Physics and 3-2 Engineering

West Virginia Wesleyan College G. Albert Popson, Jr., Chair 304-473-8070 popson@wvwc.edu

Here is information on fields of engineer-

ing, employers, internships, our schedule

of classes, our NASA affiliation, labs, new

equipment, and student projects.

Our hands-on approach puts special

emphasis on labs. In recent years, we have

benefited from grants from the U.S. Depart-

ment of Education, NSF, NASA, Dominion

Resources, and the Naylor Foundation.

These grants fund student projects and help

us keep our labs up-to-date.

Our graduates report satisfying profes-

sional careers. Our graduates often pursue an

M.S. or Ph.D., and in the last five years, our

acceptance rate into these programs is 94%. The faculty greets our 2017 freshman class in August.

What is the 3-2 Engineering Program?

This is our collaboration with West Virginia

University, Virginia Tech, and the University of

Virginia. Students study three years at Wesleyan

The 3-2 program benefits students by enabling

them to start their engineering studies in our smaller

classes. A strong physics background also enables

and then two years at

one of the universities.

Students earn two

degrees—Wesleyan’s

physics degree and the

university’s engineer-

ing degree.

Students can finish

all this in only five

years because many of

Meet our faculty—Dr. Reynolds, Dr. Popson, Dr. Wiest,

Dr. DeLaney, Mr. Grose (technician)

engineers to better

understand the theory

behind engineering

practice.

The physics back-

ground is especially

valuable to engineers

who are working on

projects at the fore-

front of the profession.

Wesleyan’s courses count toward the university’s

engineering degree, and many of the university’s

courses count toward Wesleyan’s physics degree.

In addition, many of our students successfully

participate in sports, student government, theatre,

and music.

The faculty congratulates our graduates in May, 2017.

Summer internships B.S. in Applied Physics This major is designed for students who are

interested in applications of physics to help meet

the needs of society. It is a four-year program that

combines the courses in our 3-2 Engineering and

our B.S. in Physics programs.

The program has all the components of both

modern experimental and theoretical physics. Our

hands-on approach includes one or two labs every

semester. Students succeed at summer internships

and graduate school. They obtain professional

employment in national labs and industry.

Typical class schedule

Cleveland Clinic

Energy Corporation of

America

Jefferson National Lab

Johns Hopkins Univ.

NASA-Fairmont

NASA-Glenn

NASA-Goddard

NASA-Langley

NASA-IV&V

National Energy Tech-

nology Lab

National Institute Stand-

ards & Technology

National Radio Astron-

nomy Observatory

Oak Ridge National Lab

Pennsylvania Dept. of

Transportation

Raytheon

Penn State University

Rutgers University

Shippingport Nuclear

Power Plant

Thrasher Engineering

Toyota

University of Florida

University of Kansas

Virginia Tech

Walter Reed Army

Medical Center

West Virginia Univ.

WV Division Highways

WV Wesleyan College

Year 1, Fall General Physics I 4

Calculus I 4

Composition I 3

Freshman Seminar 4

Total 15

Year 1, Spring General Physics II 4

Calculus II 4

Technology for Calculus 1

Composition II 3

General studies 3

Total 15

Josh’s picosatellite electronics must fit in the can.

Graduate schools

Year 2, Fall Light & Atomic 3

Light & Atomic Lab 1

Thermodynamics 3

Human Communication 3

Chemistry with lab 4

General studies 3

Total 17

Year 2, Spring Nuclear Physics 3

Nuclear Lab 1

Calculus III 4

Humanities 3

Electro-Optics Lab 1

General studies 3

Total 15

Year 3, Fall Electronics 3

Electronics Lab 1

Statics 3

Materials Science 3

Materials Science Lab 1

Differential Equations 4

Total 15

Year 3, Spring

Analytical Mechanics 3

Mechanics of Materials 3

Solid State Physics 3

Solid State Lab 1

Engineering Math 3

General Studies 3

Total 16

West Virginia Univ.

University of Virginia

Virginia Tech

Boston University

Case Western Reserve

Clemson University

Colorado School Mines

Duke University

Embry-Riddle Aero-

nautical University

Georgia Tech

Lehigh University

Marshall University

Ohio State University

Old Dominion Univ.

Penn State University

Purdue University

Stanford University

Texas Christian Univ.

Univ. of Alabama

Univ. of Arizona

Univ. of Cincinnati

Univ. of Florida

Univ. of Kentucky

Univ. of Maryland

Univ. of New Mexico

Univ. of North Carolina

Univ. of Oregon

Univ. of Pittsburgh

Vanderbilt University

Year 4, Fall Quantum Mechanics 3

Scientific Programming 3

Engineering Lab 1

Research Seminar I 1

General studies 6

Total 14

Year 4, Spring Electromagnetism 3

Fluid Mechanics 3

Digital Electronics 3

Digital Lab 1

Research Seminar II 1

General studies 6

Total 17

NASA Fellowship winners Each year, we offer NASA Fellowships to

eleven students (freshmen preferred) to help pay

for college. NASA also provides funding for sum-

mer research projects at Wesleyan.

Wesleyan students have priority for summer

internships at sites such as NASA Langley. And

NASA provides expertise for our Space Club to

build payloads to be launched from NASA rockets.

