CAPTURING COSMIC NEUTRINOS: WHAT THE GHOST PARTICLE

Jim Madsen, IceCube Associate Director for Education and Outreach Chair at U. W. River Falls Physics Department talked about how  Physics World’s 2013 Breakthrough of the Year award went to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole for making the first observations of high-energy cosmic neutrinos.  Neutrinos are produced in the most energetic and extreme phenomena in the universe.  They are neutral and point back to their source.  Neutrinos can turn into protons and vice versa by emitting an electron.  Neutrinos are called a “Ghost Particle” because they are an invisible particle that carries away energy and they are hard to capture.  When a neutrino interacts with something, the particle charges and emits light.  Then you can tell the direction of the particle, how much energy it has and the time it happens. The idea to explore the universe by detecting neutrinos goes back more than five decades. Reines and Cowan detected neutrinos in a nuclear reactor in 1956.  Even early promoters knew that mapping the cosmos with high-energy neutrinos would require a detector of unprecedented size—a cubic kilometer of pristine transparent material.  The initial idea was to deploy a grid of light sensors in water, and smaller neutrino telescopes are currently operating in the Mediterranean Sea, and in Lake Baikal in Russia.  But so far, only the aptly named international IceCube Collaboration has constructed a cubic-kilometer-scale detector, and in the last year they isolated convincing evidence for high-energy neutrinos produced in outer space.  The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, the result of decades of design and seven seasons of construction in the South Pole ice sheet, is an incredible example of creativity, perseverance, and a bit of luck.  The IceCube Project is conducted in the South Pole because they have the infrastructure and the ice is incredibly clear.  The IceCube Collaboration, which consists of 43 institutions around the world and over 300 scientists, delivered a detector on time, on budget, and exceeding design performance specifications.  Dedicated teams worked hard to deploy over 5,000 light sensors to depths between 1,450 and 2,450 meters below the surface.  With some equally amazing ingenuity, scientists were able to find about one dozen cosmic high-energy neutrinos per year out of the roughly one hundred billion events recorded annually.  A few things to remember is that the universe is immense and mostly unexplained and science and technology enable both to advance.  The next steps are to continue to optimize analysis and detector performance and high and low energy extensions are under consideration. 

Rotary Booth - Fox Cities Chamber Business Expo

We will be partnering with other area Rotary Clubs to have a booth at the June 4 Chamber Business Expo (Radisson Paper Valley from 10 am-4:30 pm).  Our goals:  educate the community about what Rotary is and  recruit new members.  We're using VolunteerSpot to help us organize the staffing of our booth (2-hour time slots). Please click this link  (http://vols.pt/Qba95F ) to learn more and to sign up to help. Remember to proudly wear your Rotary name badge when you staff the booth!  Thanks for helping to Engage Rotary and Change Lives.

Youth Recognition Awards - Outstanding Seniors

Today, the Youth Services and Education Awards Committee recognized 2 outstanding seniors from each of the five Appleton high schools.    The recipients of these awards were chosen by these schools to recognize students for their superior academic achievement, demonstrated leadership qualities, a striving for excellence, high ethical standards and service to others through involvement in school, church and community activities.  These students bring new meaning to the word “balance”.  They are athletes, musicians, writers, actors, leaders, community servants and of course students.   Congratulations to the following recipients:

Appleton East High School – Dan Van Sickle

 Caitlin Chroge

Travis Forseth

Appleton North High School – Terry Werner

Mackenzie Greisch

Mallory Goggans

Appleton West High School – Jake Larsh

Mikele Weldon

David Marnocha

Fox Valley Lutheran High School – Part Hartwig

Nathan Meitner

Grant Hagen

 

Xavier High School – Chris Steinlage

Kate Parks

Matt Ferris

Thanks to the Youth Services and Education Awards Committee for arranging the Youth Recognition Award programs: Ralph DeMarco (Co-Chair), Karen Dorn (Co-Chair), Sonia Barham, Bill Breider, Bret Buxton, Kathy Dreyer, Chris Mings, Martin Rudd, Jeff Werner and Greg Woller.  A special thank you to Fox Valley Technical College and staff members for their donation of printing services and materials. 

INDUCTIONS

Today, the Rotary Club of Appleton inducted Patrick Minskey, David Weiss and Andrew Dane.

Patrick grew up in Green Lake, Wisconsin.  At that time, kindergarten through 12^th grade was all in one building.  He had a graduating class of 24.  After graduating from high school, Patrick attended U. W. Oshkosh to get his bachelor’s degree in economics later getting this masters degree in finance.  Patrick is single, has no pets and lives on the north side of Appleton.  His interests include biking and golf.  One thing you may not know about him is that he used to be an explosive expert.  Currently, Patrick is a certified financial planner with Edward Jones and a very dynamic guy.

David Weiss was born and raised in Neenah.  After graduating from high school, he attended Marquette University.  David worked for an advertising agency in Milwaukee.  He and his wife moved back to Neenah in 2010 to purchase the family farm and develop a wildlife rehabilitation center.  David and his wife  have a 4 month old son Fritz. Currently, David is the Director of the Boys and Girls Brigade in Neenah, a volunteer firefighter for the Town of Neenah and a 3^rd generation Rotarian.  He is also one of the founding members of the Fox Cities Morning Rotary Club. 

Andrew Dane grew up in Madison.  After graduating from high school, he attended U. W. Madison to get his bachelor's degree in conservation biology then moved out west to get his master's in urban and regional planning at the University of Arizona.  Andrew was then involved in the Peace Corps as a environmental management specialist and as a technical trainer – environmental management in Guatemala.  When he returned, he started a landscaping business and then sold it to a friend.  Ten years ago, Andrew moved back to Wisconsin to be closer to family.  He has lived in the Fox Valley for about 4 years and is the Senior Community Development and Sustainability Specialist at Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc.

