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The physics department came up big on April 14 when three of our faculty members and two of our students were recognized at the Chancellor's Honors banquet. Carrol Bingham, Hanno Weitering, and Mike Guidry took home Chancellor's Awards. Undergraduates Ted Corcovilos and Richard Mills won Chancellor's Citations.
Dr. Carrol Bingham Chancellor's Award for Research and Creative Achievement Dr. Carrol Bingham specializes in experimental nuclear structure. In 1998, he was part of the scientific collaboration that measured the rate at which a misshapen nucleus spontaneously releases single protons. This research offered insights into how the highly deformed shape of a nucleus can influence the process of radioactivity.
Dr. Hanno Weitering Dr. Hanno Weitering devotes his research to surface science. His work involves exploring the structural and electronic properties of semiconductor surfaces and metal-semiconductor interfaces. He has recently been working with Dr. Jerry Mahan to develop a solid-state cooling device to challenge freon-based refrigerated technology.
Dr. Mike Guidry Dr. Mike Guidry has spent a great deal of time finding creative ways to use technology for teaching. Together with instructor Tina Riedinger, he has developed Web-based, interactive astronomy courses that couple introductory science instruction with a World Wide Web tutorial. He also teamed up with Dr. Mike Strayer (UT/ORNL) to develop a completely electronic course in Computational Science for the Physical and Life Sciences. He is currently working on an introductory astronomy book that combines CD-ROM and Web technology.
Ted Corcovilos Chancellor's Citation for Extraordinary Academic Achievement Ted Corcovilos, a senior in college scholars (physics and math) is a three-time winner of the department's Roseberry Award for academic excellence and departmental service. He is the president of the UT chapter of the Society of Physics Students and a member of Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society. Ted has done a great deal of undergraduate research on Project SEE (Satellite Energy Exchange) with Dr. Alvin Sanders. He has served on the both the undergraduate curriculum committee and the undergraduate liaison committee. Ted is headed to Caltech in the fall to begin his graduate studies.
Richard Mills Richard Mills came to UT in 1995 as a Bicentennial Scholar. Through the college scholars program, he has pursued undergraduate study in computational geophysics and has done a great deal of research. Richard took first prize in the natural sciences division in the 1997 Undergraduate Exhibition of Research and Creative Achievement at UTK. He is a member of Sigma Pi Sigma and Sigma Gamma Epsilon (the earth sciences honor society). Richard is headed to the College of William and Mary to work on a Ph.D. in computer science.
Each year, the Chancellor's Honors banquet recognizes outstanding work on the part of students, faculty, and staff at UTK. Faculty awards acknowledge excellence in research, teaching, and service to the campus and broader community, while student honors reward scholarship, service, and professional promise. The physics department is extremely proud of our 1999 winners.
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