Zone 13 – Joint APT, AAPT, SPS Meeting

This fall, the 2017 joint meeting of APS, AAPT, and the Society of Physics Students was held in Richardson, Texas, at the University of Texas at Dallas from October 19th through October 21st. On the 19th, eight members of our chapter began the 4-hour drive from Seguin, Texas, representing Texas Lutheran University.

The first day of the event began for us on the 20th. The day started with tours: Participants could visit either the university’s $85 million Natural Science and Engineering Laboratory for materials science or the William B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences. While in the NSERL, we learned about the different deposition/fabrication processes of thin films/semiconductor materials at high temperatures. We learned about the relationship between UT Dallas and their close friends at Texas Instruments, where many TI employees have gone on to become research associates/lab technicians at UT Dallas and vice versa.

Once the tour was over, we were led back to the main conference area for networking, posters, and talks.

Throughout the event, six speakers were invited to talk: Prof. Allan MacDonald, Prof. Dean Sherry, Prof. Karl Gebhardt, Prof. Lisa Whitehead Koerner, Dr. Moogega Stricker, and Prof. Vernita Gordon. Their talks ranged from biophysics to particle physics to the Mars 2020 mission and the importance of planetary protection.

The second day of the event, we held the sessions on various physics topics given by undergraduates, graduates, and faculty. Prizes were awarded for the best talks of each session, which motivated everyone to bring their A game! SPS sessions were held for undergraduates, while there were separate sessions for those looking into more specific areas of physics like nuclear, astrophysics, biophysics, materials, particle physics, and much more.

Overall, the meeting was a great success for everyone who attended. There were plenty of activities throughout the event and great talks given by talented speakers. Attending the Zone 13 meeting was a great experience, and it really inspired others to take part in SPS events, as well as shape career paths for those who were able to explore different areas of physics that they may not have known existed. //