December 13, 2012

It's finals week so this is the last email until winter quarter. Some important things before our break begins:

Grad School inquiries: The Department occasionally gets requests from other graduate programs to provide a list of students interested in hearing from someone at their Department. Due to confidentiality we do not give out student information, however if you would like to be added to a list that is given out after such requests please send me a quick note saying it's OK.

ASTR 497 Exoplanets: This winter, consider taking ASTR 497, a course on Exoplanets. For thousands of years, humanity has pondered the possible existence of planets and life beyond our own Solar System. Yet is has only been the last decade that we been able to find evidence that extrasolar planets, planets found around stars other than our Sun, do exist. This course will cover extrasolar planet detection techniques, characteristics of the known population, and how studies of extrasolar planets have changed our views of planetary system formation and evolution. This course will also focus on the science behind the planned searches for Earth-like planets and life beyond our Solar System. The course meets MW 1:30-2:50 (sln 10550).

Call for students who want to work with the Student Radio Telescope

The Student Radio Telescope is now working well, and this message is to invite Astronomy majors to join in. It is best if you have had the ASTR 321-22-23 sequence (esp. 322) and an EM course (but you do not have to know electronics). If you are interested in learning about the basics of radio astronomy and doing any of the projects below, please sign up for 1 hr of ASTR 499 - Sarah can give you an entry code. If you're interested in more than 1 hr credit, then we should talk beforehand. It is not absolutely necessary to sign up for 499, but it helps the Dept. if you do so.

We will meet once weekly (exact time chosen to fit everyone's schedules) to discuss data, etc. from the previous week, as well as plans for the following week. For one hour credit, you will be expected to attend this meeting, observe at the SRT for at least 1.5 hrs per week, and analyze your data as needed.

- Woody Sullivan (woody@astro.washington.edu)

Possible Winter Quarter projects / goals with the Student Radio Telescope (SRT)

- monitor the 1400 MHz flux of the sun (we are at the start of the next cycle of the 11-yr sunspot cycle, and the radio intensity varies a lot, too)

- map the galactic plane in continuum radiation

- study the distribution of atomic hydrogen by measuring the 21 cm line at various locations

- study the rotation of the Milky Way by measuring shifts in the velocities of the 21 cm line

- detect very weak sources such as the Crab Nebula (Tau A), the supernova remnant Cas A, the galactic center Sgr A, the H II region Ori A, and the Moon

- develop some standard software for data analysis

- help produce an Operator's Manual for the SRT that can be handed to SRT newbies

- work on Web pages for the SRT

- work on write-ups of standard projects (such as those above) for future students to use


Have a fantastic break!

Sarah

December 6, 2010

Hi everyone,

You've made it to the last week of classes! There are a couple of announcements I want to make before you head out for winter break.

Meet with John Mather: This Thursday, the Department is hosting John Mather, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics (2006) and the Project Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope. There will be a special undergraduate meeting with Dr. Mather on Thursday, December 9 at 2:30pm in Phys/Astr C520. Snacks will be provided and you are all encouraged to attend!

Grad School inquiries: The Department occasionally gets requests from other graduate programs to provide a list of students interested in hearing from someone at their Department. Due to confidentiality we do not give out student information, however if you would like to be added to a list that is given out after such requests please send me a quick note saying it's OK.

2011 Undergraduate Pacific Physics and Astronomy Conference: The UPPAC this year is the first week of March. UPPAC is grounded in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at Simon Fraser University. It will feature talks from some of the provinces top physicists in conjunction with talks from students like you. UPPAC presents a great opportunity to meet other physics students, share your research, and learn about other universities in the Pacific region. What's more, You can expect that registration will be less than $30 for a full two days of physics phun (travel and accommodation not included).

If you're interested in attending you should check out our website at www.sfupsa.com/uppac (which is still under construction) and join the facebook event at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=167231903300915.

Please let me know if you are interested in attending this conference. If there is enough interest we may be able to pull together some Departmental funding to rent a van!

Astro Lunch: Tuesday at Noon in Phys/Astr B356A, Evan Kirby (Hubble Fellow at Caltech) will give a talk on "The Chemical Evolution of Dwarf Satellite Galaxies from Keck/DEIMOS Multi-Element Abundance Measurements ". Feel free to bring your lunch!

Astrobiology Seminar: This Tuesday at 2:30pm in Phys/Astr A118, Mark Skidmore (Montana State) will give a talk on "The (sub)glacial biosphere, microbial activity at zero degrees Celsius and below."

Astronomy Colloquium: Please join us on Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102 for John Mather's talk on the "Capabilities of JWST". Coffee, tea and cookies are served at 3:45pm in the foyer. Attend the last colloquium of the quarter!

Have a great last week of the quarter!

Sarah

November 30, 2010

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed the extra long break we had. Registration for most of you is over at this point, but if you're still having problems getting into classes let me know.

Meet with John Mather: Next Thursday, the Department is hosting John Mather, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics (2006) and the Project Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope. There will be a special undergraduate meeting with Dr. Mather on Thursday, December 9 at 2:30pm in Phys/Astr C520. Snacks will be provided and you are all encouraged to attend!

Research Experiences/Internships: Many of you attended the NASA Internship session a few weeks ago and have more questions about other opportunities. More research experiences and internships are listed on the following page: http://staff.washington.edu/sterrs/links.htm Note that many deadlines for the internships are in January and February so this is a great time to be thinking about which ones you might apply to.

Graduate School Applications: For those applying to graduate schools right now, don't forget that now is the time you should be finalizing your list (if you haven't already) and giving lists to your letter writers of where you're applying, deadlines, how to submit letters, etc. Check out more tips and recommendations on the Grad School Wiki page: http://librarian.phys.washington.edu/astro/index.php/Grad_School (accessible with an account or when you're on a computer in the astro lab). There are also some great testimonials from our current graduate students about alternative pathways to the PhD!

Astrobiology Seminar: Today (Tuesday) at 2:30pm in Phys/Astr A118, Colin Goldblatt (UW) will give a talk on "Early Earth Nitrogen: Geosphere-biosphere-climate interactions.

Colloquium: This week at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, Amber Straughn (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) will give a talk on "HST WFC3 Early Release Science: Emission Line Galaxies from IR Grism Observations". Join us at 3:45pm in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies.

Page O'Announcements: Don't forget to check the Page O'Announcements for campus events, scholarships and job postings. http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Have a great week!

Sarah

November 15, 2010

Hi everyone! Thanks to all who attended the quarterly meeting last week. We talked about upcoming classes to be aware of, graduate school and research opportunities. We'll have another meeting sometime mid-winter quarter.