Faculty congratulate 2017 NASA Fellowship winners

Employers

3/2 Engineering

Typical class schedule

Year 1, Fall

Engineering Design I 1

General Physics I 4

Calculus I 4

Freshman Seminar 4

Composition 1 3

Total 16

Year 1, Spring

Engineering Design II 1

General Physics II 4

Calculus II 4

Technology for Calculus 1

Composition II 3

General studies 3

Total 16

Year 2, Fall

Light & Atomic 3

Light & Atomic Lab 1

Chemistry with lab 4

Thermodynamics 3

Human Communication 3

General studies 3

Total 17

Year 2, Spring

Fluid Mechanics 3

Calculus III 4

Electro-Optics Lab 1

Humanities 3

Economics 3

General studies 3

Total 17

Alliant Technical

American Electric

BAE Systems

Ball Aerospace

Bell Helicopters

Bechtel-Bettis

Cabot Oil & Gas

Caterpillar

Corhart Refractories

Cutler-Hammer

DuPont

EPIC Systems

Fischione Instruments

General Motors

General Electric

Hewlett-Packard

Huntington Medical

Physicists

Johnson & Johnson

Kettering Cancer Center

Lockheed-Martin

Mercy Cancer Center

Mitre Corporation

Morton-Thiokol

Monongahela Power

Motorola

Mylan Pharmaceuticals

NASA-Glenn

NASA-Langley

National Energy

Technology Lab

Nissan

Omnia Medical

PDC Energy

Pratt and Whitney

Raytheon

Rockwell Automation

Schlumberger

Siemens

Thrasher Engineering

Tower Engineering

Toyota

United Hospital Center

U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers

U.S. Army Test Flight

Directorate

U.S. Well Service

Vantage Oncology

Weatherford

WV Division of

Highways

Year 3, Fall

Electronics with lab 4

Statics 3

Differential Equations 4

Scientific Programming 3

General studies 3

Total 17

Year 3, Spring

Mechanics of Materials 3

Analytical Mechanics 3

Electromagnetism 3

Engineering Lab 1

General studies 6

Total 16

Years 4-5 – Engineering at the chosen university

Airfoil project in our wind tunnel’s test chamber

Aerospace Engineers

design airplanes, spacecraft, rockets,

fuel-efficient cars, propulsion systems,

and guidance systems.

Angela Meyer and

Olivia Rycroft went to

NASA’s Wallops Island

flight facility to represent

our Space Club at the

RockSat-C rocket launch.

Throughout the year, club

members worked on a

project that culminated in

the rocket launch. They

designed, built, and pro-

grammed a printed circuit

board payload and partici-

pated in regular design

reviews, just like the

NASA engineers.

Cody O’Meara’s summer internship at NASA-

Langley involved a new design of a device to

reduce the speed of airflow as it enters an engine.

“I chose a design, ordered materials, built the

device and performed a series of tests.”

Will George (2014 NASA Langley internship;

B.S. Wesleyan, 2015; M.S., Virginia Tech, 2017).

“I work at Pratt and Whitney, where I develop tests

to satisfy the FAA that our engines are safe to fly.”

Will George (white shirt) in Langley’s 20-ft wind tunnel

Josh Hiett’s internship at NASA Fairmont:

“I improved the user interface to Rover-X, a four-

wheeled all-terrain vehicle. I also worked on the

Rock-Sat-C computer program.”

Chris Kuhl (M.S., Purdue, NASA Langley)

was chief engineer of a project involving sensors

on the Mars Rover’s heatshield to monitor atmos-

pheric conditions during the rover’s descent.

Kuhl (right) at a press conference after the landing

Robert Vollmerhausen (2014) completed our

Dual-Degree Engineering program at WVU. He

works at the Naval Air Command in California.

Josh Keane (M.S., George Washington Univer-

sity). “I work at Bell Helicopters on projects such

as the UH-1 Huey helicopter, the AH-1 Cobra heli-

copter, and the V-22 tilt rotor.”

Russell Gillespie (B.S. Wesleyan, 2014) is

pursuing an M.S. at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical

University.

Emily Kearney’s 2017 summer internship at NASA-Fairmont involved the Commercial

Crew Program, a partnership with companies to

develop safe and reliable access to the International

Space Station.

Jacob Poldruhi’s internship at NASA Glenn:

“My objective was to find a way to recycle used plastic materials into something useful such as

water or fuel to support astronauts.”

Applied physicists

work with computation, quality control,

electron microscopes, lasers, nuclear

power, radiation safety, energy efficiency,

solar panels, MRIs, robotics, laser surgery

equipment, and airport security systems.

Michael Scruggs (B.S. Wesleyan, 2011; M.S., Optical Physics, Univ. of Arizona). Michael is

a laser physicist at the Naval Surface Warfare

Dahlgren Division.

Robert Powell (2010 summer internship,

Jefferson National Accelerator; B.S. Wesleyan,

2011). “I work as a Field Engineer at the Bechtel-

Bettis Atomic Power Lab. We oversee submarine

and aircraft-carrier construction and maintenance. I

started with a comprehensive qualification program

involving nuclear reactor design and operation.”

Robert Hardin (B.S. Wesleyan, 2001; Ph.D.,

Physics, WVU). Oak Ridge National Lab.

