Department of Physics and Technology, UoB IFT-posten April 29 2011

A Word from the Deparment Administration

Wednesday last week was a very eventful day. Number of applicants (admissions to universities and colleges) was published by Samordna Opptak and the results show that the number of applicants within natural sciences increased for the third year in a row. This resulted in a total increase of 40% since 2008, see the following for more information. The Vice Rector for education Kuvvet Atakan commented in På Høyden that ”This is a trend which seems to persist, and that this is especially good because there is a great need for such competence within the society.” - And furthermore that ”UoB differs from the other universities because at UoB there has been a constant increase in the number of applicants within natural sciences in the last years.” As far as IFT is concerned there are only marginal changes in physics while PTEK (Petroleum Technology) has experienced an increase by 25% and is therefore back at the 2009 level. Overall the number of students who applied for M.Sc. studies at IFT increased by 134. This number is way more than at other institutes within The Faculty Mathematics and Natural Sciences. From a point of view of advisor capacity and the distribution among research groups, this poses a significant challenge which should naturally be discussed at the strategy meeting in Voss.

Wednesday’s greatest event was actually taking part in the Christiekonferansen which was a total success – we would like to congratulate the organizers for the good program and the good management! This time the team was ”UoB – an internationally recognized research university outside the capital”. It was therefore especially interesting to listen to the experiences from Lund and Cambridge. In addition to long-term basic research with an international perspective, the importance of more applied research and good regional relations was highlighted as an important key to success.

News and General Information

The Physicists’ Meeting in Oslo June 20 - 22

We would like to remind everyone that our colleagues in Oslo invite to this year’s Fysikermøte (Physicists’ Meeting), which will also contribute to celebrating the 200 years of the University of Oslo. We would like to encourage everyone to participate. The conference fee of those PhD- and M.Sc. students with presentations will be covered by the Norwegian Physics Society. IFT will in addition reimburse up to 1500 NOK/student of travel and accommodation expenses –the rest should be reimbursed by the research groups. For more information, contact Per Osland. We would otherwise like to encourage all who consider participating to register as soon as possible.

Travel Letter from Grete (written on Thursday April 21)

Hola!

Here is a short travel letter from Camino de Santiago. Today I am in Sarria, and ca. 117 km left. I have cheated a little and have cut down with few stages. The weather has been great all this time; it has been pretty warm in entire Spain. Eventually, it started raining.....

This has been a fantastic trip in many respects; the physical challenge by covering 20-30 km every day with 10 kg on my back, with the problems this brings for the feet, the social life with other pilgrims from all over the world, culture, and last but not least beautiful nature. I knew from before that there are other beautiful places than Norway, but now I really got to experience it. One feels everything so close when one strolls along the trail all day long; one experiences everything in a different way than when one just drives past things in a car. Along the way there were high mountains and endless plains, big cities and small picturesque villages. Almost infinite number of churches, and 99,9% cheerful and pleasant Spaniards.

I hope to be in Santiago on April 27, and then I will have an extra day there. Back at work on Monday May 2!

I think I found one of the worst keyboards in entire Spain – have spent 40 min trying to write these lines..... I have got no more patience!

---

This was the travel letter from our Administration Manager Grete Kvamme Ersland who has participated in the Camino-trip from Pamplona to Santiago in northern Spain, approximately 700 km.

Travel Funds from the “Akademia” Agreement

We are pleased to invite applications for funding of activities related to petroleum research, through the "Akademia" agreement between UiB and Statoil. You can apply for:

1) Travel to conferences etc. related to petroleum research for up to NOK 25 000 (Funds are not for educational purposes - participation with presentation will be given priority)

2) Visiting guest researchers (travel and stay)

The activity must take place in 2011. To be evaluated the application MUST include:

• Your name and position and where you are employed

• A specification of purpose /aim

• Conference participation

• Oral Presentation/Poster

• Information regarding supervisor/research group  (name, position)

• Estimated expenses with details including travel budget, conference fee etc.

• Whether you have applied other funding 

• Whether you have received money through the Akademia mobility scheme before.

 Scientific staff and PhD students can apply.

Applications and travel claim forms must be marked "SH2011" and sent by email to Katrine Kristiansen (Katrine is located at CIPR Unifob, Allegt. 41., tel. 83645). APPLICATION DEADLINE: 13 MAY 2011. The committee will use approximately two weeks to evaluate the applications. All applicants will be informed as soon as the evaluations are ready.


Sabbatical Leave in 2012 (2013)

Application deadline for sabbatical leave in 2012 or 2012 fall – 2013 spring, as well as financial support for research stay abroad, is on Tuesday May 24 2011.. See the letter from the faculty for more information on terms and procedures.

Announcement of Stipend for Travel and Research Stay for PhDs (And Possibly for Postdocs) at The Norwegian University Center in St. Petersburg

The Norwegian University Center in St. Petersburg is announcing up to 5 stipends to cover 1-3 months research stay for PhD students from NTNU, University of Bergen, University of Oslo and University of Tromsø. Postdocs may also be considered. See more information here. Application deadline May 13 2011.

