Research

The amount of info that we are sifting through is almost too much to comprehend all at once. It's getting hard to know what to look for or to come up with an understanding of something so I think I'm just going to focus on looking at specific designs for fusors and how they each work individualy and then delve deeper into the processes it undergoes. This worked pretty well for me this week. I looked at one design and was surprised to learn about the radioactivity of it. Nothing severe just something that if we use our fusor alot it will change the structures of the metal and cause radioactivity. I'm not too worried about this. I talked it over with Jeff and discovered that it's really a low level and we are going to see exactly how much it takes before it becomes radioactive before we build it. I'm kind of looking forward to that part now.
-Devon

hello again

I know it has been a while since I visited, but I did actually learn a few things since the last time. I was amazed this week to learn about the critical mass. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to try and put all of this together without ever doing it before. If you are just a little over in the mass, you have just created a bomb. And no one wants that. If you are just a little under, then nothing will happen. I can't help but think that if nothing happened I would freak out thinking I did everything wrong, but I could have just been off on the mass a little.
Something else I learned was that there really is a difference between a fusor and a fusion reactor. Good to know!
Danielle

fusion, fusor

One of the most interesting things I learned this week is that there is a difference between a fusor and fusion reactor. I had thought they were one and the same, but after talking with Jeff yesterday I discovered that they are actually two different things. A fusion reactor is on the scale of ITER and takes alot of energy to run where as a fusor isn't as large. This has made my research since then so much easier. Hopefully by next week I will have a more complete understanding of what is going on.
-Devon

Getting Started

After a few weeks of this project, I have to say that knowing where to start is slightly difficult. There’s a huge amount of information online about fusors. Tabletop fusors are little simpler than I was expecting, but going from knowing nothing to having the ability to build one still won’t be easy. Any suggestions on possible sources for or how to would be greatly appreciated.
-Sarah

Electronics Possibly for Aaron

Talking with Jeff a couple of weeks ago, he mentioned that one of the IT instructors upstairs might have some hardware that can be used for the fusion reactor when the time for construction begins. I just recently acquired the equipment to see if it will be of any use for the reactor. I will do some research on what the device does, and start doing some research on what is required for the reactor. If it can be used, the instructor is willing to help me implement the equipment on the reactor when the time comes.

Potential Website

Now that our Physics instructor recently turned to webassign for our calc based physics, the development of a grading program is no longer required. At our last meeting there seemed to be a need to have a forum, and though there is some places to setup forums, I am going to talk with my Computer Science adviser about developing a site for the project. This site will be developed for collaboration between the students. We will be able to keep track of all the links for research, have forum discussions and post blogs. For more information at our next meeting I would like to get more ideas of what we would like on the site. I think that this can be an informative site as well as a collaboration site. Being able for the students of this project to not only share information. It can be used to inform the community about the research that is being conducted. If there is any other ideas that can come along with this I would appreciate your input. Monday I will be talking with my Adviser about this website. I will report anything that will be in regards to the site on Saturday.

Hello

Hello, my name is Chad Elofson and my involvement with the project will be related more towards my degree in computers science. I am hoping to get a better understanding of nuclear energy along with fusion reactions. In the development of the reactor, I hope to gain some experience in the computer science portion, by helping out with developing the console. It is possible there will be some programming involved to control the reactor and I am excited to get some real experience in the development of this reactor.

Who am I ?

Hi. My name is Ivan. I am an international student in PC. My major is chemistry. In hong Kong, my major was science. I needed to take two years of chemistry, physics, and biology in my high school. Also, I took math. every year since I was seven years old. I like to solve a lot of problems so I am taking physics now. I know my english is not good enough but I will try my best to finish this project. I hope I will learn a lot after we finish this project. I don't mind the result we will get, I just like to enjoy the process that I can learn some knowledge of fusion and have fun.

