News and events
In the January 2010 statistical study of bachelor’s degrees in physics, the American Institute of Physics ranked our Department of Physics and Astronomy fifth of all master’s-granting departments nationwide in the number of physics bachelor’s degrees awarded. In the December 2011 study of bachelor’s degrees in astronomy, we were ranked second in the nation for bachelor’s-granting departments.
The 2012 Freeport McMoRan Gold and Copper Foundation Lecture will feature Deanne Bell of Discovery Channel's Smash Lab
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM in the Cline Library Assembly Hall
Deanne received her B.S. in mechanical engineering in 2002 from Washington University in St. Louis and has been fluent in geek ever since. Her work experience ranges from designing FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) and LADAR optical navigation systems for the aerospace industry to working in product development for a CAD software startup.
Most recently, Deanne analyzed the science of destruction as a host on Discovery Channel's Smash Lab, a show that tested out-of-the-ordinary engineering solutions against some of the world's largest crashes. She previously hosted Design Squad, an educational show for teens on PBS and is currently in production for a new show called Money Hunters on the DIY Network.
Career and graduate
school fairs
Date: March 7, 2012
Time: Noon to 4 pm
Location: Ashurst Hall (Building 11)
Event details:
This fair, which is open to all university students, focuses on jobs in science, engineering, and technology.
Date: March 7, 2012
Time: 10 am - 3 pm
Location: High Country Conference Center
Event details:
This fair, which is open to all university students as well as the Flagstaff
community, gives you the opportunity to network and recruit.
Undergraduate Research
2012 Undergraduate Research and Design Symposium (UGRADS)
Friday April 27th, 2012 in the duBois Conference Center
Posters, talks, luncheon, and more
Seminars
Date: Thursdays during the academic year
Time: 2:45
Location: Liberal Arts 125
Event details:
Presentations from faculty and other experts on research and more.
Date: Tuesdays
during the academic year
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: room
103 in building 12
Event details:
Research presentations from university faculty and students.
Other events
Louis Agassiz Prize
Announcing the 6th Annual Louis Agassiz Prize for Excellence in Writing essay competition, open to all currently enrolled NAU undergraduates working toward their first NAU baccalaureate degree. The competition is intended to encourage and reward students for writing about topics related to science and technology. Founded by three NAU Alumni and one Friend of NAU, the grand prize pays $2,000! Second place ($1,250) and third place ($750) prizes may also be awarded dependent upon the quality of essays received.
The essay topic for 2011-2012 is:
“Can Machines Think?”
From laptop computers and iPads to smartphones, car navigation systems, and medical implants, computing devices have come to play an ever-larger role in our lives, lending new importance to a question the English mathematician Alan Turing posed in 1950: Can machines think? From today’s perspective, do smart machines in fact think?
Please visit the official Louis Agassiz Prize for Excellence in Writing webpage for:
- Important background reading links
- Specific essay formatting requirements & submission instructions
- Official rules & regulations
ENTRY DEADLINE: 5:00 PM, JANUARY 23, 2012