Physics & Astronomy Lecture: Southwestern brings former NASA Flight Director to discuss Lessons Learned from Mission Control

Jan 31, 2023 | Community, Curry Campus, News

Coos Bay, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College’s Physics and Engineering Department is pleased to welcome Tomas Gonzalez-Torres, current National Space Grant Project Manager at NASA and former Flight Director at NASA’s Johnson Space Center Mission Control for a talk “Lessons Learned from Mission Control”. Gonzalez-Torres will be sharing insights gained through his academic and professional career. The lecture will take place Thursday, February 9, 2023, at 4:00 pm in Umpqua Hall 184 on Southwestern’s Coos Campus (1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay).

Gonzalez-Torres will discuss the experiences that led him to oversee space missions at Johnson Space Center, and his current work with the Space Grant program. He will highlight challenges he’s encountered and share advice for students and future scientists. We encourage students of all ages and interested community members to attend and participate in the Q and A following the lecture.

The talk will be streamed live for those that cannot come to campus. Access the live stream via our website (www.socc.edu) or at this link: https://livestream.com/swocc/physicsandastronomy2022-23.

For students and community members in Curry County (and beyond) a Zoom link will be available so that you may participate in both the lecture and Q and A. For zoom participation information contact Dr. Aaron Coyner at aaron.coyner@socc.edu.

For more information about the lecture series contact Dr. Aaron Coyner, Associate Professor of Physics, at 541-888-7244, aaron.coyner@socc.edu.

To learn more about physics and engineering degrees at Southwestern visit https://www.socc.edu/physics/.

Photo Credit: Iowa State University

Physics and Engineering Programs at Southwestern hosts Open House

Jan 26, 2023 | Community, Curry Campus, News

Coos Bay, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College’s Physics and Engineering programs will host an open house event for prospective students of all ages and their families. Join us on Thursday, February 2, 2023, at 6 pm in the auditorium of Umpqua Hall (1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay), our new Health & Science Technology building. We will discuss the available programs and transfer options at Southwestern and highlight the research and project experiences of our current Space Physics Engineering and Atmospheric Research (SPEAR) team.

This event is a joint venture between Southwestern and NASA Oregon Space Grant Consortium (OSGC), and the Providing Research Infrastructure in Space and Material Sciences Project (PRISMS).

The evening will include a Question-and-Answer session about our programs and a tour of our new physics and engineering labs. The event is free and open to anyone interested: middle and high school students, as well as non-traditional students.

For more information, please contact our OSGC PRISMS project coordinator, Krystal Hopper, at krystal.hopper@socc.edu or Dr. Aaron Coyner, Associate Professor of Physics, at 541-888-7244, aaron.coyner@socc.edu.

To learn more about physics and engineering degrees at Southwestern visit https://www.socc.edu/physics/.

Physics and Astronomy Lecture: Diving into an Ocean World – NASA’s Hunt for Habitability on Jupiter’s Moon Europa

Jan 10, 2023 | Community, Curry Campus, News

Coos Bay, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College announces the return of our Physics and Astronomy Lecture Series for 2023. For the first lecture we proudly welcome a return visit from Southwest Research Institute Research Scientist, Dr. Tracy Becker. Dr. Becker was a guest in our series in November of 2020 where she provided an introduction to the Europa Clipper mission and NASA’s interest in Jupiter’s icy moon within its search for habitable worlds. With the launch of Europa Clipper approaching (tentatively October 2024), we welcome Dr. Becker back for new mission updates and insights.

This free lecture will be held on January 19, 2023, at 6:30 pm in Umpqua Hall, the new Health and Science Technology building, on the Coos Campus (1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay). Our speaker will be joining us virtually but will be able to interact with the live audience for a question-and-answer discussion.

Dr. Becker provided the following insight on her presentation:

NASA’s Europa ­­Clipper mission will conduct a detailed reconnaissance of Jupiter’s moon Europa and investigate whether the icy moon could have conditions suitable for life. The Europa Clipper mission will carry a payload of cutting-edge instruments used for an in-depth study of the composition, geology, and interior of Europa. But why explore this moon? Europa has an icy surface that protects a liquid ocean underneath, making it a very compelling target for NASA’s search for habitability. In my talk we will discuss what we know about Europa and how we know it, plus what we hope to learn through the deep exploration of this ocean world with the Europa Clipper mission.

The talk will be streamed via Zoom for those that cannot come to campus. Access the lecture using this link: https://socc-edu.zoom.us/j/95211532545