June 23-29 will be the virtual Earth Observation Dashboard Hackathon, jointly sponsored by NASA, ESA, and JAXA. Teams will work on coding challenges related to Earth & climate data and the COVID-19 pandemic. Projects include studying air and water quality changes, economic and agricultural impacts of the pandemic, and data visualization.

Learn more and register at https://www.eodashboardhackathon.org/

Hurricane Ida is a remarkably dynamic storm, and proving hard to predict. Scientific American has a report: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-hurricane-ida-got-so-big-so-fast/

Meanwhile, keep an eye on https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ for the latest alerts on Ida and other storms to come.

Other useful links:

UMD Inclement Weather Guidance: https://umd.edu/weather

Capital Weather Gang: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/weather/

UMD Weather https://twitter.com/UMD_Weather

Jordan Tessler @TerpWeather https://twitter.com/TerpWeather

NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia off the Eastern Shore will, weather permitting, be launching a rocket this evening just after 8:00PM. This will carry the KiNET-X experiment, which will release vapor clouds to analyze energy and momentum transfer in nearby space. This will help better understand the behaviour of plasmas in Earth's magnetosphere.

The rocket and the vapor trails may be visible to the east of our campus in the evening sky. Keep an eye out! Or follow along online at the links below.

 Read more:

• NASA Press Release https://www.nasa.gov/wallops/2021/press-release/nasa-wallops-may-8-rocket-launch-visible-in-eastern-united-states
• Wallops Streaming Video https://video.ibm.com/channel/nasa-tv-wallops

The Maryland STEM Festival returns this month!

Every year, we here at the University of Maryland Physics Department host an outreach event as part of the Maryland STEM Festival, a statewide event celebrating the sciences. This year, we’re hosting virtual workshops on October 24th&25th to build and test a Vortex Generator physics demonstration. Advance registration is required; read more here at the Maryland STEM Festival website! 

The Vortex Generator is a fun way to see some exciting phenomena in fluid dynamics; you may have seen it in the past at our Physics of Quidditch summer program or the January 2020 Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics.

Be sure to check out all of the other exciting events around the state throughout the month at https://marylandstemfestival.org/.

Last year, Maryland Physics hosted the Maryland STEM Festival event: FLIGHT! Read more about it here.

The National Math Festival is an annual event for the general public to promote interest and excitement about mathematics. Traditionally, the event is held in Washington DC at the Walter E Washington Convention Center. This year, the festival has moved online, with virtual events throughout December and January. There will be online talks and presentations, activities, and even math-themed musical performances.

 Visit the Festival at https://www.nationalmathfestival.org/2021-festival/

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is hosting a series of programs on Arfican Americans in STEM. The next presentation in the series, with aquaculturalist Imani Black, is this Friday, May 21. This will be followed by astronaut Jessica Watkins on May 28.

You can join in, submit questions for the discussions, and see recordings of past events on their website at https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/students/through-window-and-mirror-narratives-african-american-stem-professionals

This weekend part of North America will get to see an annular eclipse of the sun. On Saturday October 14^th, the Moon, Sun, and Earth will be aligned so that the Moon will pass right in front of the Sun. In parts of the southwest, the Sun will be visible only as a thin ring around the Moon’s edge.

 For us here at UMD, though, the eclipse will only be partial. It’s still an exciting sight to (very carefully) see, though! You can visit eclipse-viewing parties on McKeldin Mall and at the UMD Observatory at 11AM on Saturday. Or visit the eclipse day open house at the National Air & Space Museum in Washington DC! You can also watch live from home via NASA TV.

 And remember: Never look directly at the sun without proper eye protection! 

Read more:

• EarthSky: Annular solar eclipse coming on October 14!
• NASM: Soar Together at Air and Space Family Day: Exploring Eclipses
• NASA Highlights Media Opportunities for Upcoming Ring of Fire EclipseNASA Highlights Media Opportunities for Upcoming Ring of Fire Eclipse 
• NASA: STEM Learning Resources to Prepare for Upcoming EclipsesNASA: STEM Learning Resources to Prepare for Upcoming Eclipses

On Saturday October 17 at 7:00PM, DC Science Comedy will present The Physics Variety Show as part of the Maryland STEM Festival. The program will feature science experiments, stories, and songs. Presenters include Dr. Kelly Reidy of the Pratt Institute.

The event is free and open to all.

• Register here!

• More details at the Maryland STEM Festival website!

• Find DC Science Comedy on Twitter!

• Check out all the other upcoming events of the Maryland STEM Festival!

December’s issue of Physics Today has a special theme, celebrating the International Year of Sound. The cover features art from Ray Walker’s Hackney Peace Mural in London; topical articles range from acoustic reproduction in historical and cultural preservation, to acoustics in climate change research.

 Sponsored by the International Commission on Acoustics, the International Year of Sound is an education and outreach project to promote understanding of the science of sound and of acoustic best practices.

