University of Oregon Annual Report 2025

QuarkNet Oregon 2025

The Institute for Fundamental Science (IFS) at the University of Oregon hosted the 2025 QuarkNet workshop June 20 on the UO campus. This was a bit later than usual due to the Track and Field Olympics Trials being held at UO during the preceding two weeks. This probably affected attendance by teachers, who are anxious to be done with duties by end of June. 

This was our 24th summer workshop. A pdf version of the workshop web page is given on the next page and the URL (including live links) is here:
http://pages.uoregon.edu/rayfrey/QuarkNet/2025/QuarkNet_2025.html

The focus for the workshop this year was on recent updates and progress on scientific research in high-energy physics and astrophysics. These included updates by UO faculty on current research, including gravitational waves/LIGO, Atlas at the LHC (live remote from CERN), tidal-disrupted stars by black holes, and theory perspectives. In addition, Dr. Scott Fisher (UO), Director of UO’s Pine Mt Observatory gave an update on goings on at Pine Mt, which sits at 6300 feet on the eastern side of the Cascade Range. 

The full list of participants is given in the web page. The faculty participation was Ray Frey (lead mentor and PI), Eric Torrence (remote at CERN), Scott Fisher, Laura Jeanty, Jim Brau, Robert Schofield, Spencer Chang, and our newest faculty member, radio astronomer Yvette Cendes. The faculty talks were very well received and, following usual practice, the presentation files are linked on the web page above, where they are available to teachers. Six active high school science teachers joined us this year. Unfortunately, retired teacher and longtime QuarkNet observer Dave Trapp passed away earlier in the year. Funds from the UO IFS were used to cover (minor) local expenses (catering, parking, etc).