Martina B. Arndt, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Physics

Chairwoman of the Physics Department

Bridgewater State College

Conant Science Building Room 115-A
Bridgewater, Massachusetts 02325
Office Phone: (508) 531-2084
Dept. Phone: (508) 531-1386
Fax: (508) 531-1785
BSC Observatory

Fall 2007 Courses and Office Hours

 

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

8:00-9:00

 

 

 

 

 

9:00 -10:00

 

 

 

10:00 -11:00

 

 

 

 

11:00-12:00

Office Hours

Exploring the Universe
(11:00 - 12:15)

Department Meeting

Exploring the Universe
(11:00 - 12:15)

 

12:00-1:00

Energy and its Social Uses
(12:20 - 1:35)

Exploring the Universe LAB

Energy and its Social Uses
(12:20 - 1:35)

 Exploring the Universe LAB

 

1:00-2:00

 

 

 

 

 

2:00-3:00

 

 Office Hours

 

 

3:00-4:00

 

Chairs Meetings

 

 

4:00-5:00

 

 

 

 

 

All current courses can be accessed through Blackboard (password required)

Courses I have taught at BSC:

  • Physics 107: Exploring the Universe, Fall 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003-2005 (lab only), 2007
  • Physics 107: Energy and Its Social Uses, Fall 2004, 2007 Spring 2006, 2008
  • Physics 181: Elements of Physics I, Fall 2000 - 2006
  • Physics 182: Elements of Physics II, Spring 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007
  • Physics 183: Physics II for Aviation Science, Spring 2001- 2004, 2006, 2007
  • Physics 199: First Year Seminar: "Discover the Cosmos!", Fall 2006
  • Physics 244: General Physics II, Spring 2002 (lab only)
  • Physics 403: Mathematical Methods, Spring 2003, 2004
  • Physics 408: Astrophysics, Fall 2001, 2003, 2005
  • Physics 414: Experimental Physics , Spring 2001, 2002
  • Physics 433: Thermal Physics, Fall 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006
  • Physics 560: Stellar Astrophysics, Summer 2002
  • Physics 560: Physics of Sports, Summer 2003
  • Physics 560: Standards Based Astronomy for Middle School, Summer 2004
  • Physics 560: Solar Physics for Teachers Summer 2007

 

 

Information about Me

 

Ph.D. in Physics, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH

2000

M.S. in Physics, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH

1997

B.A. in Astronomy, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA

1991

Teaching Experience:

Department Chairwoman
Bridgewater State College

August 2007 - Present

Associate Professor
Bridgewater State College

September 2006 - Present

Assistant Professor
Bridgewater State College

September 2000 - 2006

Director of BSC Observatory
Bridgewater State College

September 2000 - Present

Introduction to Modern Astronomy
University of New Hampshire

Summers: 1999, 2002-2006

Introduction to Technical Physics
University of New Hampshire

Spring, 1999

Director of UNH Observatory
University of New Hampshire

1993 - 1995

Introduction to Modern Astronomy, Lab Instructor
University of New Hampshire

Fall, 1993
Spring, 1995

Research Experience:

Short Term Visitor
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Summer, 2002, 2003

Guest Research Professor
University of Wales, Aberystwyth

March, 2002, 2003

Research Assistant
University of New Hampshire

1993 - 2000

Research Assistant/Computer Specialist
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

1991 - 1993

Undergraduate Researcher at various institutions:
Wellesley College, Wesleyan University, Maria Mitchell Observatory, American Association of Variable Star Observers

1990 - 1991

Eclipse Expeditions:

Libya, 2006 March 29
Funded by NSF

South Africa, 2002 December 4
Funded by NSF

Zambia, 2001 June 21
Funded with BSC CART grants

Antigua/Guadalupe, 1998 February 26
Funded by NSF grant

Mongolia,1997 March 9
Partially funded by Sigma Xi Research Grant

Awards and Grants:

Polarimetric Imaging and Spectroscopy of the Coronal from 500 – 1500 nm during Total Solar Eclipses
National Science Foundation

2005

Defining Information Literacy and Technology Outcomes within the Physics Major (2005)
BSC Davis Educational Foundation Grant

2005

Summer Content Institute
Massachusetts Department of Education

2004

CART Summer Grant
Bridgewater State College

2002, 2003, 2006

Bridgewater Cultural Council Grant
Massachusetts Cultural Council

2001

Faculty Librarian Research Grant
Bridgewater State College

2000

CART Small and Travel Grants
Bridgewater State College

2000

Space Grant
NASA/UNH

1998

Outstanding Student Paper Award
American Geophysical Union

1991

Sigma Xi Research Grant

1996

Student Assistantship
American Astronomical Society

1994

Committee Work:

Vice-President
New England Section of American Association of Physics Teachers

Fall 2007-present

Center for the Advancement of Research
and Teaching Advisory Board (CART)
Bridgewater State College

Fall 2002 - 2004

Outcomes Assessment Project
Bridgewater State College

Fall 2002 - 2005

Science and Technology Education Partnership (STEP)
Board of Directors
Community of Plymouth

Fall 2001 - 2005

South Shore Regional Science Fair
Bridgewater State College and SSRSF

Fall 2002 - present

NEASC Self Study,
Admission and Retention Writing Committee
Bridgewater State College

Spring 2001 - Fall 2002

 

Research Interests

 My research interests lie in solar physics. My dissertation work involved studying the high-energy emission from a gamma-ray solar flare that occurred on 15 November 1991. This flare is unique because it was a well observed event; data were collected from several ground and space based observatories. The data we used were primarily from the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (1991 - 2000). Using this data, we were able to confirm previous results and introduce some new ones. In particular, we found a short 2.223 MeV decay time, which suggests that either neutrons were being formed (and therefore captured) in the denser, lower layers of the Sun (e.g. photosphere) or that there existed an anomalous abundance of He3 that absorbed free neutrons. In addition, we found some evidence for very high gamma-ray energy emission (greater than 60 MeV), though these results need to be confirmed.

 Here at BSC, I hope to continue with my solar physics research, ideally with the assistance of undergraduate students. A few projects that I have been working on include:

  • An expedition to Africa to view the June 2001 eclipse (Funded by two BSC CART grants). I worked with Marcus Gagliardi (BSC physics major) analyzing these data and his work was presented at the second annual BSC undergraduate research symposium in 2002. He is now working on his Masters Degree in Physics at Idaho State University.
  • An expedition to Africa to view the December 2002 eclipse - though there were many clouds, we were able to get 20 seconds of good data.
  • Future ideas include projects in partnership with the American Association of Variable Star Observers.

Stay tuned, and watch for updates!!

Publications/Presentations

Personal Interests

My personal interests include playing and watching ice hockey (go UNH!) and volleyball (go BSC!), quilting, and spending time with my family. I am also a huge movie fan.

 

This file last modified on October 30, 2007