshall University, SPS Advisor Dr. Sean P. McBride attended the Zone 7 SPS Meeting and Zone 7 SPS Kickoff. Ideas for outreach, recruitment, and activities were discussed at the Zone 7 SPS Kickoff. Dr. McBride also presented a talk at the accompanying Spring 2021 Meeting of the Ohio-Region Sections of APS and SPS Zone 7, Virtual, April 9th-10th, 2021. “Nanoparticle Functionalization of Commercial Filtration Membranes for Water Purification”.
SPS Members Continue to be Dr. McBride Approved Tutors
To help with retention efforts for our department, both SPS President Jacquelyn Sizemore and member Jeremy McCloud continue to be “Dr. Sean P. McBride approved physics tutors” for the 2020-2021 year: Dr. SPM Approved Tutors.
SPS President and Advisor Perform Demonstrations for Spectators –
The Virtual 57th Annual Marshall University International Festival
SPS President Jacquelyn Sizemore and SPS Advisor Dr. Sean P. McBride perform Physics demonstrations for all ages and nationalities at the 57th Annual Marshall University International Festival (click link for video). “Marshall University’s 57th Annual International Festival will be held virtually for the first time on November 7, 2020 from 4pm to 8pm. In previous years, more than 2,000 guests have attended this event, and this year we’ll continue the tradition virtually, showcasing the exceptional international cultural experiences that Marshall University has to offer.” ~ Festival Highlights