Princeton, baby!

We are finally in Princeton and the campus is absolutely beautiful! Tomorrow we begin our physics lectures on quantum mechanics and particle physics. For homework last week, Peggy asked us to write about any interesting experiments we've seen which pertain to our planned majors. Although few projects had aspects specifically related to chemical engineering (my major), almost all incorporated some form of engineering. From building the detectors to programming data acquisition boards, engineers were integral parts of every experiment. As one Fermilab engineer told us, physicists dream up the ideas while engineers make them happen. The Majorana project actually did require chemists and chemical engineers to electroform copper. This expensive, delicate process was interesting to learn about. The copper was developed in a class ten cleanroom; if contaminated or improperly purified, it had to be thrown out. We even got to see some of the scientists working in full gear, and we're given old copper samples. It was also neat to learn about the numerous applications of particle accelerators. I was particularly interested in their environmental and energy applications as that's the field I'm interested in. This past week, we've been lucky enough to visit numerous labs and see high-profile physics experiments. It's been amazing to see the scale and importance of these projects; they are truly massive collaborations which require professionals from many disciplines. Now, we're prepping for three intense weeks of crazy heat and physics. It should be wild!