October 20, 2008

Hi Everyone,

Here are some things to keep in mind this week:

* REU Tips: Research Experience for Undergraduates is a great way to spend some time doing research in a different location and get paid! One of your grad students, Ferah Munshi has put together some great information on the Undergrad WIKI that can be very helpful in searching for and applying to an REU. http://librarian.phys.washington.edu/astro/index.php/Undergraduates:REU If you have trouble reading this site, please let me know. The wiki can be accessed when you are on a computer in the Astro Lab and most pages are accessible from home, but if you would like to edit the wiki you will need an account.

* CDO Networking Day Oct 29-30: You may have seen these fliers in the elevators for the CDO Physics and Astronomy Networking Day. Networking Day has can be a great way to meet representatives from the industry (Siemens, Los Alamos National Lab, Intel, Lawrence Livermore National Lab and more) as well as listen to student research projects, have lunch, and attend lab tours. Note: the employer meeting will take place on Oct. 29 5:30-9pm in Phys/Astr C520 and the student research portion on Oct. 30 from 8:30-5:30pm in the HUB 106B. Please see the CDO website for details: http://students.washington.edu/cdophys/ND/index.shtml.

UK Undergrad Research School Dec. 15-19: There is a great opportunity for junior/senior level undergraduates interested in astrophysical research. The Royal Astronomical Society and University of Central Lancashire are offering this as a fully funded (accommodation, meals and UK travel) school that includes research talks and activities as well as discussion of research study and career prospects and advice. The application deadline is November 12. Information is available at http://www.star.uclan.ac.uk/researchschool/. I encourage anyone interested to apply.

Winter Classes: The winter time schedule is available online. It was pointed out that those students taking Phys 334: Circuits will also have a conflict if taking both Astr 322: Galaxies and Astr 300: Astro Computing. If you have this conflict please let me know and we can discuss some alternatives.

Physics offers an interesting course on issues of ethnic minorities and women in science and engineering if anyone is interested. Physics 451, Tues/Thurs 12:30-2:20 (3 or 5 credits).

Spring Classes: I met with Physics regarding the spring schedule to try to avoid any potential scheduling conflicts. The one conflict we see is Physics 228 which cannot be taken if you are planning to take Astr 323 or Astr 480. Please send me a quick email or let me know if you are planning to take Phys 228, Astr 323 and/or Astr 480 this spring.

Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, John Wisniewski (UW) will give a talk on "High Contrast Imaging of Circumstellar Disks". Join us at 3:45pm in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies. The quarter schedule can be found here: http://www.astro.washington.edu/pages/colloquium.html

Astro Lunch: Tomorrow at 12:30 in B356A, Ian Dobbs-Dixon (McGill) will give a talk on
"Radiative Hydrodynamics of Short Period Planets". Please bring your lunch. The quarter astro lunch schedule can be found here: http://www.astro.washington.edu/nms/astrolunch.html

Astrobiology Seminar: Tomorrow at 2:30pm in Phys/Astr A118, David Caitling (Univ. of Bristol) will give a talk on "Initial results from NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander". The quarter AB seminar schedule can be found here: http://depts.washington.edu/astrobio/research/seminars.html.

Page O'Announcements: http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Have a great week!

Best,
Sarah