OVER THE EDGE November 21-December 5, 2007 don SCHNEIDER COLUMNIST There is a familiar phrase toted around by UNBC adminis- tration, one that we as students are all too familiar with. I am sure most of us have seen the press release, “UNBC named a national ‘Research University of the Year’.” For those who don’t know, UNBC placed third in research among the twenty small universities of Canada to obtain this distinction. I won- der how many students at UNBC can name those behind the research, or say what that research is. Aside from the naming of professors we ourselves have taken courses from, not many. I hope to change this situation with a col- umn in Over the Edge. The purpose of this column will be to highlight the amazing scientific research of one UNBC graduate student every issue. Instead of bogging you down with scientific jargon and terminology, I will deliver a clear and concise overview of the projects and thesis work these brilliant students are doing. If you don’t think this is a daunting task, consider that of the 4,132 students at UNBC, 533 of them are graduate students. These graduate students are then distributed among 173 tenured or tenure-track and 185 part-time faculty members. Of this research, topics vary from wildlife biology to theoretical quantum mechanics. Simply by numbers, it is plain to see that graduate students contribute significantly to the vast array of research activity at UNBC. Now, what kind of a conceited graduate student would I be if I didn’t plug my own research in my very first column? Well, - simply put, I wouldn’t be me. I am in my first year of gradu- ate work at UNBC, working towards my M.Sc. Physics. My supervisors are Dr. Matt Reid (Associate Professor, Physics) and Dr. Ian Hartley (Associate Dean of Grad Studies). These two professors have joined forces and are working on applying Dr. Reid’s specialty of terahertz radiation in Dr. Hartley’s spe- cialty, wood products. As such my thesis work is about using this Terahertz (THz) radiation in the wood products industry. First, what is THz radiation? I will break it down into three words: tera stands for 1012, hertz is the measure of the number and safety.’ of oscillations per second and radiation is just a form of light (i.e. the electromagnetic spectrum). So THz radiation is just light oscillating with a frequency of 1012 Hertz and a wave- length of 1 millimeter. In comparison, visual light oscillates at 1015 Hertz with a wavelength of 550 nanometers. Trad- itionally, THz was considered a “gap” in the electromagnetic spectrum due to the difficulty in attaining the frequency. This “gap” remained until the mid-90’s when pioneering advances in opto-electric techniques paved the road for scientists to study THz. Why would anyone want to study THz? In comparison, vis- ible light has a far better resolution and is easier to use. Well, THz radiation has some interesting properties: many materials such as clothing and low density plastics are transparent while ceramics and metal are highly reflective. It is also a non-ion- izing radiation. This means that THz energy is too low to be immediately harmful to the body, unlike X-rays, which are ionizing and can cause cancer. Obvious applications of these properties are in security, medicine, ‘pharmaceuticals and wood products. My thesis work will be to model the scattering of THz radia- tion through different species of wood. We (my supervisors and I) will then try applying techniques to attempt to “Terahertz radiation has the possibility of saving indus- “push” THz through a whole log, and thereby open up try money while at the same time increasing efficiency many applications of THz in the wood products industry. Terahertz radiation has the possibility of saving industry money while at the same time increasing efficiency and safety. It is a rapidly growing field that I am excited to be caught up in. I hope that by reading this column you have at the very least gained an appreciation for a subject area you may not be fam- iliar with, if not even peaked your interest in it. So, the next time you are listening to your TA babble on about something, take a second after class to ask him or her about their research, you never know what you may find out. And don’t forget to pick up the next issue of Over the Edge for another profile of a UNBC grad student. Today’s post-secondary students need more than a minimum wage job. The BC government's proposed changes to our post-secondary education system don't add up. Students won't get access to the skills and knowledge they need to get ahead because the government's Campus 2020 Plan fails to fix the key problems of affordability and access. Our students deserve better. Their futures depend on It. 99 POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION BETTER FUNDING. BETTER FUTURES. | Tell Premier Campbell to invest in BC's future. “