•  Read more about the International Year of Sound at https://sound2020.org/ .
•  Physics Today: https://physicstoday.scitation.org/toc/pto/73/12

On September 22, Prof. Bill Phillips and Dr. Laurie Loccascio will present a virtual fireside chat, “Quantum Basics for the Curious.” This event, hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance, will explore Prof. Phillips’ research and how he came to win the Nobel Prize, an introduction to quantum mechanics, and the future of quantum physics and technology.

The Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance launched in January with a ceremony in Annapolis; and focuses on cross-disciplinary collaborations in quantum technology. The MQA consortium includes UMD and other USM institutions, and other academic, government, and industrial research centers.

Read more:

• Event announcement: “Quantum Basics for the Curious” September 22

• Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance Homepage

• MQA launch announcement, January 2020

Dress for Success in Space this Halloween!

On Thursday October 29 at 1PM, the National Air and Space Museum will offer a Live Chat with science fiction costume experts. They'll be discussing the prop and costumes of Star Wars, Star Trek, and other science fiction media.

Join in at https://airandspace.si.edu/events/air-space-live-chat-science-fiction-props-and-costumes

This is all part of their extended Air& Scare at Home virtual Halloween program; read more about it here: https://airandspace.si.edu/visit/events/air-scare-home

Breaking news! The Solar Orbiter, the joint ESA-NASA probe that launched earlier this year, has collected its first measurements on its first close pass to the sun and has sent back its first data and images. There will be a live webcast at 8AM EDT on Thursday July 16 to share the results. Be sure to check it out at https://www.nasa.gov/solarorbiterfirstlight .

The Solar Observer (nicknamed SolO, but it is not at all scruffy-looking) is in an eccentric orbit around the Sun, It will swing close to the sun every 6 months for close-up photos and other data collection, then back out into the colder reaches of space again. Every few orbits, it passes by Venus, potentially using Venus’s own gravity to boost SolO into a different orbit to get a different angle on the Sun.

 In addition to cameras, spectrometers, and other imaging sensors, SolO carries a sophisticated magnetometer and particle detectors to analyze the Sun’s magnetosphere. Goals of the project include a better understanding of the structure of the Sun and the space around it, the origins of solar wind, and the behaviour of solar eruptions.

Read more:

Press release: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-esa-to-release-first-images-from-solar-orbiter-mission

Mission homepage: https://sci.esa.int/web/solar-orbiter/home

Goddard analysis of SolO’s orbit https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13532

For millenia, humans have watched the skies and used physical reasoning to predict the apparent motion of the sun and stars. Sometimes, they would use this knowledge to build structures that aligned with the sun on certain days, such as the summer or winter solstice. Such places that have survived are often popular tourist attractions... which makes them a terrible place to visit this year!

So instead, check out some solstice webcams:

• Stonehenge
• Newgrange

Read more about solstices, equinoxes, and the seasons at NASA

This just in: The Society of Physics Students national office is launching a Virtual Colloquium series for the fall! 

The first colloquium will be held this week, at 3PM on Wednesday August 12. The speaker will be Dr. Renee Horton of NASA and the National Society of Black Physicists. Check out the SPS Twitter feed for details here! And follow SPS on twitter to hear about more upcoming events!

This Thursday, Oct 22, at 3PM Eastern, the Society of Physics Students will host an online Colloquium via zoom: “Radios for Jupiter: Learning to Teach while Building a Radio Telescope.” Presenting will be Dr. Nicole Gugliucci, Assistant Professor of Physics at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire, and St. Anselm undergraduates Ana Morrison and Nate Letteri.

 The event is free and open to all. They will discuss the Radio JOVE Project, a citizen science program where students build their own instrumentation and contribute to radio astronomy observations.

 Dr. Gugliucci is also the SPS Zone Councilor for Zone 1. She received her PhD from the University of Virginia in 2012, and has published on radio astronomy and science education. She is also a popular science communicator, presenting on New Hampshire Public Radio and at multiple science fiction conventions.

Read more:

• Details and Zoom registration  https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_c9vzAMVySFm7lOlRCG2R9w

• More upcoming and past SPS Colloquia

• National Society of Physics Students Homepage

• Nicole Gugliucci bio

• St. Anselm Physics Department

A great many exciting events coming up this month in UMD science! The University of Maryland strives to present important and informative programs across the sciences.

Prof. Ellen Williams will present a special UMD Physics Colloquium on November 10: “Science meets politics: The status of clean energy innovation in Maryland.” Prof. Williams is lead author on the recent Maryland Energy Innovation Institute report to the state of Maryland on the present and future of energy programs. Check out the event at the Colloquium page: https://umdphysics.umd.edu/events/physicscolloquia.html and learn more about the report at the MEI² site.

