Scientist Day Jobs
(Macaluso)
Plasma Physics
(Ware)
Oh, my favorite!
O's in Astronomy (Mark)
Physics at the Movies
(Mark)
Know your UM Physics & Astronomy Dept (Andrew)
100

His professional career started relatively early as a patent clerk.

Who is Einstein?

100

The two plasma theorists on faculty of the UM Department of Physics & Astronomy.

Who are Dr. Uchimoto and Dr. Ware?
100

Overkill perhaps...  This is what happens when the light from one celestial body is completely obscured by another.  (e.g., moon covering the planet Saturn)

What is an occultation?

100

Is it rocket science?  This heartwarming 1999 film is based on a true story, and sees a young Jake Gyllenhaal pursuing a dream to become an NASA engineer.

What is October Sky?

100

This member of the department plays hockey and is originally from a place west of Missoula.

Who is Dr. McCrady?

200

He sprang into the work force as an architect.

Who is Hooke?

200

The Russian word for toroid.

What is tokamak?

200

Othello would be jealous:  Another character from Shakespeare's works, this fairy king shares his name with one of the largest moons of Uranus.

Who/what is Oberon?

200

What's nu?  This sci-fi thriller from the year 2000 stars both Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel.

What is Frequency?

200

This person has been part of the department for longer than any other member.

Who is Dr. Uchimoto?

300

She did noble work as a nanny long before winning the Nobel Prize.

Who is Curie?

300

The ratio of the plasma pressure to the magnetic pressure.

What is plasma beta?  (beta is OK)

300

OMG, what does it friggin' matter, Match.com?!  This serpent bearer also happens to be the unofficial 13th constellation of the zodiac.

What is Ophiuchus?

300

Hawkeye does physics??  This epic 2016 thriller sees Jeremy Renner play the role of a theoretical physicist.

What is Arrival?

300

This is the only member of Physics & Astronomy to receive a degree from the department.

Who is Jaylene Naylor?

400

This scientist's career appropriately started as an electrician installing incandescent wiring in Paris.

Who is Tesla?

400

The acronym for the largest magnetic fusion experiment ever, which is being built in the south of France.

What is ITER?

400

"Oooh, oooh!"  That's what you'll proclaim as you figure out the answer to this one:   362

What is Observational Astronomy?  (i.e., ASTR 362)

400

Why so sensitive?  This lepidopteric 2004 sci-fi thriller features Ashton Kutcher and utilizes Chaos Theory as a major plot device.

What is the Butterfly Effect?

400

This member of the department has been part of the ski patrol at Snow Bowl.

Who is Dr. Janzen?

500

This particularly funny man was an accomplished conga player and Tuvan throat singer.

Who is Feynman?

500

The only Nobel Prize winner who did his research in plasma physics won the award in 1970 for "fundamental work and discoveries in magnetohydrodynamics with fruitful applications in different parts of plasma physics."

Who is Hannes Alfven?

500

Open, closed, or flat:  this Greek letter represents the energy density of the entire universe.  (spell out the Greek letter)

What is omega?

500

Laser popcorn?  This 1985 comedy features Val Kilmer as a brilliant, young, wise-cracking physics student.

What is Real Genius?

500

This member of the department has lived in Myanmar, and is the most recent to join us.

Who is Karie Hyslop?