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People

 

Stephen J. Shawl, Professor

5073 Malott Hall
TEL: (785) 864-4016
FAX: (785) 864-5262
Email: shawl@ku.edu
HomePage: http://kuphsx2.phsx.ku.edu/~shawl/index.html

 

Professional Background:

2005: Adjunct Professor, University of Arizona
1985-Present: Professor, Physics & Astronomy, University of Kansas
1976-1985: Associate Professor, Physics & Astronomy, University of Kansas
1972-1976: Assistant Professor, Physics & Astronomy, University of Kansas

 

Education:

1972: Ph.D., Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin
1965: A.B., Astronomy, University of California at Berkeley

 

Research Interests 

My research interests have been primarily in optical observational astronomy. The earliest and latest publications have been studies of the polarization of light from cool variable stars, in which dust in surrounding clouds and scattering within the stellar atmosphere polarize the light. Such studies have led to other investigations, including an ongoing one, searching for companions to stars that may affect the observation polarization. Other studies were of the fundamental properties of globular star clusters, including their spectra, motions, colors and shapes. More recently, my efforts have been in the field of astronomy education---primarily as the first author of a textbook. My most current research involves how to enjoy living in Tucson without getting skin cancer.

 

Honors

Member, International Astronomical Union
Member, American Astronomical Society 
Member, Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Member, American Institute of Physics

 

Selected Publications:

1. S. Shawl, K. Ashman, B. Hufnagel, "Discovering Astronomy," 5th Edition, Kendall/Hunt (2006).

2. Shawl, S. J. "A Googol of Atoms?" A Directed, Interrupted Case in Estimation and Large Numbers, National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, http://www.sciencecases.org/googol/googol.asp, (2002).

3. K. Serkowski and S. J. Shawl, "Polarimetry of 167 Cool Variable Stars: Data," Astronomical Journal 122, 2017 (2001).

 

Click on Picture below for more information on Dr. Shawl's Research