Events During the Week of September 7th through September 14th, 2025
Monday, September 8th, 2025
- Plasma Physics (Physics/ECE/NE 922) Seminar
- Fusion at Columbia: Systems Design, Industry Engagement, and Fusion Technology
- Time: 12:00 pm
- Place: 2241 Chamberlin Hall
- Speaker: Carlos Paz-Soldan , Columbia University
- Abstract: Culminating in the recently announced launch of the Columbia Fusion Research Center, Fusion at Columbia has been expanding into new directions and with new partners. This presentation will discuss a mix of fundamental research carried out at Columbia, sponsored by the federal government, and research in support of the growing private fusion sector, sponsored directly by industry. Technical topics to be discussed will be in the area fusion systems design, applied plasma physics in support of fusion industry, and new initiatives in fusion technology applied to magnets, blankets, and fuel cycles. The role of partnerships will be emphasized, whether in collaboration with industry, national laboratories, or international partners.
Tuesday, September 9th, 2025
- Wisconsin Quantum Institute
- Quantum Coffee Hour
- Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- Place: Rm.5294, Chamberlin Hall
- Abstract: Please join us for the WQI Quantum Coffee today at 3PM in the Physics Faculty Lounge (Rm.5294 in Chamberlin Hall). This series, which takes place approximately every other Tuesday, aims to foster a casual and collaborative atmosphere where faculty, post-docs, students, and anyone with an interest in quantum information sciences can come together. There will be coffee and treats.
Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
- No events scheduled
Thursday, September 11th, 2025
- Astronomy Colloquium
- Show & Tell
- Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
- Place: 4421 Sterling Hall
- Abstract: The first two colloquia on September 11th and September 18th will be our annual department orientation (also known as the “show and tell”). During these sessions, everyone will have 1.5 minutes to introduce themselves and provide a brief overview of their work. This is a great chance to get to know the diversity of research within our department, the faces behind the names, and everyone’s favorite hobbies and interests.
We invite undergrads doing research, grad students, postdocs, scientists, and faculty members to participate. - Host: Nicholas Stone
Friday, September 12th, 2025
- Physics Department Colloquium
- Dissipation and Excitation: Kinetic-Scale Waves and Instabilities in the Heliosphere
- Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
- Place: Chamberlin 2241
- Speaker: Kristopher Klein, University of Arizona
- Abstract: One of the outstanding problems in plasma physics is quantifying the distribution and flow of energy in weakly collisional plasmas, such as the solar wind as it is ejected from the Sun’s surface and travels through the solar system. Studying these processes in the solar wind is necessary to characterize the energy budget in the heliosphere and serves as a natural laboratory for studying analogous astrophysical and laboratory systems. There are a number of competing mechanisms that have been proposed to govern the transport and dissipation of energy that are expected to dominate under different conditions, including the excitation and dissipation of kinetic-scale waves. Such waves are observed in the inner heliosphere, coincident with non-Maxwellian velocity distributions. More detailed velocity distribution measurements, enabled by recent in situ missions including Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission, Parker Solar Probe, and Solar Orbiter, allow for more sophisticated studies of wave generation and dissipation. This talk will review these recent studies and consider how future multipoint, multiscale missions such as HelioSwarm will continue to improve our understanding of the thermodynamic role of ion-scale waves and fluctuations in plasmas throughout the Universe.
- Host: Vladimir Zhdankin