On Friday, November 13, the CMNS Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council and the Clark School Diversity Council will co-host a virtual film screening and discussion of the film "Picture a Scientist" on the progress and challenges facing women in science. Register at https://go.umd.edu/pictureascientist

On Tuesday November 17 will be the Shih-I Pai Lecture featuring Alán Aspuru-Guzik of the University of Toronto’s Matter Lab. The Shih-I Pai Lecture celebrates important research related to fluid and plasma dynamics in memory of the late Prof. Pai. Prof. Aspuru-Guzik will present on “Where Computational Science Meets Experiment: Self-Driving Laboratories for Materials Discovery,” including innovations in materials and pharmaceuticals research. Visit the Matter Lab at https://www.matter.toronto.edu/ , and see more about the event at the Physics Colloquium page: https://umdphysics.umd.edu/events/physicscolloquia.html

 And looking further ahead, on Friday November 20^th Prof Thomas of IREAP will present his Distinguished Scholar-Teacher Lecture "Optics and Electronics in Flatland: The Surprising Capabilities of 2D Materials."

 See the CMNS Calendar for details and registration: https://cmns.umd.edu/news-events/events

There are multiple sets of exciting online events to check out this fall!

First off, we’ve reported before on the American Physical Society’s webinar series. They have established several webinar series, and many of their past recordings are also available online. You can visit the individual series pages for videos and to watch for postings of new events

APS Webinar Series: Making Physics Inclusive and Equitable

 https://www.aps.org/programs/minorities/webinars/

APS Webinar Series: Career Development for International Physicists

https://www.aps.org/webinars/international.cfm

APS Webinar Series: Engaging the Public through Science

 https://www.aps.org/webinars/engaging.cfm

APS Webinar Series: Physics Career Exploration

https://www.aps.org/webinars/careers.cfm

The American Institute of Physics’ Center for History of Physics hosts the Lynne Starling Trimble History of Science lecture series, which focuses on historians and writers exploring the role of science in modern society and culture. Their website has the schedule of upcoming events and links to recordings of past lectures.

 Lyne Starling Trimble History of Science Public Lectures

https://www.aip.org/history-programs/physics-history/trimble-lectures

Physics Today magazine hosts a series of webinars on important developments and issues in physics. Upcoming topics include the Casimir effect, the fluid dynamics of sharks, and methods of teaching quantum physics.

https://physicstoday.scitation.org/pto/info/resources/webinars

The American Association for the Advancement of Science also hosts online public lectures, live chats, and virtual conferences on issues in science and science policy.

https://www.aaas.org/events

The Linda Hall Library hosts virtual events in a variety of science and technology areas. Upcoming talks include the spread of banned books in early modern Europe (including Copernicus), the history of relativity, and the impact of climate change on whalesong.

https://www.lindahall.org/events/

Finally, The Carnegie Institution for Science is hosting a series of virtual talks on scientific topics. Upcoming events include Dr. Timothy Strobel on metastable materials, Dr. John O’Keefe on the hippocampus, and Dr. Alycia Weinberger on infrared spectrography.

Carnegie Science Upcoming Events

https://carnegiescience.edu/events

Carnegie Lecture Archive

https://carnegiescience.edu/past-events

In these times of pandemic and stress, it can be hard to stay in touch with what’s happening in the field. But the shift to online events does also give us the opportunity to learn from people we might not otherwise have access to. Here are some ongoing series of webinars worth checking out.

• Las Positas College and Lawrence Livermore National Lab offer online seminars: Theory to Practice: How Science is Done

http://www.laspositascollege.edu/llnl/index.php

•  Jet Propulsion Lab offers Teaching Space With NASA, with monthly webinars and periodic in-depth virtual workshops

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teaching-space/

• The Solar Decathalon project hosts virtual talks on topics around energy and the environment

https://www.solardecathlon.gov/virtual_sessions.html

• Lawrence Berkeley Lab offers career talks with a variety of guest experts

https://k12education.lbl.gov/programs/virtual-programs/career-talks

The solstice is coming! As many of us are very ready to say goodbye to 2020, we in the northern hemisphere will have the shortest of its days (while our southern hemisphere friends will have the longest). The official moment of the solstice will come at 5:02AM Monday morning, December 21.

The winter solstice is the point at which the Earth's axis of rotation is pointed farthest away from the sun for this hemisphere, and thus the other hemisphere is pointed closest to the sun for their summer solstice. It's traditionally been called but the first day of winter, and midwinter day, contradictorilly; but in terms of winter weather, we've certainly already had some for a few days now! It's long been an event marked by festivities, as we mentioned in our previous blogpost.

Also, for this weekend and through the solstice, keep an eye out for the Ursid meteors, which typically are at their peak this time of year. Read more about them at Earth&Sky.

UMD Physics will be hosting virtual outreach programs this summer! There will be programs for several grade levels, in elementary, middle, and high schools. Preregistration is required for these workshops.

 Check out all the details at https://umdphysics.umd.edu/events/summer-programs.html

 And read up on other summer programs around campus: https://today.umd.edu/articles/2021-umd-summer-camps-ace771d5-add3-4245-8be4-0e5d1ff03aff