Last Thursday, physics majors gathered for free pizza and a lecture on how to build mirrors. But not just any mirrors. Space mirrors.

On Feb. 2, the Physics Department hosted its first colloquium, a monthly lecture designed to help students see what career choices are available to them.

“Most departments hold some kind of colloquium,” said Brian Tonks, chairman of the Physics Department. “The Geology Department had one for awhile. We finally felt that we had enough students to support [a monthly lecture].”

The physics department asked R. Steven Turley, an associate dean of Undergraduate Education at BYU, to be the lecturer for January. He gave an hour-long presentation on extreme ultraviolet optics and their applications in modern science.

Extreme ultraviolet (UV) optics are used to create super-reflective mirrors, such as the ones that go into high-power microscopes and in NASA’s satellites. Extreme UV optics are also employed in nuclear reactors.

In a pizza luncheon before the colloquium, Turley also took time to talk to the students about BYU’s Research Experience for Undergraduates, where successful applicants will have a 10-week opportunity to study such cutting-edge fields as Extreme UV optics, observational astronomy, computation physics and electron microscopy. Turley encourages students for BYU-Idaho to apply to do research in Provo for the summer.

“It’s critical for undergraduate students to get involved in undergraduate research. It helps them get hands-on experience,” Turley said.

Turley’s original motive for coming Rexburg was to talk to the undergraduate students about the research program, but after speaking with Tonks, Turley agreed to give the colloquium lecture as well.

“I decided that while I’m here, why don’t I talk about the research we’re doing in Provo,” Turley said.

In total, 26 people attended the colloquium. Overall, Tonks felt it went very well, and he was pleased with Turley’s talk, which contained elements of research and practical application.

“It gave students good exposure to [the extreme UV optics] aspect of research,” Tonks said.

He also expressed his desire to see interest in the colloquium grow.

“I’d like to see a greater percentage of physics majors and minors attend the colloquiums,” Tonks said.

Turley said the transition to a four-year school has improved the quality of students applying to the research program.

“We’re excited about the change in the students’ capabilities. [They] are getting a much better experience at BYU-Idaho with a four-year program than a two-year.”