Scope of the Conference
The University of Nebraska - Lincoln is bringing together outstanding student researchers in Physics for a four-day conference, from Thursday, October 7th through Sunday, October 10th. You are invited to take part in this unique opportunity to expand upon your current research experiences, interact with physics students from other universities, and attend scientific talks given by scientists who are leaders in their field.
This year's conference is also a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the laser. Through a series of plenary talks, LASERPALOOZA will inform participating graduate and undergraduate students and scientists about the impact of the laser in all areas of science, give an update on recent trends and discuss the development of record-breaking new lasers.
As a participant you will be able to present your research results to your peers during invited talks or poster sessions. Social activities will also provide time for you to share your experiences and interests with other students, as well as visit with physics faculty members from UNL and other universities. These experiences will contribute to a successful career in physics by providing opportunities for you to develop your ability to convey your ideas, establish relationships with other physicists, and obtain advice and guidance for pursuing your career.
The conference will be held on UNL's city campus in downtown Lincoln, NE. Participants will stay at the Holiday Inn - Downtown Lincoln, conveniently located in the heart of the Historic Haymarket District near specialty shops and restaurants and just a few walking minutes from the conference site. Hotel accommodations and all meals during the conference will be provided for participants. Travel scholarships may be awarded in some cases to help provide support for travel-related expenses.
All local expenses, including food and hotel accommodation, are covered by our sponsors, and there is no registration fee. In addition, we are able to provide travel scholarships to undergraduate participants. Support is given upon request by the supervising faculty. More information on travel scholarships can be found on the Nominations page.
Who should attend?
The primary focus of WoPHY has been to offer undergraduate women in Physics opportunities to present their research, to interact with their peers and with faculty, and to obtain career advice. However, this year's celebration meeting reaches out to all undergraduate and graduate students. While laser science and science with lasers provides a unifying theme for the plenary talks, we invite undergraduate and graduate researchers from all areas of physics, chemistry, math and related sciences to attend, and to present their research during poster sessions.
Events and Opportunities at the Meeting
The WoPHY conference will consist of several sessions held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Each session will begin with a presentation from a keynote speaker, followed by invited talks given by undergraduate researchers. (Faculty wanting to nominate undergraduate or graduate student speakers can find more information by visiting the 'Speaker Nomination' link under the 'Registration' tab.) All registered participants will be able to present their research at the poster session, and we encourage every student to use this opportunity to highlight her or his research project and most exciting results.
The WoPHY conference schedule will also allow for plenty of opportunities to interact with other students. Every participant is encouraged to have fun sharing their ideas, experiences, and interests with new friends and future colleagues they are sure to meet. One of the highlights of the WoPHY conference will be panel discussions and presentations that focus on offering advice and information to guide aspiring physicists in their careers. Students will get in contact with established scientists and faculty, to obtain advice, to gain insight in the daily work of a scientist, to network with each other and to have fun.