Posted on Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Dr. Samuel Lightner, Westminster College professor of physics and chair of the Physics Department, recently attended a week-long professional meeting in Philadelphia of the Division of Plasma Physics (DPP) of the American Physical Society (APS).
"During the meeting, I concentrated on both educational and outreach activities," Lightner said of his experience at the Division of Plasma Physics meeting. "I was a co-presenter for three workshops for high school teachers in conjunction with the APS-DPP sponsored Teachers' Day. One workshop was titled "Plasmas 101," and the other two were "Fusion Demonstration Activities for Your Classroom." Seventy-one teachers registered for these workshops.
Later in the week, again through the sponsorship of the APS-DPP and support from the Department of Energy, presentations were done for students in classrooms in two inner city Philadelphian schools and one suburban school. The presentations were on topics in plasma physics and fusion science. More than 260 students attended the various presentations.
Lightner, who has been with Westminster College since 1970, earned his undergraduate degree from Randolph-Macon College, and his master's and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.
Contact Lightner at (724) 946-7204 or by e-mail lightner@westminster.edu for more information.
