Grove City College Physics majors Seth Byard ’19 of Sherman, N.Y., and Ryan King ’20 of Rocklin, Calif., were awarded a cash prize for the nanotechnology research they presented at a recent scientific meeting in Pittsburgh.
Their submission on “Microscale Pattern Fabrication on PTFE Using a Focused Electron Beam” was one of five posters that received a $200 award at the meeting of the Western Pennsylvania section of the American Vacuum Society (AVS). Fourteen posters describing research results in physics, chemistry, engineering, and materials science were on display. Most of the work presented was performed by graduate students and post-doctoral scientists, accompanied by a small number of undergraduate projects.
Other meeting attendees from Grove City College were Zachary Johnson ’19, who presented a poster on “Fabrication of Reproducible Micro-Bridge Structures”, and Dr. Jeffrey P. Wolinski, professor of Physics and research advisor for these projects. Wolinski’s research students have now earned two conference poster awards in the last four months.
“The successes of our nanotech research group exemplify the talent and training received by all of our physics majors, and the type of research opportunities available within the physics department at Grove City College,” Dr. Shane Brower, chair of the Department of Physics, said.
Researchers from Grove City College, University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, West Virginia University, Washington and Jefferson College and various high-tech firms in the Pittsburgh area attended the meeting. The interdisciplinary nature of AVS, and this event, was clearly evident in the many fields represented by the participants.
The Department of Physics at Grove City College prepares students to enter employment in a wide variety of professional sectors, to excel in top graduate and professional school programs and to teach physics using the latest research-informed methods.