Jason Martin (B.S. Wesleyan, 1999; M.S.,

U.Va.): “I work for Bechtel-Bettis at the Naval

Nuclear School in Charleston, S.C. I train Navy

personnel on operating procedures for nuclear

reactors on aircraft carriers and submarines.”

Tom Damiani (B.S. Wesleyan, 1997; Ph.D.

WVU) works at the Bechtel-Bettis Atomic Power

Lab. He designs nuclear propulsion systems for submarines and aircraft carriers.

James Abraham (B.S. Wesleyan, 1994; M.S.

Health Physics, Colorado State University).

James is a radiation safety officer at Colorado

State University.

Joe Zambelli: (B.S. Wesleyan, 1991): “I am

a physical scientist at the National Energy

Technology Lab in Morgantown. I am studying

methods of carbon capture. We want our energy

supplies to be more efficient, secure, affordable,

and environmentally friendly.”

Tyler Gruber, (B.S. Wesleyan, 1990; Ph.D.,

Physics, Texas Christian University). Tyler works in

the Physics/Microscopy Laboratory at Columbian

Chemicals in Marietta, Ga. Tyler uses computer

models and electron microscopes to solve problems

involving carbon black, which is used in such

materials as tires, rubber, plastic, and ink.

Mark Leadingham’s 2017 summer internship

was at the National Institute of Standards and

Technology. “I studied numerical solutions to the

Schrodinger equation in one-dimensional space

using the computer program Python, which I

learned in my NASA Fellowship at Wesleyan.”

Hunter Lowe’s summer 2017 internship was at

Hermes Abrasives. He worked on projects in plant

layout and quality systems. They offered Hunter a

job when he graduates.

Aaron Weaver (B.S. Wesleyan, 2016) is

pursuing an M.S. in Physics at WVU.

Matt Phares (B.S. Wesleyan, 2016) is a systems

technician at the textiles manufacturer Invista.

Corey Rhodes, 2016 summer internship,

National Institute of Standards and Technology,

studying sensitivity of atomic force microscopes.

Cody O’Meara, 2015 summer internship,

NIST, studying three-dimensional laser scanners.

Wes Hughes (2011, M.S. in Applied Physics,

University of Oregon). Wes had an internship at

FEI, a manufacturer of scanning electron micro-

scopes. Wes works at Fischione Instruments. “Our

company designs ion milling equipment to prepare

specimens to use in electron microscopes.”

Wes returned to give a presentation at Wesleyan

Civil engineers

design, construct, and operate facilities

such as highways, bridges, and drinking-

water systems.

Jason Jackson (B.S. Wesleyan, 2011; M.S.,

WVU). “While I was a student at Wesleyan, I

had a summer internship with the WV Division

of Highways. I was lucky that my boss wanted to

get me as much experience as he could.

“The state awards most work to private contrac-

tors. I had to insure that the contractor complied

with the WVDOH spec book. This can be difficult,

especially when the contractor is trying to cut cor-

ners. I learned how to handle situations like that.”

Eddy Hasis (B.S. Wesleyan, 2014) is pursuing

an M.S. at the University of Pittsburgh.

Ben Vance (B.S. Wesleyan, 2007; M.S., WVU).

Ben works for the WV Division of Highways.

Dustin Schilpp (B.S. Wesleyan, 2005; M.S.,

Morgan State University). Dustin is Project Man-

ager at Sabra, Wang and Associates in Columbia,

Md. “I just completed ten years with the firm.

I manage the structural condition inspection

department. We mainly do bridge inspections, load

ratings, bridge repairs, and rehabilitation designs.”

Wes Steele (B.S. Wesleyan, 1999; M.S., WVU).

Wes works for the bridge engineering company

Madjeski and Masters in Harrisburg, Pa.

Eleni Brick (B.S. Wesleyan, 2017), Civil

engineering trainee, Thrasher Engineering.

Wyatt Strickler (B.S. Wesleyan, 2017) is

pursuing an M.S. at Cleveland State University.

Amelia Riley (B.S. Wesleyan, 2016) is pursuing

an M.S. at WVU. “Last summer I had an internship

at the Army Corps of Engineers in Pittsburgh. I

worked on designs for local

locks and dams. They offered

me a job upon graduation.”

At Wesleyan, she tested

the compressive strength of

concretes with difference per-

centages of Portland cement,

fly ash, slag, silica, and clay.

Andrew Cvetnick (B.S. Wesleyan, 2016) is

pursuing an M.S. at WVU. He is specializing in

detecting leaks in fiber reinforced pipes.

Brenton Stone (B.S. Wesleyan, 2006; M.S.,

University of Virginia). Brenton designs bridges

at Volkert and Associates.

Jennifer Cook (B.S. Wesleyan, 2000; M.S.,

WVU). Jennifer works at Donan Engineering.

Thomas Bartleman (B.S. Wesleyan, 2014;

M.S., Stanford University). Thomas works for the

software company Aperia Technologies.

Tom’s senior project involved converting energy

from water waves into electrical energy.

Industrial engineers

plan such things as assembly lines,

efficient hospital emergency rooms,

and amusement park layouts.

Mark Mattis (B.S., Wesleyan, 2015) works

at Systems Planning and Analysis. Mark is also

pursuing an M.S. at George Mason University.

Chris Ly (2013) works at Raytheon-Solyptis in

Baltimore. Raytheon is paying Chris to obtain an

M.S. at the University of Maryland.

