Hamline University Physics Department

02/03/2026

We’re excited to open registration for Hamline University’s summer STEM camps for students entering grades 9–12! From exploring the microscopic world to tackling renewable energy challenges, these camps are designed for students who love learning by doing—join us this July.

11/24/2025

Congratulations to Lucas LiaBraaten, a senior Physics major at Hamline University, on securing a wonderful internship with the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP)! What an outstanding project—transforming innovative ideas into meaningful savings for Liberty Packaging..

Minnesota Technical Assistance Program interns are rolling up their sleeves and turning clever ideas into big energy, water, and cash savings for Minnesota businesses!

01/30/2025

Professor Jerry Artz and I had a fantastic experience giving a tour of the Hamline University Renewable Energy & Environmental Research Laboratory. We showcased the environmental scanning electron microscope (SEM) and discussed renewable energy conversion and storage devices—including solar cells, lithium-ion batteries, and supercapacitors—with talented high school students and teachers. A heartfelt thank you to our generous donors for making it possible to acquire the SEM and establish the SEM Endowed Fund, ensuring the continued enhancement and maintenance of this vital instrument for research, education, and outreach.

✨✨ Huge thanks to Hamline University for hosting our recent statewide High School Science Bowl! ✨✨

The event was attended by hundreds of people, including approximately 130 student participants and 70 volunteers, as well as coaches and family members. In addition to the competition rounds, students took tours of the Hamline University Renewable Energy & Environmental Research Laboratory and talked with representatives from the Hamline University Physics Department, Hamline University Chemistry, and the Hamline Office of Undergraduate Admission.

Read more about this year's high school science bowl 👉 mnmas.org/news/2025-high-school-science-bowl-results

01/28/2025

The Physics Department at Hamline University is seeking a Visiting Faculty Member in Mechanical Engineering! We are a close-knit, innovative, and supportive team eager to welcome a new colleague. If you or someone you know is interested, we encourage you to explore this exciting opportunity. Join us in shaping the future of engineering education!

Founded in 1854, Hamline was the first university in Minnesota and among the first coeducational institutions in the nation. Hamline University provides a world-class education for undergraduate and graduate students. Our faculty, staff, and students cultivate an ethic of civic responsibility, socia...

09/27/2024

🚀 Hamline University is excited to announce Dr. Sara Seager, renowned astrophysicist and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor, as this year’s Malmstrom Guest Lecturer!

🌌 Join us for her talk on "Exoplanets and the Search for Life Beyond Earth," where she'll share the latest discoveries in planetary exploration and how the James Webb Space Telescope is helping us search for signs of life.

🗓️ Tuesday, October 22, 2024 | 7:00 PM
📍 Sundin Music Hall, Hamline University

✨ Don’t miss this opportunity! Register now.

33RD ANNUAL MALMSTROM LECTURE IN PHYSICS Tuesday, October 22, 2024, 1531 Hewitt Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55104 LECTURE: 7:00 p.m., Sundin Music Hall Guest Lecturer: Sara Seager, Professor of Physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology Title: Exoplanets and the Search for Life Beyond Earth For mor...

08/02/2024

Working with future scientists, researchers, and inventors at our summer camps has been incredibly rewarding. Through hands-on experiments and the use of a state-of-the-art scanning electron microscope, students explored new opportunities for product development and discovered the fascinating correlations between nature's structures and functions.

Congratulations to all our camp attendees for their wonderful work! We extend our heartfelt thanks to their families, friends, guest speakers, and camp sponsors (e.g., Anderson Dahlen Inc.) for their generous support. Special thanks to Leo Jones, Lucas Liabraaten, and McKenzie Wagner for sharing their college and research experiences and coordinating the events. Hamline University

06/20/2024

This week, Lucas Liabraaten, Diego Luna Gutierrez, Shelby Phillips, and I presented our research findings at the TechConnect World Innovation Conference & Expo. Our project, titled "Enhanced Detection of Lead Ions in Drinking Water Using Bismuth Nanoparticles," is financially supported by the EPA People, Prosperity, and Planet Award. The TechConnect World Innovation Conference & Expo connects top applied research and early-stage innovations from universities, labs, and startups with industry end-users and prospectors. Hamline University

01/22/2024

Thank you to Hamline University for hosting hundreds of Minnesota students, coaches, and volunteers at this year's Statewide High School Science Bowl!

Hamline representatives shared information about physics and college admissions, and led tours of Hamline's science labs for our participants. Science Bowl Civility Award winners - Columbia Heights Senior High Team 1 - also took home scholarships toward this summer's High School Physics Camp at Hamline (hamline.edu/academics/undergraduate/physics/high-school-events).

11/04/2023

When will quantum computers become useful? Will quantum computers make current computers obsolete?

The 2023 Malmstrom Lecture was held on October 26 with guest lecturer John Martinis PhD, professor of physics at University of California, Santa Barbara. In ...