UNF Department of Physics and Astronomy

☀️ Hello, Summer at UNF! 🌴

Sunshine, palm trees, and Osprey pride—summer is officially here at the University of North Florida! Whether you’re taking summer classes, enjoying a well-deserved break, or exploring campus, there’s no better place to soak up the season.

🎓 And a huge congratulations to our UNF graduates from ! Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance have paid off—we’re so proud of you and can’t wait to see all the amazing things you do next.

Stay cool, stay motivated, and make the most of your summer, Ospreys!

💙 Thank You, Osprey Nation! 💙
Because of YOU, the Physics & Astronomy Excellence Fund shined bright on UNF Giving Day! 🌟
Your generosity on April 8 is making a real difference — supporting student research, hands‑on learning, community programs like free Astronomy Nights, and the future of innovation in physics and astronomy at UNF. Every gift, big or small, helps us move closer to the stars. 🚀
We are incredibly grateful to our alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends who shared and donated. Your belief in our students and our mission fuels discovery, curiosity, and success both in the classroom and beyond.
Thank you for helping UNF Physics & Astronomy soar — we couldn’t do this without you!

🌟 UNF Giving Day!🌟
Let’s help the Physics & Astronomy Excellence Fund soar! 🚀

https://givingday.unf.edu/campaigns/physics-and-astronomy-excellence-fund
Or use the QR code in the picture.

Ospreys everywhere are coming together for a 24‑hour race to fuel UNF’s future — and your gift can directly boost hands‑on research, student success, public Astronomy Nights, and the innovative work happening in Physics & Astronomy at UNF. Donate only a $1. We are interested in engagement and not overall value. Funds raised to assist Physics and Astronomy students with research and experiences.

This year, your impact can go even further:

✨ Tonsfeldt 25K Matching COAS Challenge — gifts of ANY size to COAS programs can be matched up to $25,000!

✨ SOAR with Subrahmanyam Challenge — departments that exceed participation goals can earn part of a $750 award from Dean Subrahmanyam!
Your support helps students pursue careers in astrophysics, quantum physics, environmental science, research innovation, and more — all while keeping UNF’s community outreach, like monthly Astronomy Nights, free and open to the public.
🔗 Give today and help us reach for the stars:

https://givingday.unf.edu/campaigns/physics-and-astronomy-excellence-fund

🌟 UNF Physics & Astronomy Colloquium — Join Us This Friday! 🌟
We’re excited to welcome Dr. Atharva Dange from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a fascinating talk titled:
🎓 AI in Education: Chatbots, Intelligent Tutoring Systems, and the Future of Learning
🗓 Friday, April 3
🕛 12:00 – 12:50 p.m.
📍 UNF Building 4, Room 1705
Explore how AI chatbots and intelligent tutoring systems are transforming university learning—delivering personalized support, step‑by‑step feedback, and new models for student engagement across disciplines.
This event is free and open to all students, faculty, and staff.
Come learn how AI is reshaping the classroom of tomorrow!

🌟 UNF Giving Day — April 8! 🌟
Let’s help the Physics & Astronomy Excellence Fund soar! 🚀
On April 8, Ospreys everywhere are coming together for a 24‑hour race to fuel UNF’s future — and your gift can directly boost hands‑on research, student success, public Astronomy Nights, and the innovative work happening in Physics & Astronomy at UNF.
This year, your impact can go even further:
✨ Tonsfeldt 25K Matching COAS Challenge — gifts of ANY size to COAS programs can be matched up to $25,000!
✨ SOAR with Subrahmanyam Challenge — departments that exceed participation goals can earn part of a $750 award from Dean Subrahmanyam!
Your support helps students pursue careers in astrophysics, quantum physics, environmental science, research innovation, and more — all while keeping UNF’s community outreach, like monthly Astronomy Nights, free and open to the public.
🔗 Give today and help us reach for the stars:
https://givingday.unf.edu/campaigns/physics-and-astronomy-excellence-fund

📢 UNF Physics & Astronomy Colloquium – Join Us!
We’re excited to welcome Dr. Vincent Kuo from the Colorado School of Mines for a special talk:
🎓 Teaching: The Best Kept Secret!
📅 Friday, March 25
🕛 12:00–12:50 p.m.
📍 UNF Building 4, Room 1705
Dr. Kuo will share insights from Get the Facts Out (GFO)—a national project launched in 2015 to address STEM teacher shortages through research-based, user‑tested resources. Come learn how GFO is reshaping the conversation around the teaching profession and supporting the next generation of educators.
✨ All students, faculty, and community members are invited!
Sponsored by the UNF Department of Physics & Astronomy.

🎓 Join Us for the COAS Interdisciplinary Colloquium Series!
📅 Friday, March 27th at 1:00 PM
📍 Building 50, Room 1102
☕ Refreshments will be served!
Dive into two fascinating research talks:
🔬 “Don’t Let the Refractive Index Get You Down: ATR-FTIR of Microplastics in Water”
Dr. Brynna Jones, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Discover how advanced spectroscopy techniques reveal hidden information about microplastics and their environmental behavior.
🧲 “Emergent Superparamagnetism in TiS₂ Induced by Atomic-Scale Defects”
Dr. Paula Mariel Coelho Neto, Department of Physics & Astronomy
Explore groundbreaking findings on defect‑induced magnetism in 2D materials.
Come learn, connect, and be inspired by interdisciplinary research happening right here!

Fun Physics Information Incoming⭐
Bananas are very slightly radioactive.
Because they contain potassium — and a tiny fraction of natural potassium is the radioactive isotope potassium‑40 — bananas emit a small amount of radiation.
Not enough to be dangerous, but enough that radiation workers jokingly use the “Banana Equivalent Dose” as a playful unit of measurement.
Eating one banana gives you about 0.1 microsieverts of radiation — you’d need to eat 10 million bananas at once to get a lethal dose. 🍌⚛️

Cheers to another successful Quantum Materials Conference hosted by the University of North Florida's Faculty member, Jason Haraldsen and colleagues! 🎉🥳🙌

Congratulations Valentina!! 🥳🎉🙌

Please join is in congratulating Valentina Bonilla Villalobos, University of North Florida Junior, on their accomplishments in astrophysics both locally and abroad. Valentina is a true light at UNF and we can't wait to see what the future holds!

For more information regarding Valentina's research honor, follow this link: https://www.unf.edu/newsroom/2025/12/Bonilla-Villalobos-undergrad-researcher.html