Physics Department Support Staff

Bob Bartos is the Research Technician for the Physics Department. Among his varied duties, Bob sees to it that all lecture and lab demonstrations are set-up, that all equipment needed for these demonstrations is working properly and to fabricate new teaching and research equipment when needed. In addition, Bob also assists with the purchase and delivery of departmental supplies, including liquid nitrogen.

Ellen Feld is the Assistant to the Chairman of the Physics Department. She joined the Department 15 years ago. In addition to the usual adminstrative duties, Ellen also oversees the Physics Computer Room (all room reservations must go through her), gives tours to prospective students and their parents, and figures out how to use this silly thing called a computer (Ellen maintains the Department's Web site). In addition, when in doubt about where to get information about something related to physics or to the physics department, Ellen can direct you to the proper person/place.

In her "spare" time, Ellen is busy writing books for Willow Bend Publishing and taking care of the family horses at Starfleet Morgans.

Dan Krause, machinist, head of the machine shop.

Dan makes research equipment not just for Physics but for all the science departments at the College and indeed has done jobs for nearly every other department as well.

The Physics Shop really consists of four individual shops. There is the main shop where there are several engine lathes, vertical and a horizontal milling machines, metal cutting band saw, shapers, and several drill presses. Then there is the welding and grinding shop where you'll find the TIG welder and oxyacetylene welder and also the surface grinder and tool grinders. The welding shop also serves as the coffee shop every morning at 10. Everyone is invited, just let us know you are coming so we'll have enough coffee. The third shop is the woodworking shop where we keep, no surprise, the woodworking machines; table saw, band saw, lathe, jig saw, planer and of course work benches and a vast collection of clamps. One never has too many clamps.

Then we have what we call the Student/Faculty Shop. In this shop there are four South Bend Lathes, several drill presses, a horizontal and a vertical milling machine. To qualify to use the equipment in this shop students and faculty must first take Dan's three week mini-machine shop course which Dan conducts every January during Interterm and sometimes in June. The Student/Faculty Shop has been used a great deal and has proved to be a valuable teaching and learning resource. It gives the amateurs a place to learn and practice their skills and keeps them out of the way of the pros.