Presenting before a graduate student audience
Just before graduation last May, Josh Morales’ superior education in mathematics and physics at Westminster College culminated in a presentation among graduate students at the APS Global Physics Summit in Anaheim, California.
He was the only undergraduate in the room.
“It was nerve-racking, but I found that everyone was kind and encouraging. The world of neutrino physics felt like a friendly community,” he says.
Immersed in research
Morales goes on to discuss his specialized interests within the study of matter. His presentation, titled “Charged Particle and Proton Multiplicity in MicroBooNE,” is just one of the research projects in which the physics major who minored in mathematics and pre-engineering participated while at the College. He also did independent optics research under Dr. Kent Palmer, Professor Emeritus of Physics, from his sophomore to his senior year.
Together, Morales and Palmer worked almost as colleagues, delving into infrared spectroscopy and what Morales describes as “vibrational modes of molecules.”
A liberal arts education in action
Most of us may not understand the exact physics terminology or what excites Morales about his particular field of study, but that’s beside the point. The Tulsa, Oklahoma, native represents the true essence of a Westminster College liberal arts education, which supports students in their specific interests and encourages rigorous, independent research.
Dr. Laura Stumpe, Associate Professor of Physics and Morales’ advisor, points out that Morales’ Westminster education will inevitably lead to a bright future for the naturally curious recent alumnus.
“He has been accepted into graduate school in physics at Kansas State University and will likely study atomic, molecular and optical physics,” Stumpe explains, adding, “Kansas State is one of the top schools in the country studying that particular field.”
More than just physics
One might assume that tackling such a tough subject in college would mean Morales was buried exclusively in physics work. Instead, Westminster’s educational structure allowed him to take a variety of courses in other subjects, particularly political science, which he finds extremely interesting.
Honors and leadership
In addition, Morales maintained a strong social life as a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and Chess Club. He also was involved with the Student Government Association his freshman year after being elected class president.
Finally, Morales was a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society, Pi Mu Epsilon mathematics honor society and Pi Sigma Alpha political science honor society.
Looking ahead
“I am glad I went to a small liberal arts college,” Morales reflects as he describes what he hopes to accomplish in his future, which involves pursing a PhD in and postdoctoral research at a national laboratory or university. “I think that I thrived with the personal mentorship from my professors and the variety of classes on numerous subjects that interest me.”
For more information on Westminster’s physics major, please contact Laura.Stumpe@WCMO.edu. For more information on the College, visit WCMO.edu.
Sarah Rummel Backer is the Director of Media Relations and Senior Writer at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. A proud Westminster graduate, Sarah has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and strategic communications in the areas of higher education, medicine, agriculture, and the private business sector.
