Lynchburg youth get taste of science at Randolph College

Excitement for science was palpable Tuesday afternoon as participants in Lynchburg Parks and Recreation summer programs came to Randolph College to learn about electricity.


Peter Sheldon, a physics professor, showed the children how electricity from Tesla coils and Van de Graaff generators—also called lightning machines—interacts with packaging popcorn, pie plates, and human hair.





Sheldon encouraged the students to attend the College's Science Festival, scheduled for March 23—25 next year, to participate in more cool science experiments.

Physics Club Wins National Award

The Randolph College chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) has been named an Outstanding Chapter by the National Society of Physics Students for 2008-2009.

This is the fourth national Outstanding Chapter award for the club, having earned the honor in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2007-08.

"We have an outstanding group of students who are passionate about physics," said faculty advisor Peter Sheldon, professor of physics. "We won this award because of their dedication to bringing science to the public."

The award is the culmination of a very eventful 2008-09 academic year for the group.

• The chapter won the 2008 Blake Lilly Prize for their work with Randolph's annual Science Day for local elementary school children. That event also won them the Randolph College award for Best Philanthropic Event.


• SPS hosted activities for all students including field trips to an amusement park to enjoy the physics of rollercoasters and the Smithsonian Institution, a photo contest, a project to design and build a t-shirt gun, and a Wii tournament.


• In addition, four physics majors received travel grants from SPS National to attend and present research at the American Physical Society National Meeting.


• SPS President Wai Sze Cheung, with the help of SPS, coached a group of children in the FIRST Robotics tournament.


• SPS ran the Lynchburg area’s first Science Festival, and their signature event, Science Day, attracted about 300 children, teachers, and their families.


• Randolph hosted the Society of Physics Students’ Zone 4 Meeting, a regional student physics conference.

Sheldon praised the 2008-09 officers of the SPS for their leadership and all the clubs members for their enthusiasm They were ...

• President: Wai Sze (Winncy) Cheung
• Vice President: Tiffany Paonessa
• Secretary: Catherine Khoo
• Treasurer: Yanpaing Oo
• Historian: Nema Marjana

Links

• Learn more about Randolph College Physics Department
• Dr. Peter Sheldon discusses what it's like to study physics at Randolph
• Society of Physics Student web site
• Randolph Physics Videos on YouTube
• Physics Department in the News
• SPS presents The Human Hamster Wheel

Peter Sheldon Named Finalist in National Competition

Randolph College physics professor Peter Sheldon has been named a finalist in the national Society of Physics Students (SPS) Outstanding Advisor award competition.

Sheldon is one of just 18 professors nationwide chosen in the competition. The winner will be announced during the winter meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers.

Professors are chosen for the award through a competitive nomination process. The Award Committee chooses the national winner based on leadership, student leadership development, support, and the encouragement provided by the advisor.

Gary D. White, director of the SPS said the professors chosen to be finalists “represent the best of those that serve as mentors to physics students.”

In addition to leading Randolph College’s active SPS chapter, Sheldon serves as director of the dual-degree engineering program, the Summer Research program, and is assistant coach of the men’s and women’s cross country teams.

Physics Students Teach Cub Scouts the Science of Speed

Members of the Randolph College Society of Physics Students spent their Saturday morning with the Cub Scouts of Pack 48. They conducted a hands-on workshop, applying the lessons of physics to build faster Pinewood Derby race cars.

A longtime scouting tradition, the Pinewood Derby challenges scouts to build a wooden race car from a standard kit and then race them on a track. The competition begins within a pack and carries over to regional councils.

Professor Peter Sheldon and his students gave a physics lesson on how weight, gravity, speed, stability, friction, drag and other variables affect a car's performance and then broke out into groups to test different designs and setups.

Read more > > >

Video: Kacey Meaker

Alumna Kacey Meaker talks about how Randolph College prepared her for her doctoral work in physics. She describes the research she conducted as an undergraduate student with professor Peter Sheldon on the physics of rollercoasters which led to their co-authoring a book on the subject.



Watch more Randolph College videos > > >

Physics Professor Peter Sheldon Wins Larew Award

Physics professor honored for distinguished teaching.

Professor of Physics Peter Sheldon

Professor of Physics Peter Sheldon is the 2009-10 recipient of the Gillie A. Larew Award for Distinguished Teaching.

The honor was announced during Randolph College's Convocation ceremony on September 1, 2009.

The award is given annually to a member of the Randolph faculty who has demonstrated excellence as a classroom teacher.

In presenting the award, Dennis Stevens, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college, praised Sheldon for his commitment to teaching in and out of the classroom. "He challenges students to see the world around them in new perspectives. His students talk about the excitement of seeing the practical application of theory."

Sheldon is active throughout the campus - from building a human-sized hamster wheel with the Society of Physics Students to launching projectiles across the quad during class. He is active in the College's Summer Research Program, working with a student on a book about the physics of roller coasters, as well as other projects.

An avid runner, Sheldon serves as assistant coach to the men's and women's cross country teams and in August 2009 finished his first Ironman Triathlon.