2008 IEEE Magnetics Society Summer School

The first IEEE Magnetics Society Summer School was held Aug. 3-8, 2008 at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. The summer school was designed for advanced graduate students in the field of magnetics and was open to students from all over the world. Approximately 70 students attended, with about 60% from the US and 40% from 12 different countries outside the US.

The summer school consisted of half-day lectures on topics including fundamentals, nanomagnetism, theory and modeling, magnetotransport, magnetic recording, spin dynamics, ultrafast switching, and advanced characterization. Lecturers included J.W. Harrell, Bill Butler, Martha Pardavi-Horvath, Zbigniew Celinski, Robert Camley, Roy Chantrell, Thomas Schrefl, Roger Wood, Jan-Ulrich Thiele, Michael Coey, Andrei Kirilyuk, and Claus Schneider. Bruce Terris, one of the 2008 Magnetics Society Distinguished Lecturers, gave an evening lecture on Patterned Nanomagnetic Bits and Devices. Each student presented a poster on his or her research work. The summer school was organized by the Education Committee and was supported by the Magnetics Society. All students were provided with free room and board and with funds to cover most of their travel expenses. 

The summer school was a great success due to the efforts of a large number of people. These included the program committee, selection committee, treasurer, lecturers, faculty and staff at Colorado Springs, and, of course, the students who attended. Tentative plans are to have the 2009 summer school at Nanjing University.

Attendees of the first Magnetics Society summer school

Poster session at the summer school.