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Grimsley Hall
Grimsley Hall
The Citadel
171 Moultrie Street
Charleston, SC 29409

Departmental Office:
202 Grimsley Hall

Department Head
Dr. Joel C. Berlinghieri
Phone:(843)953-6942

Department Secretary
Nancy B. Sliwa
Phone:(843)953-5122


Class Schedules, Syllabi and Material for Fall 2008

Physics Tutor and Study Hall Information

Weekly Puzzler


Departmental News: Society of Physics Students (SPS) Lunch Meeting
All faculty and cadets welcome.
When: Friday, October 31st at 1200
Where: 204 Grimsley Hall
Program: Junior Justin Chuma will show pictures of his Summer 2008 Navy cruise in the Baltic Sea on the Frigate ship, USS Elrod. In one month, port stops included Bergen, Norway, Russia and Ventspils, Latvia.




Seminars and Talks: Sigma Xi Brown-bag Lunch Presentation: Adsorption of Sarin and Dimethylmethylphosphonate (DMMP) on Zinc Oxide Surfaces
Dr. Michael J. Dorko, Dept of Chemistry

When: Friday, November 7th at 1200
Where: Greater Issues Room, Mark Clark Hall
Abstract: Currently, 182 nations have ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty of 1993 which states that 100% of all declared global stockpiles of chemical warfare agents must be destroyed by April 2007. As of July 2007, only 33% of reported stockpiles have been destroyed with many projections predicting 100% elimination not until the early 2020s. Research on efficient methods of disposal is pressing. Sarin has the ability to remain on surfaces making any release of the chemical a lasting danger. The adsorption and interaction of sarin and the less toxic analog DMMP on polar and non-polar zinc oxide surfaces will be studied using Møller-Plesset Perturbation Theory (MP2) and Density Functional Theory (DFT). From the interaction data obtained, it will be possible to determine the binding energy and geometry of the adsorbates on these surfaces as well as potential decomposition pathways. This knowledge will be useful in developing sensors and coatings used for the detection and destruction of sarin.





Please Note: Parts of this website are currently under construction.
Website Contact: Rene Hurka
Last Updated: 11/5/08