News & Announcements
Observatory status: Due to COVID-19 precautions, we have canceled all in-person star
parties and outreach activities until further notice. Please continue to follow us
on Facebook and YouTube for online astronomy content.
Physics & Astronomy Department hoodies are now available available for purchase for
$30!
https://umarket.utah.edu/um2/pa/product.php?product=104&storecookie=1 You may come to pick up your hoodie in person Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00
p.m. in JFB 201. Please wait at least one full business day after placing your order
before coming to pick it up and bring a copy of your receipt (on your phone is fine if you don't have easy access to a printer). If you're not
comfortable coming in person, you may pay an additional charge of $10 for shipping/handling
and we'll mail it to you through USPS Priority Mail. We've rounded up the cost to
$30 each, which includes tax. The couple dollars “profit” from each sweatshirt will
go to the Physics & Astronomy Student Emergency Fund. More information about this
fund may be found here: https://give.communityfunded.com/o/university-of-utah-39/i/ustarter/s/physics
COVID-19 Updates for U of U Campus and Community
Department Main Office Hours (JFB 201)
Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Accounting Office (JFB 203)
Mondays and Thursdays only, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.; other times by appointment.
These hours are subject to change at any time.
Perseverance Rover's Journey to Mars
Perseverance Rover's Journey to MarsThe world held its breath as NASA’s multibillion-dollar Perseverance Rover landed successfully on Mars to look for signs of life—and to prepare for future human explorers last month. U alum Thomas Stucky, was one of the millions of people glued to NASA’s live stream of the harrowing landing. Stucky is a KBRWyle engineer at NASA’s Ames Research Center where he wrote software for robotic drill arms similar to the ones on Perseverance, then tested them on extreme Earth locations that resemble the Martian landscape. Here is a Q&A with him.
Ramón Barthelemy Honored for Physics Scholarship, Advocacy
Ramón Barthelemy Honored for Physics Scholarship, AdvocacyThe American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) has awarded Ramón S. Barthelemy the Doc Brown Futures Award, an honor that recognizes early-career members who demonstrate excellence in their contributions to physics education and exhibit excellent leadership. Barthelemy, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Utah, is an early-career physicist with a record of groundbreaking scholarship and advocacy that has advanced the field of physics education research as it pertains to gender issues and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT)+ physicists.
Gail Zasowski Named a Cottrell Scholar
Dr. Gail Zasowski, assistant professor of the Department of Physics & Astronomy, has been named a 2021 Cottrell Scholar. The Cottrell Scholar program, run by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, honors early-career faculty members for the quality and innovation of not only their research programs but also their educational activities and their academic leadership.