University Libraries STEM Speaker Series, “Mastering the Electromagnetic Spectrum and Using it to Learn About Nature”

The University Libraries is very pleased to announce its second lecture of the fall 2018 STEM Speaker Series presented by Dr. Thomas Allison from the Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics.
 
Title: “Mastering the Electromagnetic Spectrum and Using it to Learn About Nature”
Date: Tuesday, October 16 from 1pm-2pm
Location: Special Collections Seminar Room, E2340, second floor of the Melville Library
 
Most of what we associate with the word “technology” derives from our ever increasing ability to control electromagnetic fields. From the early days of telephone and radio communication to the current era of the internet and GHz microprocessors, physicists and engineers have worked relentlessly to produce and utilize electromagnetic fields of higher frequencies and larger coherent bandwidths. In this talk, Dr. Allison will discuss how now physicists can control light waves and even x-rays using a new type of laser called a frequency comb. Frequency combs now allow us to build the most precise atomic clocks and generate attosecond pulses of soft x-rays – the shortest manmade events – pushing the boundaries of what scientists can measure in the “natural” world.
 
We welcome students, faculty, staff, and the general public to register here and join us for this special event.