Physics/Astronomy Networking Days: Many of you have seen the flyers in the building about the Career Development Organization Networking Days Nov. 17-18. I strong encourage anyone graduating this year to attend the networking days this year. Networking day is your opportunity to learn about industry jobs and potentially scout out your future employer! The companies attending are specifically hiring Physics and Astronomy students so bring your resumes! Details including a schedule of events can be found here: http://students.washington.edu/cdophys/ND/

Art course of interest to Astronomy: ART 361 "Black Holes, Grey Matter and White Cubes: Visualizing Science". This winter quarter class meets M, W 2:30-5:20 and is 5 credits. The instructor recommends that you have an advanced background in visual arts, drama, music, dance or DXArts. This studio art course considers the artistic possibilites of scientific instruments and representation, introducing both historical perspectives and current imaging and recording systems. Content will be presented via field trips, presentations, visiting lecturers, discussion and critique. Participation will include reading, writing, oral presentation, discussion and artistic outcomes in a range of potential formats. For more info, contact Rebecca Cummins at rcummins@uw.edu.

NASA Space Grant Internship Info Session: Don't forget this Friday from 2:30-4pm in MGH 389 is the NASA Internship information session. Go learn about paid internships at NASA facilities.

Thinking about a career in teaching? Attend the UW College of Education open house night! Nov. 17 at 4:30pm in Miller Hall. RSVP at http://education.washington.edu/openhouse

AstroLunch x2: This week we have two astro lunches that you can attend. Today at 12:30pm in B356A (the reading room), Jarron Leisenring (Univ. of Virginia) will give a talk on "Mid-Infrared Variability of T Tauri Stars." Tomorrow at Noon in the same room, Richard Coffey (UW Director of Physics/Astronomy Computing Services - PACS) will give a talk on the current status and future plans of computing in our Department. Feel free to bring your lunch to either of these great talks!

Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, Falk Herwig (Univ. of Victoria) will give a talk on "Simulations of the Origin of the Elements". Join us at 3:45pm in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies.

Have an excellent week!
Sarah

November 8, 2010

You are all encouraged to attend the undergraduate meeting today at 4pm in the reading room (Phys/Astr B356A). We will discuss classes, post-graduation plans, research and more! Those of you that participated in an REU this summer please attend and share your experiences with us. Snacks will be provided!

Winter quarter registration: Registration for winter quarter has started for many of you. Please let me know if you have questions about classes you should be taking. Note that ASTR 300: Astronomy Computing is open only to Astronomy majors during Period 1 registration (now - Nov. 28). Starting Nov. 29 any remaining seats will be given to non-Astronomy students requesting permission. If for some reason you are unable to register for the course before Nov. 29 but still want a seat, please contact Dr. Toby Smith (smith@astro.washington.edu).

AAS Meeting Volunteering: Don't forget to sign up to be a volunteer at the American Astronomical Society meeting this January here in Seattle! Volunteers receive free meeting registration and this is a great opportunity to experience a professional conference. To volunteer fill out the form here: http://aas.org/meetings/aas217/volunteer

Colloquium: Colloquium this week is on Wednesday at 4pm in ARCHITECTURE 147 (due to the Veteran's Day holiday on Thursday). This week we have Jayant Narlikar (IUCA&A) giving a talk on "A Critique of Standard Cosmology".

Page O'Announcements: Don't forget to check out the Page O'Announcements! Included are some great classes, post-graduation opportunities and more: http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Have a great week!
Sarah

November 2, 2010

Hi everyone!

I've attached a picture of the APOLLO project shooting a laser at the moon at the Apache Point Observatory. Read more about the APOLLO project here: http://physics.ucsd.edu/~tmurphy/apollo/apollo.html



The votes are in for the undergrad meeting. We will have our autumn quarter meeting on Monday, Nov. 8 at 4pm in Phys/Astr B356A (aka the reading room) which is just inside the computer lab. Join us to hear about research, classes, career resources and more! Snacks will be provided.

Winter quarter registration: Registration for winter quarter begin this Friday for many of you and others follow shortly after this. Be sure you're registering for the right classes; run a new degree audit (DARS), look at your course plan or if you don't have one stop in to see me and create one!

NASA Space Grant Internship Meeting: On Nov. 19 from 2:30-4:00pm in Mary Gates Hall Rm 389, the WA NASA Space Grant office will host a NASA Internship Information Session. At this meeting you will find out about opportunities at NASA/JPL and Johnson Space Center as well as local research and industry internships available to you.

Astronomy Colloquium: Join us this Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102 for a talk by Suvi Gezari (Johns Hopkins) for a talk on "The Transient Ultraviolet Universe". Coffee, tea and cookies will be served at 3:45pm in the foyer.

Page O'Announcements: Check out the Page O'Announcements where you can find announcements about jobs, scholarships and campus events. Check out the links on the right side of the page that will guide you to Astronomy and Physics course offerings, planning guides, graduate school application tips and much more! http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Have a great week and we'll see you all on Monday, Nov. 8 at 4pm!

Best,
Sarah

October 25, 2010

Greetings from the Apache Point Observatory! I'm here in New Mexico getting a tour of the observatory, sitting in on an observing run for a night and watching the APOLLO project shoot a laser at the moon. Check out more details about the observatory here: http://www.apo.nmsu.edu/

Fall quarter undergrad meeting: It's time to schedule the quarterly undergraduate meeting. Visit the quick poll to vote for your preferred day/time. https://catalyst.uw.edu/webq/survey/sterrs/115114

GRE Physics Exams: For those of you taking the GRE physics exams, don't forget to send your scores back to the UW. Not only is this free to do, but the UW receives the scores about a week ahead of when you get the paper form in the mail so if you want to know your score ahead of time (without paying the extra fees) you can just stop by and ask me!

REU: Research experiences for undergraduates are research programs sponsored by the National Science Foundation. REUs can be found all over the country and typically run during the summer months (with a few exceptions). Check out the REU website and be sure to watch the undergraduate bulletin board across from the computer lab where REU announcements are being posted. REU website: http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm

Grad School and Beyond: Now is the time of year where everyone is trying to figure out what might happen after they graduate. The department wiki pages have some great advice about both applying to graduate school and some personal experiences from our current grad students about some alternative ways to get to graduate school. Many of our grad students did not go straight to graduate school and it is interesting to read what they did during their time off. Check out the wiki page: http://librarian.phys.washington.edu/astro/index.php/Grad_School (Note: to access the wiki you need to be on a computer in the astro lab.)

Astronomy Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, Andy Howell (Las Cumbres Observatory) will give a talk on "Supernovae and Dark Energy from the Supernova Legacy Survey". Join us at 3:45pm in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies.

I'll be back in the office on Thursday. Have a great week!

