Andrew Loucks
The classroom and lab classes at Houghton cover the questions “What?” and “Why?”, but working on the cyclotron helped me solve the question "How?”
The Physics Department at Houghton College provided some
fantastic laboratory experiences for me including the opportunity to
study many of the phenomena that led to our modern understanding of
physics including Compton Scattering and the Photoelectric Effect.
The most expansive and enjoyable lab experience, however, was
helping with the design and construction of a tabletop cyclotron.
The cyclotron, a device that accelerates small particles, usually
atoms, is used for a wide range of purposes from basic research to
nuclear medicine. The classroom and lab classes at Houghton cover
the questions “What?” and “Why?,” but working on the cyclotron
helped me answer the question "How?” This process led me to the
library where I developed new skills and studied varied branches of
technology from vacuum systems to electronics. During my research, I
became increasingly fascinated with the technology of particle
acceleration. Because of the skills and experience I gained from
this project, I landed in my current job two months after graduation
from Houghton. It is my good fortune to be operating and maintaining
a pair of cyclotrons at a national lab.