Bryan Corder completed our 3/2 Engineering

program in 2009. He reports, “Wesleyan and WVU

provided me with a great opportunity with the 3/2

program. Your careful planning made the transfer

easy.” Bryan works at Bechtel-Bettis in Pittsburgh.

Electrical engineers

develop communication systems such

as cell phones, control systems such as

microprocessors, and electrical power

transmission systems.

Medical physicists

are licensed professionals who use radia-

tion to treat cancer. They work in nuclear

medicine, X-ray imaging, computerized

tomography, ultrasound, and MRIs.

The average starting salary is $95,000.

Alex White (B.S. Wesleyan, 2017) is pursuing

an M.S. at WVU.

Kody Tucker (B.S. Wesleyan, 2017) is working

on an M.S. at WVU.

Corey Rhodes (B.S. Wes-

leyan, 2016) is pursuing an

M.S. at Virginia Tech. He

built a 400,000-V tesla coil

while at Wesleyan. In summer

2017, he had an internship at

NASA Glenn. “I worked on

electric propulsion for deep space probes. They offered me

a job when I finish my M.S.”

Colby Stanley (B.S. Wesleyan, 2015; M.S.

Duke University, 2017). “I’ve taken a job with

General Motors, where I write code for engine

controls and modules, and I test cars on the track.”

Des Sivels (B.S. Wesleyan, 2016) is an associate

transmission dispatcher at American Electric Power

in Roanoke, Va.

Denny Vincent (B.S. Wesleyan, 2012) is an

associate transmission operator at First Energy.

Tom Tyson (B.S. Wesleyan, 2006; M.S., Penn

State) works at Kichler Lighting in Cleveland.

Dave Klebe (B.S. Wesleyan, 1994; M.S., Penn

State). “I manage a team in manufacturing pulp and

paper technology for Rockwell Automation. This

is a $900-million business devoted to large-scale

industrial projects. A recent project is a materials-

handling system for a Chicago news press.”

Rafiq Ahmed (B.S. Wesleyan, 1988; M.S.,

Virginia Tech) works for Motorola mobile devices.

Josh Carter (B.S. Wesleyan, 2015; M.S. Duke).

Josh started his residency at Rutgers last July.

Josh’s proton beam project at Wesleyan

Tom Holtschneider (B.S. Wesleyan, 2013, PhD,

University of Cincinnati). Tom works at Kettering

Grandview Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio.

Chera Rogers Gainer (B.S. Wesleyan, 2012;

M.S., University of Cincinnati). Chera works at

Huntington Medical Physicists.

Mike Curry (B.S. Wesleyan, 2012; M.S. East

Carolina State University) works at the Mercy

Cancer Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

Kate Turner Wagner (B.S. Wesleyan, 2011;

M.S. Duke) is a medical physicist at the Wright-

Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

Amy Powelson Patrick (B.S. Wesleyan, 2006;

M.S. Vanderbilt) works at the United Hospital

Center in Clarksburg.

Peter Sandwall (B.S. Wesleyan, 2005; Ph.D.,

University of Cincinnati) is Chief Medical Physicist

at the TriHealth Institute, with three physicists,

three dosimetrists, and three cancer centers under

his care. His company, Vantage Oncology in

Elkins, has two board-certified medical physicists.

Mechanical engineers

design devices that move, such as cars,

heat engines, and industrial machinery.

Matt Stadelman (B.S. Wesleyan, 2015; M.S.

WVU in Energy Systems) had a summer internship

at the National Energy Technology Lab in

Morgantown. After graduating in 2015, he started

working at NETL while pursuing his M.S. at WVU.

Derek·Johnson (B.S.

Wesleyan, 2013) works

at Pentree Engineering

in Princeton, WV. At

Wesleyan, he designed a

device to convert footfall

energy from walking to

electrical energy.

Matt Edwards (B.S.

Wesleyan, 2013; M.S.,

University of North

Carolina). His research

involved designs for exercise equipment and

football helmets. Matt is employed at Cross

Automation in Charlotte.

Andy Aurelio (B.S. Wesleyan, 2002; M.S.,

WVU). Andy works at the National Energy Tech-

nology Lab in Morgantown. His job is related to

his M.S. research project on carbon capture.

Phil Lemire (B.S. Wesleyan, 2000; M.S., UVa).

Phil works at the National Ground Intelligence

Center in Charlottesville, Va.

Chad Moore (B.S. Wesleyan, 1998; M.S.,

Georgia Tech). “At Georgia Tech, my research

project required the knowledge of lasers that I

learned in Wesleyan’s Electro-Optics Lab. I was

selected for this project because I was the only

student at Georgia Tech with this knowledge.

I have worked at General Motors in Mexico,

Detroit, and Oklahoma.”

Valerie Keefer Oldaker (B.S. Wesleyan,

1996; M.S., WVU) is a quality control specialist

at Toyota in Buffalo, WV.

Dr. Darrel Tenney (B.S. Wesleyan 1964; Ph.D.,

Virginia Tech), retired Director of Aerospace

Vehicles Systems, NASA Langley.

Pedro Martins (B.S. Wesleyan, 2017) is work-

ing on an M.S. at WVU. “I work in the Center for

Alternative Fuels, Engines, and Emissions. They

made headlines by discovering the Volkswagen

emissions scandal.”

