Category: Mustang Physics

In May, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nobel Laureate and MIT physicist Frank Wilczek [1] for the SMU Mustang Physics Podcast. I was joined by co-host Holly Howard, SMU undergraduate and newly minted physics major. Professor Wilczek spoke to us about about how he got into math and eventually physics, and how his first serious project in physics led later to the receipt of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2004. He was quite candid about his experience receiving the “call from Sweden.” We spoke for over 40 minutes, and this interview has been edited down for the podcast.

In addition, Holly spoke about the transition from high school to college and what present-Holly would tell past-Holly if she could go back in time. We also talked a little about why physics is so appealing.

Check out our conversation at http://blog.smu.edu/mustangphysics/.

[1] http://web.mit.edu/physics/people/faculty/wilczek_frank.html

In March, I had the pleasure of interviewing Stanford physicist and colleague Matt Bellis [1] for the SMU Mustang Physics Podcast. He spoke with me about his work to “sonify” particle physics data – that is, generate sound and even music from the many forms of information present in particle collisions. His work was selected as the “people’s choice” winner at “Science Hack Day: SF” [2] in Palo Alto, CA, and he recently presented his efforts at Stanford’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) [3].

“Mustang Physics” is a podcast that was initiated with support from an SMU President’s Partners Grant. It is your gateway into the lives, studies, and passions of physics students and researchers.

Check out our conversation at http://blog.smu.edu/mustangphysics/.

[1] http://mattbellis.com

[2] http://sf.sciencehackday.com/

[3] https://ccrma.stanford.edu/ and https://ccrma.stanford.edu/events/ccrma-colloquium-matt-bellis-particle-physics-windchime-exercise-in-sonficiation-of-high-ener