Best,
Sarah

October 18, 2010

Good morning everyone! We been having some great fall weather and I hope you all had a moment this weekend to get out and enjoy it! Thanks to everyone who has sent in their pictures for the undergrad photo board... keep sending them in! Let's put a deadline of this Friday to get them to me.

Undergraduate Reps: Congratulations to Ben Tofflemire and Meghin Spencer your new astro undergrad reps! Ben and Meghin were running unopposed making the process easy this year. Please feel free to talk with Ben and Meghin if you have questions or concerns. They will be attending faculty meetings, relaying important information to you regarding the undergrad program and are your official liaisons to the Department. You can often find Ben and Meghin in the astro lab if you need to talk with them!

Winter Time Schedule: The winter quarter time schedule is on the web! http://www.washington.edu/students/timeschd/WIN2011/astro.html Start planning your winter quarter classes now and feel free to stop in to chat if you have questions about what to take or just want to run a schedule past me. Registration begins Nov. 5 for graduating seniors and continues on from there. Be sure to have your classes planned so you do not miss out when your registration date arrives. Also please let me know if you notice major conflicts between Astronomy and Physics courses.

SEBA Career Fair: Interested in working after you graduate? Want to see what opportunities there are for you? Attend the 31st Annual UW Science and Engineering Career Fair! On Wednesday, Oct. 27 head over to the Bank of America Arena at Hec Edmunson Pavilion to meet 100 of the top tech companies from around the country. The career fair is from Noon - 5pm. Be sure to check out more details at the website, including tips on how to prepare for the career fair: http://www.uwseba.org/career-fair.html.

Astrobiology Seminar: This Tuesday at 2:30pm in Phys/Astr A118, James Kasting (Penn State - on sabbatical here at UW for ~1mo.) will give a talk on "Atmospheric Composition and Climate on the Early Earth".

Colloquium: Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, Adam Leroy (NRAO) will give a talk on "The Star Formation-Gas Connection in Nearby Disk Galaxies". Join us at 3:45pm in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies!

Page O'Announcements: Don't forget to check out the Page O'Announcements: http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/. This blog is updated regularly with campus events, study abroad info sessions, volunteer opportunities, jobs, scholarships and more! Be sure to also check out the great links on the right side of the page that has tips on graduate school, careers and more all related specifically to Astronomy.

Have a great week!

Best,
Sarah

October 12, 2010

I hope you all had a great weekend. This Thursday you are all invited to attend the undergrad-grad pizza lunch! Stop by the reading room (B356A) at noon for $1/slice pizza and some great conversation.

Computer Lab Cleanup: A quick reminder to please keep the computer lab clean! This space is for everyone to use and gets messy quickly when school is in session. Please remember to pick up after yourself, do not leave any personal belongings in the lab unattended and to log off your computer when you leave for others to use. Custodial staff only has time for minimal cleaning (trash cans, light sweeping) so it is up to each one of you to keep the area clean and continue keeping it a great place to gather.

Undergrad Photos: Many of you may have noticed that the current undergraduate photos by the drinking fountain are out of date. This is the official call to send me a photo of yourself to be added to the mug shots! Please send me a digital photo of yourself (of course, one that is appropriate to put up for the department) within the next week to have your photo included.

Astrobiology Seminar: This Tuesday at 2:30pm in Phys/Astr A118, Britney Schmidt (Univ. of Texas - Austin) will give a talk on "Astrobiology in the Asteroid Belt?".

Astronomy Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, Allen Shafter (SDSU) will give a talk on "Nova Rates and Properties Across Differing Stellar Populations". Join us in the foyer at 3:45pm for coffee, tea and cookies.

Have a great week!
Sarah

October 4, 2010

Welcome to the first full week of classes! Read below for information on becoming the department undergrad rep, scholarships and events happening this week.

Undergraduate Rep: Every year there is an undergraduate rep that attends faculty meetings and provides input to the Department on issues that may impact undergraduates. We would like to continue this tradition but this year have 2 students serve as the undergrad rep. Ideally we would like to have one rep be a senior in their final year and the other rep someone who is just starting the ASTR 32X series. There are over 70 astronomy undergraduates and we want to make sure that everyone has a chance to be included. At this time I am collecting names of those that wish to be considered for this position. You can nominate yourself or someone else. Please send names no later than this Thursday, Oct. 7 at noon. Voting will happen soon after I collect names.

Graduation Applications: If you would like to graduate this autumn quarter you must submit a graduation application no later than Oct. 15. Graduation applications need to be filled out for each department that you are majoring in (i.e. both Physics and Astronomy). If you will be graduating in winter, spring or summer you are also encouraged to fill out a graduation application as early as possible.

Mary Gates Research Scholarships: Looking for a great research scholarship? The Mary Gates Research Scholarship provides students with $4,000 paid out over two quarters. The deadline to apply for the research scholarship is October 22. http://www.washington.edu/uaa/mge/apply/research/index.htm

AstroLunch: Tuesday at noon in Phys/Astr B356A (aka the reading room) join the Department Chair, Suzanne Hawley and Department Associate Chair, Scott Anderson for an informative presentation on the Apache Point Observatory (APO). The presentation will discuss the current state of the 3.5m and the 2.5m (Sloan Digital Sky Survey) telescopes and projects. Feel free to bring your lunch!

Astrobiology Seminar: Tuesday at 2:30pm in Phys/Astr A118, Joseph Levy (Portland State University) will give a talk on "Walking to Mars: What Antarctic Permafrost Suggests About Martian Climate, Geology and Habitability".

Astronomy Colloquium: Join us this Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102 for a talk given by Marcia Rieke (Univ of Arizona). Dr. Rieke's talk will be on "Astro2010, the Decadal Survey: How We've Picked the Next Big Thing(s)". Come find out the process of which projects are selected to be the future direction of the field. Don't forget, coffee, tea and cookies are served at 3:45pm in the foyer. All are welcome!

Have a great week!

Best,
Sarah

September 28, 2010

Welcome to a new academic year! I hope you all had great summers and I can't wait to hear about your research, classes, working, traveling or even if you just relaxed! There are a few important announcements that I wanted to share with you before classes started to please read on!

Present your research at the AAS in January: This January, the American Astronomical Society conference is here in Seattle. This is a great opportunity for you to present your research or you are always welcome to volunteer. If you want to present your research, the abstract submission deadline is this Friday, October 1. Everyone submitting an abstract is welcome to attend the first day of ASTR 482 -Scientific Writing (Wed @ 3pm in A216) to have peers and the instructor, Prof. Sullivan review the abstracts. If you plan to attend please email your abstract in it's current format to Prof. Sullivan (woody@astro.washington.edu).