Greetings and Salutations

Hey all, I'm Jen and I will be your E-Minion this evening. I'm currently in my third year at PC, I got my AA last year but am taking last minute pre-reqs before heading off to Huxley School of the Environment through WWU (Fall 2008). If things pan out as they appear to be doing so, I'll have my AS at the end of this year... Nifty... I'm a total science nerd. It started when I was little with Astronomy and has broadened since. In high school, I took every science class I could (except physics) and actually was one of the first sophomore girls to ever take Astronomy/Geology at PAHS. I've been involved with science outside of the classroom in clubs and camps ranging from Astronomy Club president for 3 years and teaching little tykes all over PA about the stars to being a NSF grant recipient (twice) and doing pre-dam removal mammal research on the Elwha River. I found my passion with an Olympic Park Institute camp called the Advanced Field Science Program and haven't stopped since. I decided I didn't want a job that involved sitting behind a computer and here I am. When Prof. Zirul told me about this project, I couldn't wait to get on board. Truly a once in a lifetime opportunity (we hope to remedy that), I enjoy anything that helps expand my perspective and support my debates. :D

something about myself

Hello all. My name is Yolanda and I am an international student in PC. I am majoring in chemistry. I hate physics when i was in high school in Hong Kong. I barely passed the class when I graduated. Last year when I first came to PC, the advisor let me choose between physics and biology. I thought, humm, I have put down physics for a long time, let's give it a try again. And so I did. I enjoyed Jeff's lectures a lot and my hatred towards physics slipped away gradually. This year, PC offered cal-base physics and an oppotunity for physics students to participate in a special research project. I signed up for the class immediately. Being in this research project will not only make my transcript look nice =], it will lead me to the greater world of science. I am planning to transfer to a 4 year university, either in state or out of state. I hope that involving in this project can prepare myself to higher level of science classes and learn more about modern science. When I go back home next summer, it will be cool to tell my parents that I have successfully built a nuclear reactor with my classmates!

Hi

Hi my name is Derek. This is my second year at Peninsula College and I am currently going for an Associates of Science transfer degree. Next spring I plan on transferring to the University of Washington to major in physics and maybe mathematics. I am still undecided which field of physics I’m going to major in or what career I want to pursue in physics. I have been interested in math and science since I was in middle school. The opportunity to be part of this undergrad project was too good to pass up. It will give me an opportunity to not only do undergrad work but expand my knowledge of nuclear physics. The project will also help me decide if I really want to major in physics or not. It will be a lot of hard work but also a great experience.

Indeed

Hello my name is Caleb. I have a million hobbies some of which happen to be science and surprisingly philosophy, which usually do not mix well, but that just makes things interesting. I have almost achieved my AA degree here at peninsula. I do not have much of a background in science or math. Mostly just high school. I have always been very interested in power especially nuclear power. I have done some research of my own in the past on this subject, thought mostly for fission reactors. I am very excited to be apart of this project and hope to contribute as much as I can.

WOOHOO!

Hello! My name is Flo. I am incredibly excited to be participating in this endeavor! I started my education with the intention of pursuing a career in business. I was persuaded to enroll in the algebra based physics course last year and fell in love with the science. It is a beautiful world we live in and physics has shown me what is inside it, around it, and beneath it that makes it what it is. I plan on attending UW (fingers crossed!) next year to get a degree in physics... or engineering. This is an experience I couldn't pass up. It will be a lot of hard work, but nothing good is come by easily. We have a great group of people with talented leadership. With hard work and a little luck, we will have a fusion reactor.

Hello

My name is Danielle. I am a returning student to P.C. I decided last year to change my major from medicine to astrophysics. It has been a rough switch, but I am enjoying the classes much more. I was excited to learn of this opportunity to build a reactor. I feel that more undergraduates should be given opportunities like this one. Since I just changed my major I am still new to the field of physics, but I thouroughly look forward to learning as much as I can. I know this project will teach me more about physics and math than any regular class. It's going to be a lot of hard work, but I just couldn't pass it up.

