Baylor Department of Physics Presents Astronomy Lecture and More For Colloquium Series

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WACO, Texas (Jan. 29, 2014) - As part of the 2014 Physics Colloquium Series, the Baylor University department of physics has invited Adam Kraus, Ph.D., to speak at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, in the Baylor Sciences Building Room E.125. Kraus, an assistant professor in the department of astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin, will be lecturing on giant planets caught at formation.
Jay Dittman, Ph.D., an associate professor of physics at Baylor, said Dr. Kraus has been involved in "exciting" research to identify planets in the outer solar system.
"It's one of the more interesting and hot topics in observational astronomy right now," Dittman said. "Since we have astronomy majors at Baylor, we try to pull in some speakers who can talk about this cutting-edge research."
The discovery of the new planets has offered the first window into outer solar systems, and newly commissioned instruments for the research promise dozens more discoveries.
"This lecture would be enjoyable for anyone who is interested in astronomy," Dittman said.
The rest of the lectures in the Colloquium Series will be as follows:
Jan. 22: Dr. Rick Field, professor
Jan. 29: Dr. Adam Kraus, assistant professor, department of astronomy, UT Austin
Feb 5: Dr. Lorin Matthews, associate professor, physics department, BU
Feb. 12: Dr. Jaehoon Yu, professor, UT
Arlington
Feb. 19: Dr. Anton V. Malko, assistant professor, physics department, UT Dallas
Feb. 26: Troy Schaudt, Wolfram Research, Inc.
March 5: Dr. Xingang Chen, assistant professor, physics department, UT Dallas
March 19: Dr. C. Jackson, associate professor, physics department, UT Arlington
March 26: Dr. Nirav Mehta, assistant professor, department of physics and astronomy,
Trinity University
April 2: Dr. Shardha Jogee, professor, department of astronomy, UT Austin
April 9: Dr. Howard Baer, professor, physics department, OU
April 16: Dr. Bennie Ward, professor, physics department, BU
April 23: Dr. Raul Briceno, postdoc, JLab
April 30: Dr. Anzhong Wang, professor, physics department, BU
Each lecture will begin at 4 p.m. in the Baylor Science Building, Room E125, 101 Bagby Ave. For more information, contact Anzhong Wang, Ph.D., at (254) 710-2276.
by Kristen Bennett, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805.
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Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.