Elizabeth – Page 2 – The Graduate Physics and Astronomy Society at Notre Dame

September 1, 2017

Student Spotlight – Nirupama Sensharma

Nominations for next month’s student spotlight can be made here.

Nirupama is a third year working with Umesh Garg in the Experimental Nuclear Physics division. She uses gamma spectroscopy to study the exotic phenomena exhibited by triaxial nuclei. She is currently investigating the rare process of wobbling in triaxial nuclei in A~130 region as well as looking for different regions in the nuclear chart where triaxiality (and hence wobbling) is expected. Nirupama came to the University of Notre Dame from India, but has never felt out of place thanks to the friendly and helpful atmosphere. One of her most exciting accomplishments thus far includes selection for the 2017 cohort of the NSF sponsored training program Social Responsibilities of Researchers (SRR) in the Reilly Center. As a part of SRR, she will design a website to introduce the non-science population to the basic applications of Nuclear physics.

July 27, 2017July 27, 2017

Student Spotlight – Jason Wiggins

Nominations for next month’s student spotlight can be made here.

Jason is a seventh year working with Peter Garnavich. His research strives to better understand the characteristics of isolated galaxies in underdense regions of the universe and how they compare to galaxies in higher density regions. He previously worked at American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) with Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. Jason is a self-proclaimed “science fiction enthusiast,” so much so that he sometimes trips over all his books. Upon graduating from the University of Notre Dame, he is looking forward to continuing his research as a Post-Doc.

July 27, 2017

Science Policy Initiative

The Science Policy Initiative (SPI) is a student-run group focusing on issues at the intersection of science and society. We encourage dialogue on campus around policy issues, strive to improve our science communication skills, and serve as a professional development resource for students interested in science policy careers. SPI hosts a number of events throughout the year to serve our campus community. We have regular monthly meetings to discuss current events and recent developments in science policy. We host guest speakers from both on- and off-campus to speak about their careers and viewpoints on science and society. We meet with our local, state, and national legislators to communicate the importance of their support for science. We participate in outreach events in our local community to promote enthusiasm and support for science among the general public. Email us today at scipolnd@nd.edu to join! Find us on Facebook (@SciencePolicyInitiativeND) and Twitter (@SciPolND)!