This is an innovative project which introduces nuclear counting techniques for the study of materials into a senior undergraduate physics laboratory course at a typical research university. The specific goal of the project is to instruct physics majors in the use of nuclear counting instruments and their use with computer controlled automated data acquisition system. Through the Virginia Physics Consortium, students from our regional universities and teachers undergoing re-certification, are also participating in the project. Additionally, students from Old Dominion's other science and engineering departments are being integrated into the project through the Materials Science Program. The nuclear counting instruction are aimed at developing and improving experimental skills in Nuclear Physics as well as Condensed Matter and Materials Physics. Experiences with the nuclear instrumentation are being obtained by using a popular nuclear resonance probe to measure low temperature microscopic magnetic properties of some common iron oxides. The project is being introduced in order to train science and engineering students who are now finding employment at our local research affiliations, The Jefferson National Laboratory (formerly CEBAF) and NASA Langely. In addition, since many of our graduating seniors are entering our expanding research program in Nuclear Physics, we see this need as an important improvement to our undergraduate program. This undergraduate project meets the goals of our recently revised undergraduate curriculum by exposing graduating seniors to a near research experience. The project will also continue to allow our senior students to be involved with oral and poster presentations and possibly publication of some of their original findings. The project is a novel role model for senior level undergraduate instruction using inexpensive nuclear counting techniques for investigations in Condensed Matter and Materials Physics. *