Details about the AAS meeting can be found here: http://aas.org/meetings/aas217
Information about how to fund your attendance at the meeting can be found here: http://astroemails.blogspot.com/2010/09/present-your-research-at-american.html

ASTR 499 credit: Please remember that if you are registered for ASTR 499 credit you need to fill out the research approval form (the pink half sheets). You can pick up a form from me in the main office.

Building Permits: The start of the new quarter means new building permits! If you have keys to the building you are required to have a valid building permit. Please stop by the front office to get your new permit.

GRE Physics: The deadline to register for the Nov. 13 GRE Physics exam is Oct. 8. For more information on the GRE check out the official site (www.gre.com) or the Astronomy Wiki page (http://librarian.phys.washington.edu/astro/index.php/GRE).

Conference for Undergraduate Women: The University of Nebraska - Lincoln is bringing together outstanding student researchers in Physics and Astronomy for a four-day conference from Oct. 7 - Oct. 10. Undergraduate students are invited to take part in this unique opportunity to expand upon their current research experiences, interact with physics and astronomy students from other universities, and attend scientific talks given by scientists who are leaders in their field. All local expenses, including food and hotel accommodation, are covered by sponsors, and there is no registration fee. In addition, they are able to provide travel scholarships to undergraduate participants. Support is given upon request by the supervising faculty. More information on travel scholarships can be found on the Nominations page of http://www.physics.unl.edu/~wophy/ Registration deadline is September 30, 2010.

Page O'Announcements: The Page O'Announcements continues to provide you with campus events, job postings and open course offerings. Check it out! http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Let me know if you have any questions as you start the new academic year!

Best,
Sarah

Hiring a reader/grader for Astronomy 321 fall 2010

The Department of Astronomy is hiring a Reader/Grader for Astronomy 321 - Solar Systems. Reader/Graders provide diverse services as course assistants, which will normally include grading student papers and examinations. Reader/Grader duties may also include: attendance at lectures, office hours, consultation with instructors, and other duties as assigned.

This position has a possibility of renewal for Astronomy 322 (winter) and Astronomy 323 (spring) based on satisfactory work.

Minimum qualifications:
Completion of Astronomy 321, 322 and 323
Minimum 3.5 grade in each course

The Reader/Grader will be paid $500 (gross) for the quarter, paid out at the end of the quarter.

To apply: Submit a copy of your resume and unofficial transcript to the Astronomy front office in Phys/Astr C319 by September 27 at 5pm.

Present your research at American Astronomical Society Meeting

The 217th meeting of the American Astronomical Society is happening in Seattle, January 9-13, 2011. The AAS meeting is the largest professional astronomy conference in the U.S. and this is a great opportunity to present your work, meet astronomers from other institutions and see what a professional conference is all about! Please read below for details on how to register for the conference to present your research or find out how you can volunteer which includes complimentary registration.

Presenting your research at the AAS meeting:
To present a poster of your research you need to submit an abstract of your research. Talk with your research adviser about writing an abstract. You are also invited to sit in on ASTR 482 on Sep. 30 where the class will work on peer editing of abstracts. ASTR 482 meets at 3pm in Phys/Astr A216

The deadline to submit abstracts is Oct. 1 and can be submitted here: http://members.aas.org/abstracts/
Note that to submit an abstract if you are not currently a member of the AAS you must create a non-member login here:https://members.aas.org/source/Members/cMemberInsert.cfm?section=unknown&WHERE_TO_NEXT_SOURCE=Meetings/cMeetingFunctionDetail.cfm?section=unknown&PRODUCT_MAJORxxxxWTR_11R

To register for the meeting you will need to login using your member or non-member login information: https://members.aas.org/source/Meetings/cMeetingFunctionDetail.cfm?product_major=WTR_11R

Undergraduate nonmember regular registration costs $151. The deadline to register for the regular conference price is November 18.

Funding your meeting registration cost:
There are a few options available to help with the costs of attending this meeting. If you are presenting research you can submit an application to the Undergraduate Research Conference Travel Award: http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/students/urcta.html You could also ask your research adviser if there is any grant funding available.

Volunteering:
If you are not presenting research but still want to attend the meeting, volunteering is a great option! Volunteers get complimentary registration to the conference. To sign up as a volunteer go here: http://aas.org/meetings/aas217/volunteer

Feel free to ask me if you have any questions about the meeting. It is a great opportunity to attend a professional conference with very little travel funding required!

Best,
Sarah

June 28, 2010

Hi everyone,

There are a few reminders I wanted to send out to you as you are enjoying your summer.

Building Permits/Keys: If you are in the building this summer and have building keys you are required to have a building use permit (the orange cards with your name on it). Please stop by the astronomy main office to pick yours up. The permits are renewed quarterly meaning the one in your wallet has expired so please come get a new one from me. Seniors that have graduated; don't forget to return your building keys before you leave!

Summer Announcements: The Page O'Announcements page will be updated throughout the summer. Make sure to check it periodically for campus events, jobs, scholarships, etc. http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Course Planning: Summer is a great time to sit down with me and figure out your courses for the next academic year. We can meet in person, talk over the phone or correspond over email. The office gets busy as we approach the start of autumn quarter so be sure to come in early!

Autumn Qtr Courses: Two new courses have been added to the time schedule for autumn quarter. ASTR 425 "Cosmology" with Prof. Fabio Governato will be offered on MW 1:30-2:50 in PAA A210 (3 credits; sln 20375). ASTR 497 special topics will be on "Planetary Sciences and Astrobiology" with Prof. David Catling (ESS). This course will be TTh 11:30-12:50 in ATG 154 (3 credits; sln 20374).

Have a great summer!

Best,
Sarah

May 10, 2010

This is my last week in until finals week, so please let me know if you have questions about fall quarter registration or graduation issues. If you have questions while I'm away, please contact Paula Szkody (szkody@astro.washington.edu).

ASTR 425 Cosmology: We have some great news... we will be offering ASTR 425 Cosmology in fall 2010. The course will be on the time schedule soon and will most likely meet M, W 1:30-2:50 in PAA A210. I'll let you know if this schedule changes. Dr. Fabio Governato will be the course instructor.

ESS Courses: The Earth and Space Sciences department is offering some great courses in Planetarium Geology (ESS 306-summer) and Space and Plasmas (ESS 415- autumn). Check out these astronomy-related courses on the time schedule.

Summer GRE Physics Study group: Some students have expressed an interest in starting a summer Physics GRE study group. If you're interested please let me know or create a sign up sheet in the computer lab. Those taking the exam next year should seriously considering using a study guide (like this one http://staff.washington.edu/sterrs/epicschmidt.txt) that gives you some idea of what to study and how long you should be studying. The guide linked above is from our very own graduate student Sarah Schmidt.

Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, Barbara McArthur (University of Texas) will give a talk on "New Observational Constraints on the Upsilon Andromedae System with Data from The Hubble Space Telescope and Hobby Eberly Telescope". Join us in the foyer at 3:45pm for coffee, tea and cookies.

Page O'Announcements: http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/ check out the new postings (mostly class advertisements from other departments) and the important links on the right side of the page.

Have a great end of the quarter!!

Best,
Sarah

May 3, 2010

Hi everyone,

The spring quarter undergraduate meeting will take place tomorrow, (Tuesday) at 4pm in Phys/Astr B356A (aka the reading room) just off of the undergrad lab. Graduating seniors are encouraged to attend to let everyone know of your post-graduation plans! Snacks will be provided.

MRO work party: Looking for a chance to head up to Manastash Ridge Observatory? Consider joining our MRO work party! We need a group of undergrads to help up clean the observatory. Mark your weekend preference here: http://www.doodle.com/hihvzq4wk5yw43bx Questions? Contact Chris Laws (laws@astro.washington.edu).

Autumn quarter classes: Take a look at the autumn quarter time schedule to choose your classes! Let me know if you have any questions. http://www.washington.edu/students/timeschd/AUT2010/ Remember to run a degree audit (DARS found on myUW) to see which classes you still need to take.

Career Center: Don't forget to use the services offered by the career center. You can use their services while you're still a student. http://careers.washington.edu/

Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, Shelley Wright (UC Berkeley) will give a talk on "High-Spatial Resolution Observations of z~1.5 Star Forming Galaxies; Discovering Galactic Disks, Mergers and Weak AGN". Join us in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies!

See you all at the meeting tomorrow! Have a great week.
Sarah

April 26, 2010

Hi everyone,

The course schedule for autumn 2010 is available so take a look and plan out your classes: http://www.washington.edu/students/timeschd/AUT2010/. Please remember to come and see me now if you have questions about your schedules since I will be out of the office for 3 weeks starting May 15 and returning June 7. I'll check email June 1-4.

Spring Qtr Meeting: Now is the time to decide the day/time for the spring quarter undergrad meeting. The meeting will be held the week of May 3-7. Please fill out the 2 question survey by this Friday: https://catalysttools.washington.edu/webq/survey/sterrs/101824

Astronomy Picture of the Day: For a distraction that is still educational... check out the Astronomy Picture of the Day: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/

Graduation: If you are graduating but have not received an email from me with details about ceremonies please let me know.

Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, Brian Siana (CalTech) will give a talk on "How Did Galaxies Reionize the Universe? Deep Searches for Escaping Ionizing Photons with the Hubble Space Telescope." Please join us at 3:45pm in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies.

Page O'Announcements: Check out the announcement blog that has lots of campus events, job postings and more! http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Have a great week!
Sarah

April 19, 2010

Spring has finally arrived in Seattle!! I hope that you all had a moment to enjoy the great weather we had on Sunday. There are some important items I wanted to share with you this week so please read on!

225 Double Degree Policy: A follow up to my email last week regarding the new University policy. Departments have been given the ability to award exemptions to students that are graduating in or applying to graduate no later than Autumn 2011. So if you are planning to graduate in June 2011 and fill out a graduation application with me in Autumn 2010 then I can award the exemption to you. Please come talk with me if you have questions. More details (filled with University vocab) can be found here: https://www.washington.edu/students/ugrad/advising/advisers/double/

Autumn 2010 Time Schedule: Is now available! Check out the classes being offered this fall quarter: http://www.washington.edu/students/timeschd/AUT2010/astro.html Make an appointment or stop by to see me if you have questions about what classes you should be taking. Remember that I'll be out of the office from May 15 - June 6.

Masters in Teaching Info Sessions for Math and Science students: The College of Education is holding a MIT Information Session targeting interested math and science students on Wednesday, April 21 at 5pm. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the teacher certification program along with funding opportunities specifically for math and science teachers. Speakers will include Ken Zeichner, Director of the Teacher Education Program, Mark Windschitl, science methods professor, along with recent math/science graduates of the MIT. Please register at:
http://education.washington.edu/areas/tep/infosessions.html

AstroLunch: Tuesday at noon in B356A (aka the reading room), Sukanya Chakrabarti (UC Berekely) will give an informal talk on "Deciphering the Dynamical Impact of CDM Sub-Structure". Feel free to bring your lunch!

Colloquium: Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, T.J. Cox (Carnegie Observatories) will give a talk on "Unraveling the Formation History of Elliptical Galaxies". Join us at 3:45pm for coffee, tea and cookies in the foyer!

Page O'Announcements: Lots of campus events posted along with lots of scholarship opportunities. Check out the Page O'announcements: http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Have a great week!

Best,
Sarah

April 12, 2010

Hello,

Spring seems like it has finally arrived! Remember that April 18 is the last day to add a class for those of you still wanting to add a research credit be sure to get the pink research form from me soon!

Undergraduate Trip to Brewster, WA: Want to see a part of the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA- http://www.vlba.nrao.edu/ ) here in Washington? A small group of astro undergrads will be taking a trip to Brewster, WA on Saturday, April 24 to view the VLBA and take a tour. The group will meet leave the Phys/Astr Bldg loading dock at 8:30am and return around 8pm. You're invited to join on a seat-available basis so if you're interested send an email to Prof. Bruce Balick (balick@astro.washington.edu). You'll want to bring clothing for cool windy weather, sunglasses, non-slip shoes with soft soles, camera, $$ for lunch, dinner along the way, water bottle, and snacks. The Department will cover the cost of the van and gas.

Last day to apply for graduation: If you are planning to graduate this quarter and have not filled out a graduation application you must do so by this Friday, April 16. Please see me asap!

Career Fair: Wednesday, April 14 is the campus career fair with over 120 employers! The fair will take place from 3-7pm in the HUB Ballroom. More details here: http://careers.washington.edu/Spring-Career-Fair

Call for Volunteers! We are looking for undergraduates to volunteer for the Cool Stars 16 conference happening this summer here at UW! The conference is from Aug 29 - Sep 2 and we are seeking volunteers to complete a variety of jobs. Those that work 15 hours will be able to attend the conference for free (note this does not include the excursions and banquets). Please let me know if you're interested in volunteering! https://www.confcon.com/coolstars16/

Astro Lunch: This week we have several talks but not on Tuesday and not during lunch! Still these informal talks are a great way to hear about different areas of Astronomy. Wednesday at 2pm in C341, Peter Yoachim (Univ. of Texas- formerly of UW) will give a talk on "Sailing Off the Edge of a Galaxy with IFU Spectroscopy". Friday at 2pm in C341, Ellie Hadjiyska (UC Santa Barbara) will give a talk on "Transient Optical Sky Survey: System Analysis and Initial Results".

