We thought you must all wonder about who our students are, about what they do, whether in our classrooms, or outside, about what their dreams are like. So we have started a Senior Spotlight series, where one could get a (tiny) glimpse of their awesomeness. Here it is the first, in not particular order:
Logan Zentz is a senior physics major at James Madison University with minors in mathematics and astronomy. He attended Stuart Hall High School in Staunton, Virginia and loves to play chess and other video games, like Space Engineers. He has always been interested in science and mathematics and has enjoyed being able to implement them in the physics department at JMU. Sloane McNeill, a senior physics major (to be featured shortly by Logan) interviewed him:
SM: What made you decide to major in physics?
LZ: I started off in the engineering department, however, I was really enjoying my introductory physics classes, so I decided to switch my major to physics. Physics seemed to apply the mathematics that I had enjoyed learning in previous classes.
SM:What are some of the opportunities you have had to practice physics?
LZ: I had the opportunity to do an internship at the Applied Physics Laboratory for the past two summers. While there, I was able to learn more about computer programming, specifically three-dimensional modeling.
Also, I am working on a planetary geology research project in collaboration with Dr. Shane McGary, to model dwarf planet series to evaluate the initial conditions that lead to this evolution. This came to be because I expressed interest in his previous projects about modeling Venus’s surface with asteroid impact craters to then determine the age of Venus. I noticed a lot of the material used in this project was implemented from my advanced mechanics course (Physics 340) which I loved learning.
SM: What is your favorite class you have taken at JMU so far?
LZ: My favorite class so far has been Physics 341: Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos, where I got to explore systems in a more qualitative way and combine my interests of physics and mathematics. This class was taught by Dr. Illarion Melnikov, who taught us how certain examples that are familiar from other introductory classes can become chaotic and very complex when certain parameters or initial conditions are varied.
SM: What are you most proud of?
LZ: I am most proud of my younger brother because I have been able to help him learn things like chess and soccer. I have also started to teach him some interesting things that I have learned about physics. I am proud that he has learned these things from me and is excelling in them. Experience explaining things to him has helped me when tutoring students as well as with assisting them in the classroom as a learning assistant.