Andre Fernandes (B.S. Wesleyan, 2017) is

pursuing an M.S. at WVU.

Dustin Kimble (B.S. Wesleyan, 2017) is work-

ing on his M.S. at WVU.

Ryder Bolin (B.S. Wes-

leyan, 2016) is pursuing an

M.S. at WVU. His research involves precisely measur-

ing surface deformations of

metals with a nanoindenter.

Cody O’Meara (B.S.

Wesleyan, 2016) is pursu-

ing an M.S. at Ohio State.

“I am working to improve

lithium-ion batteries by

improving the binding

materials in the electrodes.

This fall I have an internship at NASA Glenn in

the Project Management Branch.”

Ken Benson (B.S. Wesleyan, 2016) completed

our 3/2-Degree program at Virginia Tech and is

enrolled in their M.S. program.

Matt Spicer (B.S. Wesleyan, 2015) is working

on an M.S. at Virginia Tech, specializing in

machine learning to recognize a device from its

electronic signal. “This ability is useful for security purposes—we can ensure that a particular signal

was sent from a trusted source.”

Taylor Price (B.S. Wesleyan, 2015) is pursuing

an M.S. at the University of Pittsburgh.

Biomedical engineers

work on pacemakers, neural repair, hip

replacements, and genetic manipulation.

Becca Davis (2017 internship, Rutgers Univer-

sity). “I compared several methods of making

images to study spinal cord injuries. I used light

sheet microscopy to image the spinal cords.”

Dillon Huffman (B.S.

Wesleyan, 2014). “I am pur-

suing a Ph.D. in Biomedical

Engineering at the University

of Kentucky in the Neural

Systems Lab. My research is

in brain state modulation.”

In 2013, Dillon had a

summer internship at WVU

on a project to understand

pathways in the human sensorimotor system and

to design rehabilitation to help people to recover

from nerve damage. Dillon’s senior research

project at Wesleyan involved a design for a

prosthetic arm using an Arduino microprocessor.

Parag Chitnis (B.S. Wesleyan, 2000; Ph.D.,

Boston Univ.) works at the Lizzi Center for

Biomedical Engineering at the Riverside Research

Institute in New York City. “Three of my projects are ultrasound-assisted drug delivery treatments

for Parkinson’s disease, studying ultrasound con-

trast agents, and cancer treatments using combined

acoustical and optical methods.”

Troy Schifano (B.S. Wesleyan, 1999; M.S.,

University of Alabama at Birmingham) works for

Omnia Medical in Morgantown. The company

provides medical and surgical products for spinal

pathology, and neurological and orthopedic trauma.

Freshman engineering design

Joshua Tenney and Alex Bradley-Popovich’s

bridge

Logan Brouwer, Anna Puigvert, and Emily

Kearney’s catapult

Chemical engineers

adapt chemical reactions to industrial

quantities.

Geophysicists

use remote sensing to discover and

evaluate underground resources. Cayla Collett had a 2017 summer internship at

the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

“I worked on time-of-flight secondary ion mass

spectrometry, which can be used to make 3-dimen-

sional maps of surfaces of organic molecules.

This is a new way to characterize organic materials

that is relevant to fields such as pharmaceuticals

and forensics. I measured the detection limits of

buprenorphine and naloxone.”

Thomas Haines (B.S. Wesleyan, 2017) is work-

ing on a Ph.D. at WVU. “My research involves

methods to convert shale gas into useful chemicals.”

Kim Richards Farnsworth (B.S. Wesleyan,

1995; Ph.D., Georgia Tech). “I work at Chemours

in Parkersburg. I am the Division Engineer for

Teflon. I work to improve the production process

and to search for new polymers.”

Eric Wooten had a summer 2017 internship at

LEAM Drilling in Oklahoma. “I went out on rigs

where they were drilling wells. In the office, I

worked on plans for wells.”

Ryan Holcomb (B.S. Wesleyan, 2017) works at

Thrasher Engineering in Bridgeport. “I work with

our erosion and sediment team on right-of-ways

where water lines are laid between well pads.”

Tre Kerns (B.S. Wesleyan, 2017) works at

PDC Energy in Bridgeport.

Cody Turner (B.S. Wesleyan, 2017) works at

Thrasher Engineering in Bridgeport.

Sandra Adkins (B.S. Wesleyan, 2006) works

at Shell Oil in Alaska.

Ryan North (B.S. Wesleyan, 1997; Ph.D.,

Colorado School of Mines) works the U.S. Army

Research Center, Vicksburg, Miss.

Laser lab

Home-made helium-neon laser

Argon plasma

Nitrogen laser fluorescence

Iodine excited by Nd:YAG laser Computerized spectrum

General physics lab

Lenses and mirrors

A real image formed using a lens

Overtones in vibrating strings

Neon spectrum

Solar eclipse

Most people have never seen a total solar eclipse,

as they tend to occur in far-flung places. Not this

time! On Aug. 21, the moon’s 70-mile-wide shadow

crossed the country from Oregon to South Carolina,

glasses on hand. We wanted everyone to safely

enjoy this rare occurrence. And we equipped a

telescope with a solar filter.

“Another total solar eclipse will occur in 2024,

with the path of totality in Ohio. That one will last

longer—about four minutes.”

turning day to night.