Colloquium: Stelios Kzantzidis (The Ohio State University) will give a talk on "Cold Dark Matter Substructure and Galactic Disks" on Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102. Please join us at 3:45pm in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies.

Have a great week!

Best,
Sarah

March 29, 2010

Welcome back! I hope you all had an enjoyable spring break and are ready to start the new quarter. Please read on for information about the new way to log in to the astronomy computers, a spring career fair and more!

New Computer Login: Starting immediately, you will now log in to the astronomy computers using your UW NetID and your UW NetID password. We have merged your astro account with your UW NetID account so everything you had on your astronomy computer should still be accessible. Please let me know if you cannot log in to the computers.

Building Use Permits: If you have keys to the Physics/Astronomy building, please remember to pick up your quarter building use permit from the astronomy main office. These quarterly permits are required when you are in the building after hours (building hours are 7am-7pm) and on the weekends.

Extrasolar Planets course: This special topics course meets on Wed and Fri from 10am-11:20. The course is listed as ASTR 497A (sln 10597). For thousands of years, humanity has pondered the possible existence of planets and life beyond our own Solar System. Yet is has only been the last decade that we been able to find evidence that extrasolar planets, planets found around stars other than our Sun, do exist. This course will cover extrasolar planet detection techniques, characteristics of the known population, and how studies of extrasolar planets have changed our views of planetary system formation and evolution. This course will also focus on the science behind the planned searches for Earth-like planets and life beyond our Solar System.

Spring Career Fair: Wednesday, April 14 from 3-7pm in the HUB Ballroom. More than 90 companies will be present to recruit UW graduates. For a complete list of the more than 90 attending organizations, and tips on how to prepare, please visit http://careers.washington.edu/Spring-Career-Fair.

Astronomy Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, Brant Robertson (CalTech) will give a talk on "Forthcoming Constraints on High-redshift Galaxy populations from WFC3". Please join us at 3:45pm in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies!

Have a great first week back.

Best,
Sarah

March 15, 2010

Good luck on your finals this week!

Just a few things I wanted to mention.

ASTR 480/497A time changes: we were able to successfully move ASTR 480 and ASTR 497A (extrasolar planets) so that it will no longer conflict with physics 227 or 321. Please see the time schedule (notes will appear tomorrow) for details.

Page O'Announcements: will be updated through spring break! http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

I'm around over spring break so feel free to send me an email if you have any questions.

Have a great break.

March 9, 2010

We made it to the last week of classes with spring break almost here! Remember to practice good study habits as finals near: 1) find a quite place where you can effectively study; 2) study in groups only if you can keep focused; 3) know what material you need to study-- ask your instructors for guidance; 4) make a prioritized list of what you need to study and stick to it; and 5) get plenty of sleep before your exams.

Phys 321/ASTR 480 conflict: It has come to our attention that there is a time conflict with Physics 321 and Astronomy 480 this spring. For those of your registered for both, please stay registered for both. I am attempting to work out this conflict with the Physics Department and will keep you updated on the progress.

Extrasolar Planets Course Spring: Consider taking Extrasolar Planets this spring! This course is listed as ASTR 497A (sln 10597) is 3 credits and meets WF 3:00-4:20. For thousands of years, humanity has pondered the possible existence of planets and life beyond our own Solar System. Yet is has only been the last decade that we been able to find evidence that extrasolar planets, planets found around stars other than our Sun, do exist. This course will cover extrasolar planet detection techniques, characteristics of the known population, and how studies of extrasolar planets have changed our views of planetary system formation and evolution. This course will also focus on the science behind the planned searches for Earth-like planets and life beyond our Solar System.

Academic Planning: Registration for the next quarter is always a good reminder of how important having an academic plan is. I recommend to have at least a year's worth of classes planned out so you know what to take but can be flexible if classes are not offered. Please stop in to see me or send me an email if you need help planning out your classes. Be sure to use the resources found here: http://staff.washington.edu/sterrs/YearTS.htm. Keep in mind that late April and early May is the best time to talk about autumn quarter class schedules!

Colloquium: Join us on Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102 for Ian Dobbs-Dixon's (UW) talk on "Weather Forecasts for Irradiated Exoplanets". Coffee, tea and cookies will be served at 3:45pm in the foyer.

Page O'Announcements: Updated with campus events, jobs and courses: http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Have a great week,
Sarah

March 2, 2010

Hi everyone!

The end of the quarter is just around the corner and so is spring! Take a moment in the next few weeks to walk through the Quad where the cherry trees are blooming.

Spring Qtr Registration: Many of you have already registered but if you haven't yet and are still trying to decide what to take next quarter please stop in to see me! We can work together to figure out a schedule for you so that you're taking the right physics and astronomy classes.

Astronomy Degree Requirement Changes: As many of you already know, there are plans in place to change the degree requirements for both Astronomy and Physics tentatively for autumn 2010. I will have information available after spring break on what these changes are and what they mean for students. Note that if you are already declared Astronomy and Physics the new changes will not impact you. However, if you are only declared Astronomy but planning to declare Physics in the future, I would recommend declaring Physics before the end of summer quarter.

Computer Lab Clean Up: As the quarter ends, please be sure to pick up garbage and misc. items left around the computer lab. Keeping the lab clean is all of your responsibility and we want to keep the lab an inviting place to study and work on research. I have brooms and desk cleaner available for anyone that loves to clean!! Also remember that we cannot be responsible for any lost or stolen items, so please do not leave your personal belongings in the computer lab.

Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, Ching Wa Yip (Johns Hopkins Univ.) will give a talk on "Toward 3D Spectra of Galaxies". Join us at 3:45pm in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies.

Page O'announcements: I recently posted an announcement about private industry internships in the sciences so be sure to check it out! http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Have a great week.

Best,
Sarah

February 22, 2010

I hope you all were able to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather we're having! I heard it will soon turn in to rain, so get out and enjoy it while it lasts!

Meeting Minutes: We had a great meeting last week with lots of updates in curriculum changes and schedules.
Physics Summer Qtr Classes: Note that the summer time schedule currently lists Phys 227 however this will be changed to Phys 228. Also Phys 334 will be changed to a full-term class and Phys 335 will be dropped from the schedule.

Astronomy Spring Qtr Classes: Check out the time schedule to see the variety of classes being offered this spring!

New Physics/Astronomy Degree Requirements: Both physics and astronomy will be changing the degree requirements which is planned to be effective Autumn 2010. This will not impact anyone currently declared in both departments. However if you are declared Astronomy only, have been planning to declare physics but have not done so I would suggest to do this before autumn quarter so you are under the same requirements. More details on these changes will come out sometime in spring quarter.

