Apr 7
P123 Speaker
What Physicists Do
Physics 123 Spring 2017
(First 5 weeks) Fridays, 6a (3:30-4:30), Olin 141 1 Credit; S/CR/NC
The Department of Physics and Astronomy is pleased to announce this year’s Physics 123 Line-up. “What Physicists Do” is our annual series of five lectures by invited speakers, many of whom are Carleton Physics alumni. It is intended to introduce students to a broad range of real-world physics and to give some perspective on the kinds of work done by people with a physics background. The course is open to all interested students who have taken PHYS 151; those considering a major in physics are particularly encouraged to enroll.
The presentations are in OLIN 141 on Fridays during 6th period (3:30-4:30pm). The only requirement, beyond attending five talks, is to read an assigned article beforehand and then to submit a short (one page) typed essay afterwards commenting on both the talk and the reading. Speakers will be available for informal discussions over refreshments afterward. Questions: Joel Weisberg, Olin 319, x4367, jweisber@carleton.edu
April 7 Ali Ehlen ‘13 “Understanding renewables integration through power system modeling”
With the cost of wind and solar plants declining rapidly, installed capacity is growing in the US and abroad. This introduces new challenges to global power systems. Infrastructure and markets meant for thermal generation must adapt to integrate resources that are less expensive but more uncertain than conventional power plants. I will discuss the work that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is doing to help policymakers and utilities in the US and abroad understand how to handle higher penetrations of variable generation—wind and solar power—and what the associated challenges and benefits might be. Speaking more broadly, I will also discuss a few thoughts about the nuances of this type of modeling, what it means to work in this space, and a few ways in which a physics background can lead to success in this field.