Physics Graduate Students Conference Bound

UCF physics graduate students Brian Zamarripa Roman and Fernand Eliud Torres-Davila

Brian Zamarripa Roman and Fernand Eliud Torres-Davila, University of Central Florida physics graduate students, were awarded a travel grant from the American Physical Society (APS) to attend the APS Graduate Education and Bridge Program Conference in College Park, Maryland.

“As part of the bridge program, we hope to expand our knowledge of the cutting-edge fields of research in physics,” said Torres-Davila.

The award recognizes graduate students such as Zamarripa Roman and Torres-Davila who have made noteworthy progress in their academic careers.

Zamarripa Roman and Torres-Davila want to be more than just bystanders at the conference. With his current project focusing on methods of interpreting attitudinal assessments in physics, Zamarripa Roman hopes to share his knowledge on the matter.

“We will be presenting findings on situational factors that affect or not affect introductory students’ attitudes toward physics,” Zamarripa Roman said.

Torres-Davila, who plans on graduating with his doctoral degree in 2020, is currently conducting research related to improving well-known nanoscale imaging systems. He also hopes to share his research at the conference.

“I have submitted an abstract of my research,” he said. “I hope to show my findings at the conference and get possible feedback for it.”

For the deserving students, the conference is more than just a gathering about physics, it’s an opportunity for them to connect to like-minded individuals that share the same passion.

“It’s always great to see what your colleagues across the country are working hard in,” said Torres-Davila

Zamarripa added “as bridge program students we find ourselves managing our identity as physicists and underrepresented minorities who are at risk of not proceeding with graduation. This will give us a framework of things to keep in mind when dealing with underrepresented groups in the physics department.”

The conference, held Feb., 10-12, 2017, will include panels and discussion on diversity, graduate student poster session, networking opportunities, and much more.