New Astronomy Classes: Starting autumn quarter there will be several new classes. ASTR 400: Undergraduate research seminar (1 credit, CR/NC) hear about faculty research in the department, ASTR 427: Numerical Methods in Astrophysics, ASTR 498: Independent Research (this differs from ASTR 499 and is for students working on non-research projects, reading articles prior to working on research, etc.). We are trying to move away from using ASTR 497 for classes that are offered continuously.

2010-2011 Course Schedule Available: on the web: http://staff.washington.edu/sterrs/AnnualCourses10-11.pdf

Undergraduate Research Symposium: Deadline to submit abstracts is today!! (Feb. 22) http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/symp/

Physics GRE Exam: There has been some concern over student preparation for the Physics GRE exam. If you have any comments or suggestions about your preparation for this exam, please feel free to send these to me or leave a note in my mailbox.

Volunteer for an Astronomy Conference!: The Department is hosting the 16th Cool Stars conference August 29-Sep 2 here on campus! We are seeking student volunteers for a variety of jobs and those volunteers that complete 15 hours of work will be able to attend the conference for free (note this does not include excursions and banquets). If you will be available the week prior to the conference and during the conference please sign up on the list in the computer lab. We will be holding a meeting in the spring to make final assignments.

Space Grant Summer Undergraduate Research Program: Looking for summer funding to stay on campus and do research? Check out the WA Space Grant SURP! http://www.waspacegrant.org/u-gradsum.html SURP offers part-time $2K stipends and full-time $4K stipends for undergraduates working on research projects with faculty.

Colloquium: Please join us on Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102 for a talk by Lloyd Knox (UC Davis) on "Anisotropies in the infrared background as a probe of the complete history of star formation". Coffee, tea and cookies are served at 3:45pm in the foyer!

Astro Lunch: Tomorrow (2/23) YoungChul Kwon (UW) will give a lunch talk (noon-1) in the reading room (B356A) on "SkewReduce: Skew-Resistant Parallel Processing of Feature-Extracting Scientific User-Defined Functions". Please feel free to bring your lunch!

Page O'announcements: classes, campus events and more! http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Have a great week!

Best,
Sarah

February 16, 2010

Good morning! Please join us today at 3pm for the winter quarter undergrad meeting. We will meet in Physics/Astronomy A216 to discuss class scheduling (including courses offered for 2010-2011), changes to the degree requirements as well as an opportunity to volunteer for an astronomy conference this summer. Snacks will be provided!

Spring Registration: Starts this week or next for many of you! Please be sure to check your DARS (found on MyUW) to double check which classes you still need to complete. You can also stop in to see me or send me an email.

Suggested General Ed Classes: Are you looking for a VLPA or I&S class? Check out the main campus advising website that compiles all of this information for you! http://www.washington.edu/uaa/gateway/advising/registration/sgec.php There is also a link on the right of the page for new courses or special offerings courses.

Undergrad Astronomy Wiki: There is an Astronomy Wiki available to you that has lots of great tips and advice! You can access the wiki when you're on a computer in the Department. http://librarian.phys.washington.edu/astro/index.php/Academics:Undergraduates

Career Center: The UW has a great career center to help you with building your resume, improving your interviewing skills and offering tons of workshops! Check out all they have to offer: http://careers.washington.edu/

Page O'Announcements: Updated with 2010-2011 course schedule! http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Have a great week!

Best,
Sarah

February 8, 2010

We will hold our winter quarter undergraduate meeting on Feb. 16 at 3pm in Phys/Astr A216. Please plan to attend as we will be discussing spring quarter classes as well as the 2010-2011 course schedule. Snacks will be provided!

Planetarium Movie Night: You are all invited to attend a movie night hosted by Pre-MAP on Thurs., Feb. 18 at 7pm. Join us in the Phys/Astr auditorium on the second floor! Bring pillows and snacks to relax. You can also bring a DVD as we will be voting on what to watch.

WiSE Conference: The UW Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) conference will be held on Sat., Feb. 20 from 8:30am-5pm. Check out more information about the WiSE conference here: http://www.engr.washington.edu/curr_students/studentprogs/wiseconfhilights.html

AstroLunch: This Wednesday at Noon in Phys/Astr B356A (aka the reading room), Sarah Martell (ARI/Univ of Heidelberg) will be giving a presentation on "Globular Cluster Contributions to the Galactic Halo". Feel free to bring your lunch!

Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, Christian Marois (Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics) will give a talk on" Imaging Planets Orbiting other Stars: The HR8799 Multi-Planet System". Join us at 3:45pm in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies.

Page O'Announcements: Looking for a something to do on campus? Career workshops? Check out the blog at http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/.

Astronomy Night at Shorecrest High School: Shorecrest High School is looking for volunteers to give mini-talks (10-15 min. repeating) at their annual Astronomy Night to be held on March 30. If you are interested in giving a talk, please contact the teacher Vince Santo Pietro at vince.santo.pietro@shorelineschools.org.

Post-graduation job opportunity: **Work for Change after Graduation. The Fund is Hiring** We?re looking for smart, socially conscious students who work well in a team and are eager to make a real impact on some of the most critical issues facing our society.

The Fund for the Public Interest (aka ?the Fund?) helps some of the top progressive organizations in the country work on issues like clean energy, equal rights, and pushing our country in a new direction. And we're hiring!

Specifically, we're hiring Citizen Outreach Directors to run our grassroots campaign offices across the country next fall -- working on behalf of groups like the Sierra Club, WashPIRG, Environment Washington, and the Human Rights Campaign.
We are looking for smart, motivated students who want to lead the way in working for the change our country needs.

If you are interested in applying, visit our website at www.fundjobs.org, or contact me directly ? 206-621-8334, krosen@fundstaff.org .

I'm looking forward to speaking with you more about our positions! Katrina Rosen, Canvass Director- Fund for the Public Interest.

Have a great week! Hope to see you all at the meeting next Tuesday!

Best,
Sarah

February 1, 2010

Hi everyone,

We're well into the quarter now and I want to check in and be sure you're utilizing the resources available to you! There are study centers (Physics in the Auditorium Building, CLUE for a variety of classes in MGH, and the instructional center at 1307 NE 40th St). There are also Study Smarter Workshops available to you for free from the counseling center (on the 4th floor of Schmitz). Workshop topics include time management and text anxiety. In addition, remember to attend office hours or schedule a separate appointment with your professors if you're not understanding material in class.

Here are some events to keep in mind this week:

Spring Schedules: Let me know if you have questions as you begin to think about your spring quarter schedule. Registration begins as early as Feb. 19 for graduating seniors.

Undergraduate Research Symposium: Are you working on research? Present it to the UW Community at the 13th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. The symposium will be on May 21 in Mary Gates Hall. You must submit an application to participate by Feb. 22. Check out some of the workshops available for writing the application:

Abstract Writing Workshops are tailored to students who are applying to the Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium.

