Networking, learning and a first place award highlighted the 2024 Atlantic Undergraduate Physics and Astronomy Conference (AUPAC) for a delegation of StFX physics students who were well represented at the event. In all, 15 students attended, eight presented, and one won first prize in the Students' Choice Award at the conference held at Mount Allison University Feb. 2-4.
Pictured, the delegation of StFX physics students pose for a photo with guest speaker and Nobel Prize recipient Dr. Arthur McDonald. Pictured are, back row, l-r: Nevan Keating, Brayden Lee, Dylan MacDougall, Hudson Forance, Kara MacKenzie, Dr. McDonald, Matthew Penner, Maxwell MacNeil, Tyler Cook, and Harry Daly. Front row: Bryanna Smith, Sara Sullivan, K.J. Lawrence, Keely Ralf, Kevin Bronson, and Evan Hunt.
Keely Ralf, a third year physics student from Jasper, AB, was co-winner of the Students' Choice Award for her presentation on the "Supercritical Harbingers of the Critical Point in the Ising Model."
"I was pretty excited. I love my research," says Ms. Ralf, who does computational physics under the supervision of Dr. Peter Poole. She was thrilled that conference delegates also enjoyed the research and the presentation.
Ms. Ralf says it's unusual for a university to have such a large delegation attend this conference (it's usually around five to 10 students) and it was a cool experience to have so many StFX students participate.
"It was a great opportunity to see all the different, diverse fields of physics you can go into," she says, and it was great to network with students and faculty from other universities "and to learn more about what could come next for you in physics.
"The conference was so good. The student presentations were phenomenal and the event was so engaging."
StFX students had opportunity to present the research work they're completing as part of their advanced major and honours degrees. Ms. Ralf says it was a great bonding experience to attend the event together and for delegates who practiced and worked on their presentations together.
Student travel was funded by the StFX Dean of Science Office, the Physics Department, and several research supervisors.
