National Science Week is just around the corner! To celebrate, the Physics Students’ Society will be holding another session of Physics in the Pub, a panel-led discussion on physics and the world around us, over a meal and a drink with friends.
The topic will be:
Can Physics Change Climate Change?
We’ll look at the people, the projects and the prospects for dealing with climate change through physics and other fields of science and engineering.
Joining us on the evening will be our panel:
- David Jamieson, Head, School of Physics, University of Melbourne
- Grant Schuster, Ernst & Young Sustainability Advisory Services
- Rachel Webster, Astrophysics Group, University of Melbourne
- Simon Torok, Communications, Marine and Atmospheric Research, CSIRO
Details:
All are welcome: we had at least sixty people show up to the previous Physics at the Pub, Can Physics Save the World? and had a great discussion.
There are also some other great National Science Week events running next week, so check out the website and go see some great science.
Also, if you’re around the University on Sunday, remember the PSS will be at the University of Melbourne Open Day, so drop round, say hello and see our awesome demo of the Meissner effect.
The University of Melbourne Open Day for 2010 will be on Sunday, 15th August 2010. The Physics Students’ Society once again have a stall at Open Day to showcase what we do, as well as physics generally at the University.
We’ve also got some fantastic demonstrations lined up. The double pendulum will be making a reappearance, and we’ll have a liquid-nitrogen–cool demonstration of the Meissner effect. If you’re around Uni that day, drop by and say hi. We’ll be on the Concrete Lawn, in purple.
We’ll also be holding Physics in the Pub in conjunction with National Science Week the day afterwards. More details will be forthcoming soon!
As the more hip members will already be aware (via our Facebook page) we are planning a few exam revision sessions throughout SWOTVAC. The times and dates are as follows:
- Date: Tuesday 3rd November and Tuesday 10th November 2009
- Time: 10 AM — 3 PM
- Venue: Conference Room, Level 7, Physics Building
This Tuesday, we plan to give the study day at least SOME air of dignity to acknowledge Cup Day. We intend to traverse in a particle-like-fashion down to Lygon street and collect highly decadent snackage and refreshments. Formal dress code is optional in the extreme.
See you there!
The Physics Students’ Society has organised a special excursion to the Australian Synchrotron exclusively for PSS members.
We will be given a tour of the facility, and you will have the opportunity to walk through the synchrotron tunnels and talk to some professional physicists about their work. The tour will be followed by a free BBQ at the Synchrotron, brought to you by the PSS and the University of Melbourne School of Physics.
Details of the Excursion
- Date: Tuesday, 1st September 2009
- Time: We will be meeting at the Synchrotron at 11:15am, and the tour will commence at 11:30am sharp. The tour will last approximately one hour and will be followed by a BBQ lunch.
- Venue details: The Synchrotron is located at 800 Blackburn Road, Clayton. This is adjacent to Monash University Clayton Campus. You will need make your own way there, however we will organise a group to leave together from Melbourne Uni. This will be confirmed by email closer to the date. You’ll need appropriate footwear — in particular, no open-toed shoes.
How to Sign Up
Unfortunately, we are only able to take 40 people, as this is all the venue is able to accommodate. The best way to sign-up will be at the PSS AGM on the 25th of August. (See the “Notice of Physics Students’ Society Annual General Meeting” e-mail for further details.)
Alternatively, if you can’t make it to the AGM, you can sign up for the excursion by replying to this email with the following details:
- Full name
- Student number
- Preferred email address
We will send you an email confirming your place on the excursion, including any last-minute details, shortly after the AGM.
The Physics Students’ Society is planning an excursion to the open weekend at Parkes Radio Telescope, to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the first moon landing in July 1969 as well as the International Year of Astronomy 2009.
- Dates: 17 – 20 July 2009. (This is the 2nd last weekend of the holidays.)
The plan is to drive up to Parkes by car convoy on Friday 17th July, spend two days in Parkes and visit the telescope, and then return to Melbourne on July 20th.
The total cost of the event will be approximately $100 + food. This is primarily the cost of 3 night’s accommodation at Parkes. The Student Union will be substantially subsidising the cost of driving to Parkes, by an amount that will depend on numbers.
If you are interested in coming, please send us an email expressing your interest with the following details:
- Name
- Email address
- Student number
- Mobile number
- If you can bring a car (and if so, the number of seats including the driver)
- Details for someone we can contact in an emergency (name & phone number)
So we can book the accommodation in advance, registrations will close at 12 PM on Thursday 11th June. We’ll need an upfront deposit of $90 so we can secure accommodation.
Hello gentleman and ladies of the Physics Students’ Society!
In anticipation of the first semester exams, we will be holding a number of joint ‘study sessions’ in which biscuits and textbooks will be served. The first of these will be in room 1006 of the Redmond Barry building, on Monday from 1 o’clock until 3 o’clock. You are welcome to come for as long or short as you like! There is no ‘silent study’ rule – this is a chance to prepare for the exams together and help each other out, and let’s face it, talk nerdy and make nerdy friends! To the first years out there, there will be at least three second year students there who will be able to assist with any (well, almost any!) physics problems you might be facing.
The event is free and open to all members of the PSS. New members are most welcome to come and sign up.
- Date: Monday 18th May
- Time: 1.00 PM—3.00 PM
- Venue: 10.06 Redmond Barry (10th floor of the Redmond Barry building)
Hope you can make it! If you can’t make this one, fear not, there will be more.
