News from the Chair

Physics Day 2023

Physics Day 2023

On Saturday, April 15, the Department of Physics and Astronomy held UNM Physics Day 2023, an undergraduate research conference and open house event organized by students for students that included a local area high school participant and several faculty members.

The annual event, held at UNM’s Physics, Astronomy, and Interdisciplinary Science Building, featured a plenary talk from Assistant Professor Francis-Yan Cyr-Racine, followed by a series of six undergraduate research talks, demonstrations of physics concepts, a poster session and an awards ceremony.

Cyr-Racine began the day with his plenary talk titled, My long journey towards understanding the Universe.

Oral presentations followed including subjects ranging from Research and Development for the Migdal Search to Thermal effects in microresonators.

After lunch, participants enjoyed a continuation of student research lectures and a poster session including one by Elijah Jaramillo, a local high-school student. Society for Physics Students were instrumental in coordinating and presenting the Physics Demo show which followed.

Winners on the day included:

Best oral presentation award

  • Michael Bess Atmospheric Characterization of Super-Earth 55 Cancri e with JWST
  • Tristen Larkin Machine Learning and the Migdal Search

Best poster award

  • Stephanie Hansen SiO Maser Dependency on the Circumstellar Shell in AGB Stars
  • Simon Matin Radio Frequency Interference at the South Pole's Dark Sector

The conference was planned and coordinated by Society for Physics students, assisted by dedicated help of several faculty and staff members including David Dunlap, Andrew McDowell, Ylva Pihlström, Richard Rand, and Teaching Lab Supervisor Hatem Babaa. Special kudos to Assistant Professor Tonmoy Chakraborty, who helped make it all happen.

The Rayburn Reaching Up Fund was the main sponsor of the event; additional sponsors included the Society of Physics Students and the UNM Department of Physics & Astronomy.

For more information about the department, visit UNM Physics and Astronomy.