Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Editor's Song, Frank A. Farris

Mathematics and Computer Science

The program of the 2011 Mathfest's opening banquet was "MAA-The Musical!' Produced by Annalisa Crannell and starring the "MAA Players"(active MAA members all), it highlighted activities of the Association and of Mathfest itself. This song represents the journals. It was sung by past editor Frank Farris to the tune of "A Wand'ring Minstrel I,"from Gilbert and Sullivan's the Mikado.

Measurement Of Spin Diffusion In Semi-Insulating Gaas, Christopher P. Weber, Craig A. Benko, Stanley C. Hiew

Physics

We use optical transient-grating spectroscopy to measure the spin diffusion of optically oriented electrons in bulk, semi-insulating GaAs(100). Trapping and recombination do not quickly deplete the photoexcited population. The spin diffusion coefficient of 88±12 cm²/s is roughly constant at temperatures from 15 K to 150 K, and the spin diffusion length is at least 450 nm. We show that it is possible to use spin diffusion to estimate the electron diffusion coefficient. Due to electron-electron interactions, the electron diffusion is 1.4 times larger than the spin diffusion.

Electronic Structure Of Warm Dense Copper Studied By Ultrafast X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy, B. I. Cho, K. Engelhorn, A. A. Correa, T. Ogitsu, Christopher P. Weber, H. J. Lee, J. Feng, P. A. Ni, Y. Ping, A. J. Nelson, D. Prendergast, R. W. Lee, R. W. Falcone, P. A. Heimann

Physics

We use time-resolved x-ray absorption spectroscopy to investigate the unoccupied electronic density of states of warm dense copper that is produced isochorically through the absorption of an ultrafast optical pulse. The temperature of the superheated electron-hole plasma, which ranges from 4000 to 10 000 K, was determined by comparing the measured x-ray absorption spectrum with a simulation. The electronic structure of warm dense copper is adequately described with the high temperature electronic density of state calculated by the density functional theory. The dynamics of the electron temperature is consistent with a two-temperature model, while a temperature-dependent electron-phonon coupling parameter is …

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 52 Number 4, Winter 2011, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

16 - LIFE CYCLE A Photo Essay By Susan Middleton '70. Luminous beauty drawn from two remarkable projects-Evidence of Evolution and Spineless. And a sneak peek at a show by this Guggenheim fellow opening in April at SCU's de Saisset Museum.

20 - CAN NEWSPAPERS & JOURNALISM SURVIVE THE DIGITAL AGE? DOES IT MATTER? By Jeff Brazil '85. A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist goes looking for answers, talking to industry veterans, and taking stock of the new forms of journalism arising.

30 - REVEALED! THE TRUTH BEHIND NO NAME! By Sam Scott '96. On today's Rock Report: the story (and real …

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 53 Number 2, Fall 2011, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

18 - CHANGE THE WORLD. OR AT LEAST HOW YOU SEE IT. Edited by John Deever and Steven Boyd Saum. The U.S. Peace Corps turned 50 this year, with more than 340 Santa Clara grads (and faculty and staff) having served as volunteers over the years. A few of them recount their time in-country-and where it's taken them.

26 - HOW CAN YOU DEFEND THOSE PEOPLE? by Steven Boyd Saum. Public defenders on the Homicide Task Force in Chicago have heard that question time and again. Between them, Robert Strunck '76 and Crystal Marchigiani '78 have some 40 years on …

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 52, Number 3, Winter 2010, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

14 - GOOD LIT By Alicia K. Gonzales '09 and Steven Boyd Saum. It's time to light 10 candles on the birthday cake for SCU's California Legacy Series. To date: 43 books, 500 radio broadcasts, and a handful of movies. What's next? Something big.

16 - SHAPING THE FUTURE by Adolfo Nicolas, S.J. What can Jesuit universities do-together-to make the world a more humane, just, and sustainable place? It starts with imagination, an unequaled global network, and a conference in Mexico City- where Jesuit Superior General Adolfo Nicolas takes stock of challenges to Jesuit higher education today.

24 - A …

A Noneuclidean Universe, Frank A. Farris

Mathematics and Computer Science

Let us construct a hypothetical universe, if for no other reason than to challenge our preconceptions about space. We call it a noneuclidean universe because it contradicts some of the notions central to euclidean geometry, where, for instance, the angle measures in a triangle add up to 180 degrees. There are many noneuclidean universes; ours is of a type called hyperbolic. This hypothetical universe has been constructed before. It is often called the Poincaré Upper Halfplane, in honor of French mathematician Henri Poincaré (1854-1912). I admire Poincaré because he is said to have been the last person in the world …

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 53 Number 1, Summer 2011, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

18 - WHAT DO INVESTORS REALLY WANT? By Meir Statman. A renowned behavioral finance expert reveals how our desires shape our actions when it comes to investing. (Hint: It's not just money that we're after.)

20 - LAW AT 100. A century of legal education at SCU. See snapshots from across the years-and look at the big picture of how the legal landscape has changed

22 - THE BIG IDEA!: Michael S. Malone '75, MBA '77 on Silicon Valley high tech gold and a brief history of intellectual property law.

24 - WOMEN'S WORK: Stephanie M. Wildman on jobs, the …