Donations Enhance Program

Private donations are increasingly important to the programs of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Sonoma State University.

This year several gifts have come from Sonoma County’s largest private employer, the Hewlett Packard Company. The electronics and computer firm, which employs at least ten of the Department’s graduates, matches its employees’ contributions to educational institutions three for one if the contributions are used for HP equipment. The company’s equipment finds ready use in the Department’s laboratories, and this year several SSU alumni, not all of them physics grads, pooled their contributions to directly enhance the physics instructional program.

Any others employed by HP who would like to have their donations multiplied by four are encouraged to contact the department chair, Dr. Duncan Poland (707 664-2376 or duncan.poland@sonoma.edu) or to call the relevant HP office at (415) 857-8481.

Also, through the good offices of Clyde Underwood (’74), a development engineer in HP’s Microwave Instruments Division, this year the company donated a Model 8594E Spectrum Analyzer with a Model 85630 test set. These will be used to test and calibrate the detection and amplifier systems of the student-built radio telescope on the roof of Darwin Hall and for examining high frequency modulations in fiber optic systems.

Cash donations are also valuable. They are the sole support of the Department’s two public programs, the “What Physicists Do” public lecture series and the Public Viewing Nights at the SSU Observatory; they fund the Horace Newkirk Student Assistantship; and they allow some equipment purchases.

Donors since last year’s newsletter are listed below. We are grateful to all.

#63851 PUBLIC PROGRAMS. Bert Brians, Penngrove; Charles & Judith Buff, Santa Rosa; Theodore Chenoweth, El Verano; Marvin Chester, Occidental; Clover-Stornetta Farms, Petaluma; Albert & Carol Cognata, Santa Rosa; Charles Daymond, Cotati; Donald J. Farmer, Sebastopol; Paul G. Hewitt, San Francisco; James L. Hill (’71), Sonoma; Dale Houston, Petaluma; Paul & M’Lou Ishmael, Rohnert Park; Lucy & Bill Kortum, Petaluma; Francis V. Marshall, Petaluma; Charles & Norma McKinney, Windsor; Bernard Meyers, Novato; Evelyn Norton, Kelseyville; Robert & Bertha Rains, Santa Rosa; Donald & Ann Rathjen, Pleasanton; Marguerite Ross, San Rafael; Timothy & Shirley Sullivan, Santa Rosa; Michael Thuesen, Cotati.

Fund #63852 PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES. Chuck Bullen (’75), Port Townsend; James Eyer (’83), Oakland; Rebecca A. Freeman (’94); Dennis (’78) & Meredith Goodrow, Santa Rosa; Steven Grossberg (’92), Santa Rosa; David Nielsen (’74), West Jordan, UT; Bill (’96) & Pam Oakes, Sebastopol; Linda Rarey (’88), Santa Rosa; Christopher Ray (’87), Moraga; Else-Marie Schmidt (’94), Healdsburg; David Shoaf (’75), American Fork; Trudy Tuttle Hart (’91), Santa Rosa; Clyde Underwood (’74), Santa Rosa.

#75380 HORACE L. NEWKIRK MEMORIAL STUDENT ASSISTANTSHIP FUND. Nadenia Newkirk, Santa Rosa.

#75960 PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY SCHOLARSHIP (endowment). Lynn Cominsky & Garrett Jernigan, SSU, Duncan & Marion Poland, SSU.

#77020 SCIENCE AT WORK (endowment). Max Machinery Inc., Healdsburg.

#85960 PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY SCHOLARSHIP (current). Joseph Tenn, SSU.

THE CHARLES J. & MARGARET C. DEXTER ENDOWMENT FUND. Charles & Margaret Dexter, Santa Rosa.

Other department funds include

#63853 SSU OBSERVATORY.

#63855 STUDENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

#78380 JOSEPH S. TENN SCHOLARSHIP (endowment).