Physics Professors Awarded Alden Trust Grant

Brian Beecken, professor of physics and department chair, and Dick Peterson, professor of physics, have been awarded a $75,000 grant by the George I. Alden trust of Worcester, Mass. The grant will help support the initial development of a proposed major in applied physics and will allow the purchase of specialized laser and fiber optics equipment of particular interest in modern optics and laser communication applications. The grant also allows multiple setups of fiber optic systems for laboratory teaching in small groups.

"This grant gives Bethel's whole physics program a boost and firms up our developing commitment to a new program in applied physics, and it specifically provides resources to help us continue to develop our reputation in the applied optics area," Dick said. "It will allow us to further develop current interactions with Twin Cities corporations like 3M, Medtronic, and Imation, and will allow us to do experiments in both teaching and research we're not currently able to do. Bethel's undergraduate optics research area is one of the strongest in the U.S., and this grant will surely help us continue to serve and mentor students in this exciting area."

George I. Alden gained national prominence for championing an engineering education that combined practice with theory.

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