At Wesleyan, viewers could only

see a partial eclipse, in which the moon

covered 88% of the sun. Scads of

Wesleyan folks gathered in the Oval to attend the eclipse party facilitated

by students from the Space Club. Solar

filter glasses were distributed, and

students stared skyward in awe of the

rare solar event.

Space Club President Angela Meyer

said, “The club was careful to ensure

that we had plenty of solar eclipse

Engineering lab

Steam generator

Air conditioner

Tensile testing

Wind tunnel

Science journal features Dr. DeLaney

Dr. DeLaney is featured in the

cover story of the fall issue of The

Neuron journal. The story articu-

lates the ways she is dedicated to

challenging students to explore

the unknown.

She has two grants from the

National Science Foundation’s

WV-EPSCOR program.

One grant involves construct- Cassiopeia A exploded star

is part of West Virginia’s five-

year $20 million NSF Research

Infrastructure Improvement grant.

She trains students to analyze

pulsar signals obtained by the

National Radio Astronomy

Observatory at Green Bank, WV.

The West Virginia Higher

Education Policy Commission’s

Division of Science and Research

ing radio telescopes to study hydrogen in the sun

and Milky Way galaxy. In the other grant, she is

involved in the Pulsar Search Collaboratory, which

produces The Neuron, a quarterly publication that

features science and research news primarily from

West Virginia colleges and universities.

Light and atomic lab

Visible-light spectroscopy of heated iodine

Tunable-laser spectroscopy of potassium vapor

Laser beam splitting on the optical table Argon plasma

Space Club

Members worked on this year’s NASA Space

Flight Design Challenge. The objective was to com-

pare several methods of harvesting energy during a

rocket’s flight. Members designed and built a payload

on a printed circuit board. They participated in design

reviews with NASA, just like the NASA engineers.

Printed circuit template and circuit board.

Rocket launch. Angela Meyer and Olivia Rycroft

went to Wallops Island to help NASA engineers

install their payload on a Terrier Orion sounding

rocket. On June 24, 2017, they observed the launch.

They presented their results at NASA Fairmont.

Space Day. This was the Space Club’s

community-engagement event. On April 1, they

invited students K-12 to participate in a paper

airplane contest, a drone-flying demonstration,

a hydrofoil contest, and a crypto-rally. The Science

Public Outreach Team gave an astronomy talk.

Nuclear physics lab

Gamma rays

Beta particles

Nuclear coincidence spectroscopy

Nuclear X-rays

Mag-lev project

Will George worked on mag-

netic levitation. “I wrapped 120

insulated loops of wire around a

stainless-steel track. I arranged

five NdFeB magnets in a Halbach

array on a model vehicle. As the

vehicle’s speed increased, it rose

higher above the track.”

Pavle Milicevic: A solar

panel that follows the sun

Solar panels produce maximal

electrical power when sunlight

hits at 90° to the panel’s surface.

I attached the panel to a turntable

rotating once per day with axis of

rotation aimed at the North Star.

Students present projects at the Mid-Atlantic

Undergraduate Research Conference

March 24, 2017—Eight of

our students spoke on their

research projects. Tim Stephens

and Mark Leadingham won prizes

for best presentations.

Tim’s research involved find-

ing the relative abundances of

the isotopes of krypton. Mark’s research involved analyzing pulsar data from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory

in Green Bank, WV.

Kody Tucker, Caleb Riffle, Mark Leadingham, Thomas Haines,

Dustin Kimble, Nate Moore, Timothy Stephens, and Landon Todd

Electronics lab

Digital counter

Lissajous pattern

Fourier sawtooth synthesis Diode characteristic curve

Balloon

launch

March 7, 2015—The

Space Club launched two

helium-filled balloons

from the front of the

science building, with a payload consisting of a

magnetic-field sensor,

an accelerometer, and

a gyroscope. Dr. Steven

Hard came from NASA

Fairmont to advise us.

Solid state lab

Electron spin resonance

Pulsed magnetic resonance

Cryogenic superconductors X-ray crystallography

Andre Fernandes: Designing

earthquake-resistant buildings

I investigated two methods: (1) energy-dissipation

devices such as dashpots and (2) base isolation, in

which bearings are placed under the support col-

umns. I embedded accelerometers in scale-models

of buildings and took measurements when I placed

the models on a shake table.

Casey Sanders:

Underwater ocean turbines

The Gorlov helical cross-flow turbine can

be an excellent source of renewable energy.

It rotates on a vertical axis and is a very good option for optimal performance in low-speed

currents. I measured efficiency as a function

of current speed.

Spring picnic

April 1, 2017—Bob Grose invited us to

his home in the country on a perfect spring

day. We ate Bob’s prize-winning chili,

played lawn games, and visited Bob’s

machine shop. This year, Bob himself

fired his cannon. Dr. DeLaney figured

out how to drive Bob’s antique tractor.

At Sunny Buck’s

Andrew Cvetnick: Propeller efficiency

“I compared the efficiency of propeller designs in

generating electricity by a wind turbine. I used a 3-D

printer to construct my designs. I also tested at a

variety of pitch angles.”

Cody O’Meara: Energy harvesting

A coil of wire is wrapped around a tube and fastened

to a person’s arms. When she swings her arms, a magnet

travels back and forth in the tube to generate current.