Introduction

I'm Sarah, a Peninsula College student majoring in Math and Physics. Because of the opportunity to work on this project, I put off transferring to UW. The opportunity to help build a nuclear reactor was too good to pass up, so I had to stay. I’ve always been drawn to the ideas of modern physics, but always thought they were about three years of mechanics lectures away. The opportunity to learn and apply some modern physics as an undergraduate is exciting. I expect learning this stuff to hurt, but that’s part of the fun of math and physics. When it finally makes sense, it’s great. I am looking forward to an interesting and challenging year.

Science is Awesome.

My name is Aaron. I am attending Peninsula for my second year of college. I am majoring in physics and mathematics. I hope to transfer to the University of Washington by next year if things go well. I hope to eventually obtain a Bachelor's degree in physics from the UW. After that point I will work in physics(not exactly sure doing what yet) while working on a Master's degree, and onward eventually to a doctorate. Science and math have always been something that I have been passionate about since I was very young, and I am incredibly excited to be on this path towards being involved with them for the rest of my life. This project is an amazing thing for all of us to be able to participate in and is a great opportunity to learn quite a lot about many aspects of modern and nuclear physics that most students at our level do not have the opportunity to. I am honored to be a part of this whole thing, and I intend to utilize this opportunity to its fullest by learning as much as I can about all aspects of this project. It is going to be a long year for us all, but it will be worth it when we get this little baby humming and are all able to understand and explain what is happening while it's churning away. Good luck and best wishes to us all.

Student Introduction

My name is Devon and I am a math and physics major attending Peninsula College to save a little bit of money on my college. It’s cheaper to attend a 2 year than a 4 year. This year for the first time the college is offering Calculus based physics and upper level Calculus, and as a bonus a special physics project. Not only do I get to save a little money this year but I get to be a part of an undergraduate research project where we build a nuclear reactor. Not exactly something a lot of transfer students have to offer. It was a chance that I just couldn’t pass up. It’s going to be extremely challenging balancing work, classes and this project but it’s definitely going to be one of the most fun years of my life. I’m hoping this experience will help me decide on a career path. I know what I want to major in because that’s what I’m interested in, but what I’m going to do with it is another thing. Math has always been one of those things that I enjoy struggling with and recently physics has become something I enjoy immensely. This project could even point me towards a different direction and I could choose to focus on nuclear energy which has always interested me. This year I get to do something a lot of physics students wish they could, and most will not get the chance to until graduate school. It’s going to be an interesting year.

Welcome to the future

This is a project among Peninsula College undergraduates to build a working nuclear fusion reactor. OK, maybe not on the scale of ITER, but more along the lines of a tabletop fusion reactor, or fusor.

I got the idea for this special project from an article in Popular Science about a kid in Michigan who built on in his parents basement/garage over the course of two years. His parents helped financially, but this high school kid did the work and all of the math to put this thing together, learning a lot about modern and nuclear physics along the way. After reading this, I thought "Hmm..., why couldn't some of my students do the same thing as a special project? It would involve research, learning about nuclear energy, hands-on building and testing of equipment, design and safety practical knowledge, and the gathering and analyzing of data. " Sounds like the perfect project for the motivated students.

So, I called a meeting of the physics department staff (consisting of, well, me), and I decided to pitch the idea among some of my algebra-based physics students who would be returning for the inaugural offering of calculus-based physics this fall. The response was very positive. I then pitched the idea to the administration. I applied for and received a grant to undertake this special project. Cutting to the chase, we have $3,000 to buy all of the components to build this beast, and my time is donated to the project. You do what you have to do.

As part of this project, here is where we will be posting about the trials and tribulations, the small victories, the crushing disappointments, all of the stuff that goes into this thing called undergraduate research. The other players (my students) will be doing most of the posting, and should have their initial posts up soon. I encourage you, the reader, to follow our progress, and offer any insights or comments as you see fit.

I am Professor Zirul, and welcome to our project!