The session includes a review of the Symposium application process, the logistics of the Symposium day, followed by information on what exactly is an abstract, how to write one, and what information to include. If you already have a draft, you may also bring this to the session for feedback.

Winter Quarter 2010
Wednesday, 2/3, 4-5
Thursday, 2/4, 12:30-1:30
Tuesday, 2/9, 4:00-5:00
Wednesday, 2/10, 3:30-4:30

To register, visit: http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/courses/abstractwriting.html Space is limited!

More information about the Symposium can be found at: http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/symp/index.html

Graduating seniors? Have you filled out a graduation application? If you plan to graduate in spring quarter, please see myself as well as Margot (for physics double majors) to fill out the paperwork for graduation. We will be sending out graduation information in a few months and want to be sure we have everyone on our list.

Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, David Schlegel (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab) will be giving a talk on "Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Surveys, BOSS and BigBOSS". Join us at 3:45pm in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies.

Summer Projects: A few more options for those looking at summer research projects; Johns Hopkins: http://www.Aplapp.com and Goddard: http://education.gsfc.nasa-telophase.com/

Page O'Announcements: Check out the different events happening on the Page O'announcements: http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Have a great week!

Sarah

January 25, 2010

Hello,

I hope you had a great weekend! Here are some things to keep in mind this week.

Spring Classes: The time schedule for spring is available this Friday. In Astronomy there will be: ASTR 323- extragalactic; ASTR 423- High Energy; ASTR 480- Data Analysis; ASTR 497A- Extrasolar Planets; and ASTR 497B- IDL Programming. Also note a class being offered in Applied Math under AMATH 483 on High-Performance Scientific Computing.

Jobs at the Pacific Science Center: PSC is looking for an astronomy person to work at the Planetarium. Check out the jobs available at PSC: http://www.pacsci.org/jobs/

Colloquium: This Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102, Rob Gibson (UW) will give a talk on "10% Inspiration, 40% Perspiration and 50% Simulation". Join us at 3:45pm for coffee, tea and cookies.

Page O'announcements: Lots of events are posted here including career center workshops!! http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Have a great week!

Best,
Sarah

January 19, 2010

I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend. REU deadlines are approaching so be sure you have everything in order including your letters of recommendation.

Winter graduation: Are you hoping to graduate this quarter? Have you applied to graduate? If not, please see me by this Friday, Jan. 22. You must fill out a graduation application in each department you are getting a degree in.

Undergraduate Research Symposium: If you're working on research, consider presenting your results at the UW annual undergraduate research symposium! The symposium will be on May 21 in Mary Gates Hall. We often have many astronomy students presenting posters and giving oral presentations. To participate you need to submit an application with abstract by Feb. 22 at 5pm. Check out the details here: http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/symp/index.html

Undergrad Photos: Please S\send me a photo of yourself to add to the undergraduate photo board in the Department! A few guidelines: send only photos of yourself, the photo should have you as the focus and please keep the photos appropriate for display in the Department.

Colloquium: This week at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102 Andrew Moore (Google) will give a talk on "Extreme Data Mining: Machine Learning in Adwords and Google Product Search". Join us at 3:45pm in the foyer for coffee, tea and cookies.

Exploration Seminars: Want to study abroad but don't want to miss core classes during the academic year? Apply for an Exploration Seminar! These are fun 2-4 week abroad programs where you can earn academic credit for 1 course. Check out the different countries and classes where programs are being held: http://depts.washington.edu/explore/.

Page O'Announcements: there are lots of study abroad opportunities and more listed on the Page O'Announcements: http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/.

Have a great week!

Best,
Sarah

January 11, 2010

I hope you all had a great weekend! Remember that Monday, Jan. 18 is a state holiday to honor Martin Luther King Jr. There will be no classes and some buildings will be closed. Also note that libraries will be on holiday hours: http://www.lib.washington.edu/about/hours/

Here are some other things to consider this week:

Research Experiences for Undergrads: Don't forget to consider applying to a summer research program. Check out the different programs listed here: http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm You can also check out opportunities posted on the bulletin board across from the undergrad lab.

Astronomy Colloquium: Join us on Thursday at 4pm in Phys/Astr A102 for a talk by George Preston (Carnegie Obs) on "George Wallerstein, Omega Centauri, and the Periodic Table". This talk will be given to honor Prof. George Wallerstein, the first department chair of the UW Astronomy Department! Arrive at 3:45pm for coffee, tea and cookies in the foyer.

Volunteers Needed Jan. 14 5pm: I am in need of 3-4 volunteers on Thursday evening to help with a Department event. I will need help setting up at 5pm and you are welcome to stay for the event. Please send me an email if you are able to volunteer your time.

Physics/Astronomy Building Permits: Please stop by the main office to pick up your Physics/Astronomy building permit if you have building keys. Everyone is required to have these permits if you are in the building after hours (7pm-7am M-F, All day Saturday and Sunday).

Undergrad Photos: Send me a photo of yourself to add to the undergraduate photo board in the Department! A few guidelines: send only photos of yourself, the photo should have you as the focus and please keep the photos appropriate for display in the Department.

Page O'Announcements: Check out the campus events, scholarships and job announcements!! http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

Let me know if you have any questions and have a great week.

Best,
Sarah

January 4, 2010

Welcome to winter 2010!! I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing break. Now we're back in session and ready to start the new year.

Changes to your schedule: remember that you have until Sunday, January 10 to make changes to your winter quarter schedule without incurring any fees. Check out the University calendar if you're unsure about deadlines: http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/0910cal.html#Q4

Building Permits: If you have Physics/Astronomy building keys, please be sure to pick up a new building use permit from the Astronomy front office. You are required to renew your permit every quarter.

Colloquium: our first colloquium will take place on Jan. 14.

Page O'Announcements: lots of course announcements, study abroad opportunities and tips about graduate school applications: http://pageoannouncements.blogspot.com/

iSchool Career Fair: iSchool Employer Connections Fair Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 1:30-4:30pm, Mary Gates Hall- The Commons Come learn about internship, career, and research opportunities with great organizations, like T-Mobile, Disney, CIA, IRS and many more! To see a complete list of participating employers and their descriptions, go to, http://ischool.uw.edu/resources/employerfair/participants.aspx. Take advantage of this opportunity to network with employers in IT and related fields. Hope to see you there!

Undergraduate Women in Physics Conference: We are writing to call your attention to the annual west coast Undergraduate Women in Physics Conference, being hosted this year by UCSC Jan. 15-17. This is an excellent opportunity for women in physics to meet other students and learn about opportunities in graduate school and in physics careers. Here's the website: http://dave.ucsc.edu/wipconf/

Have a great week!

Sarah