Matt Phares, Magnetic plasma discharge

I observed the effect of a magnetic rod on the glow

pattern. I measured the shift in the spectral lines that

are caused by the magnetic field and used Doppler

theory to calculate the velocity of the plasma ions.

Presentations to the Engineering Physics Club

Solar panels for the library roof. Chip Pick-

ering (B.S. Wesleyan, 1978; Ph.D. Ohio Univ.)

discussed the 25 SunModule solar panels on the

library roof that Pickering Electric donated to Wes-

leyan. These can generate 5.5 kW of electricity.

NASA Langley. Darrel Tenney (B.S. Wesleyan

1964, Ph.D., Virginia Tech) discussed his NASA

career, including putting humans on Mars.

Geophysics of Mars. Dr. Colleen Milbury

discussed how geophysicists have used gravity

and magnetic anomalies to learn how Mars has

evolved over time.

NASA Marshall. (Tony Lindeman (B.S. Wes-

leyan, 1980, M.S., Electrical Engineering, Naval

Post-Graduate School) spoke his work at NASA.

Biomedical. Sophomore Becca Davis spoke on her biomedical engineering internship at Rutgers,

which studied methods of visualizing spinal cords.

Kennedy Space Center. Daniel Keenan spoke

on the NASA process, integrity, and teamwork.

He is a mechanical engineer at the NASA Kennedy

Space Center who was responsible for the Space

Shuttle’s thermal protection system. He brought

some pieces of the shuttle’s shell for us to inspect.

Jennifer Morris Cook (B.S. Wesleyan, 2000;

M.S. Civil Engineering WVU) discussed her work

as a bridge designer at Palmer Engineering.

Thomas Haines (B.S. Wesleyan, 2017) dis-

cussed his experiences as a Ph.D. student at

WVU in Chemical Engineering.

Higgs boson. Dr. Gavin Hesketh spoke on the

discovery of the Higgs boson at the European Cen-

ter for Nuclear Research (CERN). He

is a member of the team that made

the discovery. The Higgs boson had

been subjected to an intensive search

ever since Peter Higgs made a case

for its existence in 1964.

Dr. Peter Sandwall (B.S. Wesleyan 2005;

Ph.D. Medical Physics, Univ. Cincinnati) spoke on medical physics careers. He is Chief Medical

Physicist at Tri-Health Cancer Institute.

Cody O’Meara spoke on his summer intern-

ship at NIST involving laser scanners.

Gravitational waves

is left behind when a massive

star explodes.) McWilliams is a

gravitational-wave astrophysicist

at WVU who works with the

LIGO team.

Dr. Sean McWilliams spoke

on the recent discovery of

gravitational waves. These are

ripples in space-time produced

when a very massive object suddenly slows down, speeds up,

or changes direction.

Gravitational waves are a key

prediction of Einstein’s 100-

year-old theory of general rela-

tivity. Last year, gravitational

waves were finally detected by

astrophysicists at the Laser

Interferometer Gravitational-

Wave Observatory (LIGO) by

measuring the orbital decay of

binary black holes. (A black hole

2017 summer internships

Becca Davis had a biomedical internship at

Rutgers University. “I compared several methods

of making images to study spinal cord injuries.

I used Visikol to clear soft tissue surrounding the

spinal cord, and

then I used light

sheet microscopy

to image the spinal

cords. I also used

optical coherence

tomography and

confocal micro-

scopy.”

Becca present

her findings on at

the Annual Bio-

medical Research

Conference in

Phoenix.

Hunter Lowe’s internship was at Hermes

Abrasives in Virginia Beach. “I worked on a new

floor layout plan for the wide-belt conveyor

department. I also finished an ongoing project that

I started last summer for their glue spraying guns.

“I’ve accepted a job as an Application Engineer

for their Bonded Abrasives Division, starting when

I graduate next May.”

Merrik Malin had an electrical internship at

WVU involving efficiency of gallium-nitride LEDs

Eric Wooten had a geophysics internship at

LEAM Drilling Services in Oklahoma. “I planned

oil wells in the office and went out to rigs while

they were drilling. I went to the machine shop to

learn about motors, bits, and drilling tools.

“This fall, I am doing some work for them from

Wesleyan to keep up with what’s going on. I will

probably end up with a job after I graduate.”

Mark Leadingham had a quantum mechanics

internship at the National Institute of Standards

and Technology. “I studied numerical methods of

solving the Schrodinger equation for hydrogen

subjected to a laser pulse. My method involved writing a computer program in Fortran that incre-

ments the solution forward in time, similar to the

method I used with Dr. DeLaney last summer.

“I compared the efficiency of three methods:

the Crank-Nicholson method, the split operator

method, and the integral method.”

Allison Haertter studied methods to prevent

demagnetization as determined by their crystal

structure as viewed by an atomic force microscope.

She worked with Dr. Jeremy Dawson at WVU.

Alexa Mortenson had an internship at the

University of Utah. “It was an outreach project for

patients with spinal cord injuries to continue an

active lifestyle. Adaptive kayaking is available to

participants with any injury level. Special paddles

help with the grip, and backrests support the trunk.

“In past years, therapists had to transfer patients

from wheelchair to kayak in mud. My solution was

called the Portable Accessible Docking System. It

is a large boat that functions as a dock to provide a

smooth surface for transferring to the kayak.”