NANOMAT – Student Competition

The Norwegian Research Council’s program for nanotechnology and new materials, NANOMAT, will be arranging a student competition in connection with the final seminar ”Work little – think big!” November 2 2011 in Oslo. PhD and M.Sc. students from all Norwegian Research Institutions with relevant research in the field can apply. More information here. The introductory round has a deadline on June 6 2011.

The Eurasia Program – Project Funds for Collaboration in Higher Education

SIU invites Norwegian Institutions of Higher Education to apply for funding of collaboration projects with equivalent institutions in Eurasia. Eurasia includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Belarus, Moldova, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.

More information on the program can be found at SIU’s webpages, and on the announcement of fund here. UoB has to apply gathered through SIU’s electronic application system within 06.06.11.

The departments that are interested in applying for such funds must send relevant information to the coordinator of the Eurasia program at UoB, Kjersti Hvidsten, within 24.05.11. She can also be contacted should there be any questions.

F

The Number of Applicants IFT – Bachelor and Master

On Wednesday April 27, Samordna Opptak has published information on the number of applicants to higher education (99%-numbers). For IFT the following numbers were registered:

· Physics: 42 (-2 from 2010, decrease by 4,5%)

• Petroleum- and Process Technology: 120 (+24 from 2010, increase by 25,0%)

The main application deadline for M.Sc. studies is not permanently moved to April 15. Totally, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences was the first priority of 492 applicants. IFT, with 134 applicants, has the largest number of applicants of all of the departments within the faculty (see the figure in the following). The following numbers were registered:

· Physics: 36 (+2 from main admission 2010)

· Petroleum Technology: 37 (+8)

• Process Technology: 61 (+3)

The complete overview of applications to M.Sc. programs at our faculty can be found here.

The Student Council’s General Meeting and Semester Party

The Student Council invites all students at IFT to its general meeting on Friday May 6 at 16:15 in Auditorium B. The following issues will be raised:

· Statutes of the Student Council

· New Management in the Student Council

· New representatives/deputy for program boards in physics, petroleum and process.

· New representatives/deputy in the Institute Council.

• Other.

The Student Council – your most important instrument! This is the PLACE for you to influence your everyday at university – both professionally and socially!! Be there or be square!

Following the general meeting we would like to invite everyone to a whopping SEMESTER – or EXAM-KICKOFF-PARTY! Delicious punch with fun nitrogen will be served – and we promise great atmosphere and kicking. This is a party for everyone connected to the Department of Physics and Technology and we hope to see B.Sc., M.Sc. and PhD students as well as , lecturers, advisors, professors, deans, department administration, doctors and more. This will be the beginning of a new and better social life at the department.

IFT in the media

· Auka satsing på internasjonalt næringssamarbeid (Increased investement on international business cooperation) Hordaland County April 15.

· Jan S. Vaagen: En Christie stridsmann (A Christie Warrior), Bergens Tidende April 27.

Publications (ISI)

· Aad G, Abbott B, Abdallah J, Buanes T, Burgess T, Eigen G, Kastanas A, Lipniacka A, Mohn B, Sandaker H, Sjursen TB, Stugu B, Tonyan A, Ugland M et al.: Search for Diphoton Events with Large Missing Transverse Energy in 7 TeV Proton-Proton Collisions with the ATLAS Detector PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS Volume: 106 Issue: 12 Article Number: 12180

· Aad G, Abbott B, Abdallah J, Buanes T, Burgess T, Eigen G, Kastanas A, Lipniacka A, Mohn B, Sandaker H, Sjursen TB, Stugu B, Tonyan A, Ugland M et al.: Search for Supersymmetry Using Final States with One Lepton, Jets, and Missing Transverse Momentum with the ATLAS Detector in root s=7 TeV pp Collisions PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS Volume: 106 Issue: 13 Article Number: 131802

· Sanchez PD, Lees JP, Poireau V, Eigen G, Stugu B, Sun L et al.: Analysis of the D+ -> K- pi(+) e(+) nu(e) decay channel PHYSICAL REVIEW D Volume: 83 Issue: 7 Article Number: 072001

· Meric I, Johansen GA, Holstad MB, Gardner RP: Monte Carlo modelling of gamma-ray stopping efficiencies of Geiger-Muller counters NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS & METHODS IN PHYSICS RESEARCH SECTION A Volume: 636 Issue: 1 Pages: 61-66

· Zschocke S, Horvat S, Mishustin IN, Csernai, LP: Nonequilibrium hadronization and constituent quark number scaling PHYSICAL REVIEW C Volume: 83 Issue: 4 Article Number: 044903

· Pilskog I, Fregenal D, Frette O, Førre M, Horsdal E, Waheed A: Symmetry and symmetry breaking in Rydberg-atom intrashell dynamics PHYSICAL REVIEW A Volume: 83 Issue: 4 Article Number: 043405