News

John Thompson in front of a whiteboard

Dr. John Thompson Receives Promotion

Our own Dr. John Thompson was recently promoted from Associate Professor of Physics to full Professor, which takes effect September first of this year. Dr. Thompson has been teaching at the University of Maine since 2002, and over the years has been very involved both within the Physics department, as well as the Maine Center […]

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Maine Science Festival Starts March 18

The second annual Maine Science Festival begins today, March 18! Fun and educational panels, activities and events for scientists of all ages are planned at several locations throughout the city of Bangor and nearby areas. Events include, but are by no means limited to: Owl pellet autopsies, presentations on the science of wine-making, a panel […]

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Ben Schermerhorn with a posterboard for his project

Thompson, Schermerhorn Attend Math Education Research Conference

Dr. John Thompson and graduate student, Benjamin Schermerhorn, recently traveled to Pittsburgh to present on two different research projects and in a Working Group at the 19th Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education.  They were joined by colleagues from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and the College of Education and Human Development, so […]

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Robert Meulenberg

February 26th Colloquium

Colloquium Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Maine, Orono Robert Meulenberg Associate Professor of Physics Department of Physics and Astronomy/Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology University of Maine   will speak on “Unusual Magnetic and Optical Properties of Nanostructures”     Abstract: The study of colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) has been an active […]

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Nikki Curthoys using equipment in lab clothing and gloves

Bon Voyage!

Our Post-Doc of four years, Nikki Curthoys, is heading back home to Australia! During her time here she produced immeasurable research and countless papers, working in Dr. Sam Hess’ FPALM Lab. She made a great many friends in the department and will be missed by all of us. Good luck in all that you do, […]

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Michael Wittmann in front of the Emera Center

Wittmann named Fellow

October, 2015   Professor and Department Chair, Dr. Michael Wittmann, has been named a Fellow of the American Physical Society for his “foundational research into student learning of physics, pioneering work in K-12 teacher development, and leadership in building community for physics education researchers.” Only about half of one percent of APS members are named […]

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Orion Nebula

Orion Nebula

October, 2015 Graduate Student and Acting Director of the Emera Astronomy Center, Scott Mitchell, took this photo recently of the Great Orion Nebula. The picture was taken using four 5-minute exposures through clear, red, blue and green filters on our state-of-the-art, research grade telescope. This image gives us a wonderful view of the nebula, which […]

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Nissen Defense

November, 2015 Thesis Defense JAYSON NISSEN Candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy (in Physics) degree SELF-EFFICACY STATE EXPERIENCES IN INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS:  A GENDER STUDY Nationally, few undergraduates choose physics as a major, and among those who do, very few are women. One potential contributor to this problem is the impact that physics instruction seems to […]

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Mlodzianoski Defense

November, 2015 Thesis Defense MICHAEL MLODZIANOSKI Candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy (in Physics) degree Spectral Measurements and Super Resolution Imaging of Single Molecules for Fluorescence Photoactivation Localization Microscopy Due to the diffraction limit of light, the resolution of fluorescence light microscopy is limited to ~250 nm. Super resolution techniques such as Fluorescence Photoactivation Localization […]

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Grad Assistants Receive Teaching Awards

GRAD ASSISTANTS RECEIVE TEACHING AWARDS The UMaine Center for Teaching Excellence has honored graduate teaching assistants Anna J. Schliep (PHY Graduate Student) and Adam Barker-Hoyt (MST Graduate Student) with 2009 Teaching Assistant Awards. Schliep, a Bangor native, who teaches in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, will receive the Teaching Instructor Collaboration Award. Barker-Hoyt, of […]

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