Prize Recipient

Micah Hawkins

Background:

My name is Micah Hawkins and I'm from Columbia, Maryland. I will be a sophomore at Washington University in St. Louis, Fall 2002. My love of physics comes from my love of math. The two began to come together during the Fall 2001 semester in my multivariable calculus and matrix algebra classes. In multivariable, Professor Wilson would mention physics when discussing concepts like curl and divergence and assign very challenging homework problems, some of which were physics related such as outlining the proof of Kepler's third law. In matrix, Professor Ramsey mentioned quantum physics in his discussion of eigenvalues, eigenvectos and related topics. A course that I took second semester, Mathematics for the Physical Sciences allowed me to continue this exploration. There, a significant amount of time was spent looking at how Stokes Theorem and the Divergence Theorem were motivated through the study of Electricity and Magnetism.

Later, I plan to involve myself in technogenesis, the creation of new technologies through research. For circuits and semiconductors to putting men on the moon, physics has always led the way in this area. I also want to teach on the university level and encourage more students to pursue physics as their major field of study.