The Physics Department lecture demonstration office (one of the largest in the nation) is looking for a fun, energetic, and loyal student with that “creative edge”:  someone with a background in the physical sciences or within physics itself, someone interested to learn more about physics, physics demonstrations, and audio/video equipment.  Initially for 10 hours per week, with the possibility for more hours. Freshmen are welcome and encouraged to apply. Work-study are welcome to apply. Work trial period of one semester, with the possibility of continuation throughout the summer and into following year(s).

Job Requirements:

• Some general physics knowledge is a plus.
• Have a desire to learn more about physics and audio-visual equipment
• Must have a working  knowledge of hand tools and/or willing to learn
• Be able to listen and follow instructions, but also present alternative solutions to problems.
• Be able to work both independently and as a team.
• Having the ablity to work during most of the summer months, big Plus!
• Having the ablity to work most Fridays from 3pm-4:30pm, big plus!
• Working knowledge of Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and other microcontrollers would be awesome.
• Able to lift and move equipment (50lbs)

Job Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Assist in the digitally record our weekly departmental colloquia on Friday afternoons and other lectures, and digital editing.
• Assist with the physics museum, tours, and our annual physics demo shows.
• Assist with researching and archiving of lecture demonstration equipment, including making and repairing equipment, fixing cabinets, data entry, labeling, and much more.
• Assist with audio/video maintenance, including pulling wire, testing cables, making cable, installing equipment, labeling, and troubleshooting.
• Assist with various odd jobs, cleaning whiteboards, hanging things, fixing broken items, woodworking such as sanding, painting and varnishing.

Please submit to Steve Narf (Room 2237 Chamberlin) or Jim Reardon (Room 2320g Chamberlin):

• Cover letter expressing interest in this job
• Resume & Skills
• Reference –

 

The Physics, Astronomy, and Math libraries will undergo a consolidation over the course of the next two years, beginning in May 2019. The UW-Madison Libraries have embarked on a major effort to transform campus libraries to better meet the changing needs of the campus community. This is a closely coordinated effort with the Physics, Astronomy, and Math departments, as well as the College of Letters & Science.

Summer – Fall 2019

• Changes to pick-up locations for reserves and ILL materials for Astronomy and Physics beginning in May 2019.
• Physics Library temporarily closes and Astronomy Library closes permanently.
• Physics Library and Astronomy Library collections are consolidated into the newly combined library or moved to a shelving facility.

Spring 2020

• Combined Physics and Astronomy Collections re-open as combined Physical Sciences Library.
• Math Library permanently closes and is consolidated into the Physical Sciences Library.

Summer 2020

• Tentative: Combined Physical Sciences Library temporarily closes or partially closes for redevelopment of user spaces. Collections remain available.

Fall 2020

• Combined Physical Sciences Library reopens with all active collections & services available.

Graduate student Abigail Shearrow wins a three-year Department of Defense Quantum Computing Graduate Research (QuaCGR) Fellowship! Her project is “Atomic layer deposition of superconducting nitrides for us in C-parity qubit.” She will be working with Prof. Robert McDermott on this project.

The goal of the fellowship is to stimulate U.S. graduate student participation in research related to quantum computing and to assist in the training of graduate students to prepare them for careers in quantum information science.

Lev Ioffe, Lara Faoro, and Robert McDermott selected as WARF Innovation Award Finalists for an improved qubit circuit to advance quantum computing.

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $218 million in funding for 85 research awards nationwide in the important emerging field of Quantum Information Science (QIS). The awards were made in conjunction with the White House Summit on Advancing American Leadership in QIS, highlighting the high priority that the Administration places on advancing this multidisciplinary area of research, which is expected to lay the foundation for the next generation of computing and information processing as well as an array of other innovative technologies.

University of Wisconsin, Madison Physics Department, in collaboration with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, was awarded one of these awards. This will be a collaboration between subatomic physicists (Balantekin, Palladino), and quantum information physicists (Coppersmith, Saffman) in the Physics Department. The project will explore the ways in which quantum computing and information processing provide insights into dark matter, particularly dark matter detection and neutrino physics. The P.I. of the award, Prof. Baha Balantekin said “This is a transformative project for the UW Physics Department, combining several subdisciplines of physics which represent core competencies of the Physics Department. We expect the effort to substantially grow beyond the initial funding period to strengthen the UW leadership in this frontier area.”