ROTARY CLUB OF APPLETON SCHOLARSHIPS

Each year, the Scholarship Committee selects two students who will receive $5,000 scholarships  - $1,666/year for the first three years of college.  Scholarship candidates must be a 2014 graduate of one of the five Appleton high schools, (including traditional and nontraditional attendance – home schooling must be accredited), plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree at an accredited college or university, be in the upper 50% of his/her high school class, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 through December 31, 2013 and show financial need.  For the grant to continue to the grantee must remain a full-time student as defined by their college or university and maintain a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale each semester.  Sixty five applications were received and  Kaitlyn Pritzl and Syndee Eckberg were chosen.   Kaitlyn Pritzl is a student at Appleton East High School and will be attending U. W. Madison to major in psychology.  She would like to be a child therapist working with abused children.  Syndee Eckberg is a student at Appleton West High School and will be attending the University of Mobile Alabama to major in psychology with a minor in Spanish.  She would like to work with children, study abroad  and go on a mission trip.  Kaitlyn and Syndee were thankful for receiving the scholarship so that they can focus on their studies rather than how they are going to pay for their education.

The Scholarship Committee also awarded U. W. Fox Valley Foundation and Fox Valley Technical College Foundation $2,481.09 each for nontraditional scholarships.  Thanks to the Scholarship Committee for their work:  Nancy Johnshoy (Chair), Tonya Dedering, Dan Densow, Karen Dorn, Jeff Esker, Dennis Hultgren, Lynn Peters, Jan Quinlan and Gary Vaughan.

FAMILY OF ROTARY - REDISCOVER WISCONSIN

The next Rediscover Appleton outing sponsored by the Family of Rotary Committee will take place on Thursday, May 15 from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at the History Museum at the Castle.  Admission includes beverages, overview of the museum and a guided tour of the food exhibit by Curator Nick Hoffman.  Cost is $5.00 per person.

YOUTH RECOGNITION AWARDS - OUTSTANDING JUNIORS

Today, the Youth Services and Education Awards Committee recognized 2 outstanding juniors from each of the five Appleton high schools.  The recipients of these awards were chosen by these schools to recognize students for their superior academic achievement, demonstrated leadership qualities, a striving for excellence, high ethical standards and service to others through involvement in school, church and community activities.  These students bring new meaning to the word “balance”.  They are athletes, musicians, writers, actors, leaders, community servants and of course students.   Congratulations to the following recipients:

Appleton East - Margaret La Fleur

Katelyn  Hermsen

Kate Cichon

Appleton North - Terry Werner

Riley Dougherty

Maya Murzello

Appleton West - Anjali Rupp

Troy Howard

Darby Peter

Fox Valley Lutheran - Paul Hartwig

Tiffany Tellock

Kayla Priebe

Valley New School - Helen Homes

Jesse Gifford

Xavier - Matt Reynebeau

Megan Dumke
Kyle Van Hammond

Thanks to the Youth Services and Education Awards Committee for arranging the Youth Recognition Award programs: Ralph DeMarco (Co-Chair), Karen Dorn (Co-Chair), Sonia Barham, Bill Breider, Bret Buxton, Kathy Dreyer, Chris Mings, Martin Rudd, Jeff Werner and Greg Woller.  A special thank you to Fox Valley Technical College and staff members for their donation of printing services and materials. 

ROTARY BOOTH AT CHAMBER BUSINESS EXPO

We will be partnering with other area Rotary Clubs to have a booth at the June 4 Chamber Business Expo (Radisson Paper Valley from 10 am-4:30 pm).  Our goals:  1) To educate the community about what Rotary is and 2) To recruit new members.  We're using VolunteerSpot to help us organize the staffing of our booth (2-hour time slots). Please click this link  (http://vols.pt/Qba95F ) to learn more and to sign up to help. Remember to proudly wear your Rotary name badge when you staff the booth!  Thanks for helping to Engage Rotary and Change Lives!

CHARLES AND ADELE HEETER OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD

The Recognitions Committee has approved, Doug and Carla Salmon to be the recipients of the Charles and Adele (Patricia) Heeter Award.  In keeping with their wishes the award is being presented to the Salmons privately.  The Salmons have quietly made a significant impact on many individuals and organizations in the greater Fox Cities area over the past 15+ years.  In 1999 they began, with the assistance of another volunteer, to interview and award scholarship assistance to highly motivated but financially needy students.  Over time they began collaborative arrangements with foundations that are associated with the local educational institutions.  The scholarships have totaled over $3 million and assisted approximately 800 students.  In addition the Salmons had a strong desire to assist many non-profit organizations in the greater Fox Valley – particularly through capital campaigns and the development of administrative endowments. In 2002 Doug and Carla formed the Doug & Carla Salmon Foundation, a supporting organization of the Community Foundation of the Fox Valley Region.  Approximately 50% of the annual contribution to the community goes to the scholarship program.  While the Salmons support as many as 60 local organizations with operating grants each year, they have chosen to direct a larger percentage of the Salmon Foundation annual grant making to support capital campaigns, endowment growth, and agency leadership needs.
Since the year 2000 they have supported in a significant manner over 22 organizations in capital campaign needs, over 12 organizations relative to endowment building, and almost ten organizations with multi-year grants to support newly created staff positions.  Over the years Doug and Carla have also invested their time and expertise to lead and assist numerous non-profit organizations in the area.