Speaker Series: Dr. Camron Proctor, Sandia National Labs

Join us for the first Speaker Series event on Tuesday, September 15 at 12:15 p.m. We are welcoming physics alumnus Cameron Proctor '10 to discuss his path from plasma physics research to working as a Senior Systems Engineer for Sandia National Labs. See Proctor's fascinating abstract below! He will discuss his career path, his current research, his days at USD, and his thoughts on diversity and inclusion in STEM. The talk will be 15-20 minutes followed by an extended Q&A session where you can pick his brain about everything from plasma physics, to national security, to finding a job. 

Physics as a foundation for a successful STEM career

(from plasma physics to techno-economic analysis and shock-testing)

The term "National Security" may conjure images of wire taps, and swat raids or waving flags and people in uniform. At Sandia National Labs we take a much more holistic view of national security. Over the last four years I have had the opportunity to model safety zones for hydrogen powered ferries in the San Francisco Bay, validate simulations of composites (think carbon-fiber) as they burn, project the implications of major changes on a geo-political scale, use hundreds of pounds of plastic explosives to simulate large endo-atmospheric explosions, and how different technology investments will change the face of transportation of Americans and their goods. In this talk I will touch on some of the work that I have done, my path from USD physics student to staff member at a National Lab, cover some lessons that I have learned, and answer as many questions as I can.