Eric Cornell

JILA marked the summer solstice with a unique celebration in the X-wing basement, a space ingeniously designed to allow sunlight to illuminate its floor at midday on this special day. This architectural feature transformed the basement into a sunlit patio for a few brief minutes, allowing JILA Fellows like Eric Cornell to do a quick experiment on the architecture. 

This year's PISEC (Partnerships for Informal Science Education in the Community) High School Poster Symposium, hosted by JILA, contributed to bridging the gap between high school education and advanced university research. Supported by JILA's Physics Frontier Center (PFC), a center funded by the NSF, the PISEC program brought together high school students from various districts across Colorado, fostering an environment of learning and exploration within the JILA facilities.

The symposium, held annually, is a cornerstone event that allows young aspiring scientists to step into the world of professional research. Students embarked on an educational journey, beginning with engaging activities in the JILA auditorium and extensive lab tours. These experiences gave them a firsthand look at the cutting-edge research and daily operations within a leading research institution.

While most physics researchers foresee a career in either academia or industry, a few find themselves using their research experience in a less typical fashion. One of those individuals is Aaron Leanhardt, a former JILA alumnus of JILA and NIST Fellow Eric Cornell's group, who has joined the New York Yankees' as the team's chief analyst. 

JILA proudly hosted its 2nd Annual Great Bake Off, marking another successful year of this delightful culinary competition. The event, which has quickly become a cherished tradition, showcases the exceptional baking talents within the JILA community. From cakes to cookies to breads, JILAns, including graduate students, postdocs, staff, and Fellows participated in the institute-wide event. 

JILA and NIST Fellow Dr. Eric Cornell is one of two Nobel Laureates currently working at JILA. In this episode, you'll hear the story of how Cornell worked to discover the BEC (Bose-Einstein-Condensate), which earned him a Nobel Prize in 2001, and how the Nobel Prize has affected his career. You'll also hear about Cornell's current research and meet one of his graduate students Anzhou Wang, who discusses what it's like working for a Nobel laureate.