Summer 2017 research at Wesleyan

Student stipends were provided by grants from

NASA, NSF, SURE, and the WV Higher Education

Policy Commission.

Kaylee Burdette worked with Dr. DeLaney on

our new radio telescope up on the roof. “I adjusted

the telescope’s rotation limits in the software to

prevent a cable from wrapping around the support

post. I installed a camera to view the telescope’s

movement at my desk. I built a Faraday cage to

block radio-wave interference from my computer.”

Mackenzie Robatin worked with Dr. Wiest in

the laser lab. “I examined a two-photon transition

in a rubidium vapor cell. I used a 778.1-nm diode

laser to obtain the hyperfine-spectra ground-state

splitting, which is not evident using a single-

photon method.”

Jeremy Marsh worked with Dr. Reynolds on a

plasma physics project. “I studied glow-discharge

geometries, used Langmuir probe diagnostics on

plasmas, and performed a spectral analysis.”

Gabrielle Cox worked with Dr. Wiest, using a

tunable infrared laser to study the hyperfine spec-

trum of lithium. She heated the metal and used lasers

to create excited states. She used an infrared camera

to view the doublets in the spectra.

Olivia Rycroft worked with Dr. DeLaney to

calibrate data from the Very Large Array on the

supernova remnant Cassiopeia A, from which she

created images of Cassiopeia A.

Angela Meyer worked with Dr. DeLaney on

the Planet Walk project. This is a scale model of

the Solar System with informational signs for each

planet, distributed along a mile-long trail.

2017 senior projects

Aerospace

Nate Moore, Lift and drag geometries, using our

wind tunnel to test airfoils of different shapes.

Applied physics

Jeremy Marsh, Taylor-Couette

flow, applyed chaos theory to

turbulent flow in water.

Paula Pimenta, Foucault

pendulum. The relation of the

precession rate to the latitude.

Mark Schiffour, Heat flow in

a metal with a thermal gradient,

using a Raspberry Pi interface

system.

Tim Stephens, Krypton’s stable isotopes, using

our new Extorr quadrupole residual gas analyzer to

determine the relative abundances of the isotopes.

Chemical physics

Tom Haines, Analysis of Teflon using a Raman

spectrometer. Measured the bond strength.

Dustin Kimble, Biodegradable thermoplastics. Mixed polylactic acid, polybutylene terephthalate,

and polyoxylene in various ratios. Tested their crystallinity with our Raman spectrometer.

Civil

Cody Goode, Reinforced

concrete arch bridge. Measured deflection as a

function of load.

Eleni Brick, Underwater

Darrieus turbines. Calcu-

lated the efficiency when

driven by simulated tides.

Electrical

Kody Tucker, Doping semiconductors. Diffused

boron impurities. Measured the effect on resistivity.

Environmental

Tim Bristol, Capillary-action turbine. Used the

potential energy from capillary action to create a

flow of water to turn a small turbine.

Mechanical

Pedro Martins, A kinetic energy recovery system. Installed a flywheel on a

bicycle to store energy

when traveling downhill.

Brian Cappellini, Alter-

nate fuel. Compared the

efficiency of gasoline to

propane in lawnmowers.

Wyatt Strickler, Ground-source heat pump

coefficient of performance. Repurposed an air conditioner and measured its coefficient of per-

formance as a function of ground temperature.

Grants for new equipment

Naylor planetarium grant Our planetarium is offering new digital shows,

thanks to a $40,000 gift from the Naylor Trust. We

purchased a Digitarium Zeta Projector, five full-

dome movies, and lesson plans for students K-12.

“The new digital projector has a giant fish-eye

lens,” enthused Dr. DeLaney. “The sky is a digital

computer image projected onto the dome. Now

we can play full-dome movies. We can zoom into

planets and deep-sky objects. It can simulate sky

motions far more accurately than the old system.

The grand re-opening occurred on Sept. 2, 2017.

Dr. DeLaney shows a movie of a Space Shuttle launch.

Tunable laser diode spectrometer

The system includes an infrared laser diode, a

cat-eye laser, a controller, and a low-noise photo-

detector, purchased from the Moglabs Company.

We can study the spectral doublets of potassium

and rubidium. The

excellent resolution

and sensitivity will

enable us to finally

measure the hyper-

fine spectra created

by the nucleus.

We thank Sean

Boyle ’94 for fund-

ing our purchase.

Dominion resources grant

Dominion’s $50,000 grant enabled us to purchase

a mass spectrometer, a Raman spectrometer, an

X-ray spectrometer, a seismometer, and a nuclear

spectrometer.

New heat pump system

This is a wonderful addition to our engineering lab. A pump circulates refrigerant through a closed loop consisting of a compressor, condenser, throttle,

and evaporator. Students measure the temperature,

pressure, electrical energy input, and heat flow.

Students use tables to find the enthalpy, entropy,

and coefficient of performance. They compare their

results with the prediction from Carnot theory.

The combined generosity of our alumni enabled

this acquisition from American 3B Scientific

We hope that we

provided information

that helped you choose

a major and a college.

We offer small class

sizes with a special

emphasis on labs.

Our faculty is readily avail-

able when our

students have

questions about

assignments or

career planning.

Please contact me if you

would like more information.

Dr. Popson

304-473-8070

popson@wvwc.edu

→ To arrange a visit, please call 800-722-9933 ←