Ever been in this situation? You have an opinion or an idea and you just know you’re right. You set out to prove it, and all the facts you line up seem to prove your side of the story. This is confirmation bias– the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one’s existing beliefs … Continue Reading »
Physicists get to puzzle over the great mysteries of the universe. But they were not born solving equations and pondering quantum mechanics. To get where they are today, professional physicists had to fit the pieces together in their own lives. Recently, a distinguished panel explained to Berkeley Connect Physics students how they solved the puzzle … Continue Reading »
Berkeley students are lucky to study at a research university: new knowledge is being produced around us all the time. Many students would like to make research part of their undergraduate experience, but some aren’t sure how to begin. Recently, graduate student mentor Micah Brush led Berkeley Connect Physics students through a discussion of … Continue Reading »
How do you envision the future? Self-driving cars, virtual reality, Hyperloop passenger pods? Whatever gadget or gimmick might reveal itself in the future, all technologies have one commonality: their reliance on energy. Tackling the question “How can physicists shape our future?,” Berkeley Connect Physics students broke into teams of three or four to brainstorm … Continue Reading »
Despite what some politicians may tell you, the scientific evidence is clear: climate change is a real problem, and it’s a big problem. At a recent event jointly organized by Berkeley Connect in ESPM (Environmental Science, Policy, & Management) and Berkeley Connect in Physics, a panel of professors spoke to students about this pressing environmental … Continue Reading »
The topic of research can be daunting for an undergrad. You know you’re supposed to be doing it to build your resume, but you’re not sure how or where to find a research position, or what exactly research even entails. Luckily for Berkeley Connect Physics students, a panel of Physics majors recently came together to … Continue Reading »
Berkeley Connect Physics encourages students to reach out and give back At the recent outreach/teaching fair organized by Berkeley Connect Physics, students learned how they can use their knowledge and skills to improve science education, at every level from kindergarten through college. I first stopped by the table of Community Resources for Science (CRS). A nonprofit based in … Continue Reading »
Berkeley Connect Physics students talk to graduates about careers in industry Proving once and for all that there are many paths open to physics majors, a panel of UC Berkeley alums spoke to Berkeley Connect Physics students about their careers outside of academia. Invited to speak were Geena Kim, co-founder of ChemiSense; Micah Ledbetter, a physicist at … Continue Reading »
Berkeley Connect Physics panel discusses social responsibility of scientists On November 26, Berkeley Connect Physics tackled the tough questions. Assembled to talk about Robert Oppenheimer’s life and to answer questions about ethics in science were faculty from diverse backgrounds: Professors Joonhong Ahn (Nuclear Engineering), Cathryn Carson (History), Steven Glazer (Civil and Mechanical Engineering), Raymond Jeanloz (Earth and … Continue Reading »
Berkeley Connect in Physics speakers share with undergraduates why they became scientists On September 24, Berkeley Connect in Physics hosted a panel of scientists from UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory who spoke about the challenges and rewards of being a scientist. Undergraduates were given the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists, who weighed in on … Continue Reading »