SPS Zone 5 Meeting

SPS Zone Meeting Narrative

On Saturday February 1st at NC State’s Riddick Hall, physics students from Fifty-one attendees from nine universities across North and South Carolina gathered for a day filled with scientific activities and community building. The day began at 9:00 AM, where NC State volunteers arrived early to ensure everything ran smoothly. They set up signs around the building, manned check-in tables at main entrances, arranged food, and prepared the presentation space. Around 9:45  attendees started to arrive and were greeted with bagels, cream cheese, yogurt, fruit, and an assortment of gluten-free and vegan snacks. Coffee, with a variety of creamers, added to the welcoming atmosphere as students mingled and chatted before the activities began for the day.

Welcome remarks from Nora, Anthony, and SPS President Nico officially kicked off the event at 10:15. Nico then led ice breakers that encouraged students to rotate partners every three minutes, helping them meet peers from different schools. The room buzzed with conversation as students discovered shared interests and exchanged contact information.

After the ice breakers, Nora and Anthony shared SPS announcements and details about PhysCon, generating interest among attendees unfamiliar with the national event. A brief break led into the lab tours, a much-anticipated part of the day. While only about 20 students had RSVP’d, many others joined spontaneously. Despite the last-minute adjustments, everyone was accommodated.

The lab tours were a highlight. Students visited the Bio Physics lab, Soft Matter Physics lab, and the Education and Research Laboratory (EaRL). Faculty and student guides stayed afterward to answer questions and discuss their research, motivating many undergraduates to consider research opportunities. The Soft Matter physics lab tour which was led by an undergraduate was the most popular tour. Her tour featured equipment used to study gradual physics, which just so happened to be lots and lots of colorful lights. Each room in the lab glowed a different color for each type of experiment and was very eye-catching.

Lunch followed in the Hearth—a spacious, well-lit area decorated with physics demos and art. Pizza, veggie trays, and gluten-free vegan options catered to everyone. During lunch, a panel of four graduate students shared their experiences in physics and grad school. The panel included a first-year student, a second-year student, one nearing the end of their PhD, and another midway through. The panel featured women and gender minorities, a mix of academic and industry goals,and both traditional and non traditional students. The diversity of the panel helped include and connect with all students in the audience. The panel offered valuable insights for students at all stages of their academic journeys. They discussed topics like selecting a PI, handling grad school challenges, and exploring non-traditional PhD paths. Many attendees found this session helpful, with several staying afterward to ask further questions.

Next, tote bag painting was held indoors due to rain. The Hearth became a creative space, with tables covered in tarps and a variety of stencils available. Students moved between tables, decorating personalized tote bags while chatting and listening to music. The activity was so popular that many wished it had lasted longer, offering a fun, artistic break from the day’s scientific focus.

The day continued with liquid nitrogen ice cream. Students were intrigued by the smoke from the liquid nitrogen and many students eagerly participated in making the ice cream. There was a variety of flavoring and topping including freeze dried strawberries, sprinkles, and chocolate, mocha, caramel and white chocalte syrup that students could put on either regular or dairy free ice cream. Following this student enjoyed their icecream as they watched their peers give poster talks.

Four students showcased their research, providing a glimpse into the diverse topics their peers were exploring:

1. Ian Simpson and Ryan Johnson presented "Studying the Total Solar Eclipse on 8 April 2024," featuring data on temperature, pressure, UV light, and audio recordings of wildlife.

2. Demi Butler presented "Advanced High-Resolution Imaging and Spectroscopy of NGC 2770, Messier 5, and the Orion Nebula," using imaging techniques from the Perkins Telescope Observatory.

3. Evan McNees presented "A Dynamical Model for the Decretion Disk in X-Persei," focusing on the hydrodynamical modeling of a Be X-ray binary star system.

The poster session was educational and engaging, giving presenters valuable practice and attendees a glimpse of the research opportunities available in physics.

As the day concluded, Nico delivered closing remarks, and group photos were taken to commemorate the event. Despite the full schedule, the energy and enthusiasm remained high. Attendees left with new friends, valuable knowledge, and a stronger connection to the physics community.

The SPS Zone Meeting was a great success, thanks to the hard work of volunteers, thoughtfully planned activities, and the active participation of students and faculty. It was a day of learning, connection, and professional development—an excellent example of SPS's commitment to academic and professional growth.