William V. Slaton

LEWIS SCIENCE CENTER 015
CONWAY, AR 72035
WVSLATON@UCA.EDU · 501·450·5905
Associate Dean for Research & Innovation
Engineering Physics Coordinator & Professor
Dept of Physics, Astronomy, & Engineering
Me Teaching Research Service

My research interests include acoustics, classical physics, and robotics. Working with undergraduates to develop a research project that expands their capabilities is very important to me. A pdf of my current C.V. is here.

Select undergraduate student research

Academic Year 2023 – 2024

PODSIADLIK

Simon PodsiadlikDesigning and Building a Robotic Percussionist: A Study in Engineering Design — video

NORFORK

Niya “Honey” Norfork2024 Arkansas Department of Education Solar Eclipse Endeavor Project (ongoing)

Academic Year 2022 – 2023

MAHAMANE

Nadira Amadou MahamaneResearch poster — “Analysis and Experiment of Air Drag on a Sphere,” presented at the 2022 PhysCon

WARD, W.

Will WardDepartmental honors thesis — “Investigating MEMS Accelerometer Calibration Techniques”

Academic Year 2019 – 2020

HUGGINS

Max HugginsDepartmental honors thesis — “Reaction Control System for High Altitude Balloons: Characterizing the Cold Gas Thruster for Reaction Control”

Academic Year 2018 – 2019

CONVILLE

Kayce ConvilleResearch poster — “A Real Time Automated Microclimate Ecosystem,” 2019 meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science; also a senior thesis

RAPHAEL

Issac RaphaelResearch poster — “An Investigation of Thermoelectric Element Power Generation,” 2019 meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science; also a senior capstone report

JEFFERY

Elaine JefferyResearch poster — “Student-Built High-Altitude Balloon Payload,” presented at the 2017 meeting of the American Physical SocietyResearch poster — “Pointing Isn't Rude: A Proof-of-Concept HAB Stabilizer,” 2019 Meeting of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium; also a senior thesis

Academic Year 2014 – 2015

QIU

Shaohui QiuResearch poster — “Optimizing the Angular Acceleration of a Current Carrying Wire in Dipole Magnetic Field,” presented at the 2015 meeting of the Arkansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence

Academic Year 2013 – 2014

FERRIER

John FerrierResearch poster — “Sound Absorption and Resonance of Venturi Resonator Systems,” presented at the 168th meeting of the Acoustical Society of America

Academic Year 2012 – 2013

WARD, J.

Jerrod WardResearch poster — “Design, Characterization and Testing of a Custom Air Horn,” presented at the 164th meeting of the Acoustical Society of America

SISSON & MANN

Matt Sisson and Justin MannResearch poster — “Absorption Properties of NASA Flight Approved Materials and other Testable Samples,” presented at the 164th meeting of the Acoustical Society of AmericaResearch poster — “Acoustic Properties of Felt,” 22nd Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium

Academic Year 2011 – 2012

HICKS

Ashley HicksResearch paper — “Determining the Coefficient of Discharge for a Draining Container,” published in The Physics TeacherDepartmental honors thesis — “A Study of the Speed of Sound in Pure Gases and Binary Gas Mixtures”

Academic Year 2010 – 2011

NISHIKAWA

Asami NishikawaResearch poster — “Aeroacoustic Source Strength Measurement of a Helmholtz Resonator,” MidSouth Chapter of the Acoustical Society of America, April 2011Departmental honors thesis on the same work, also published in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

FRENCH

Trey FrenchResearch poster — “Determination of Elastic Moduli in Bars Using Resonance,” MidSouth Chapter of the Acoustical Society of America, April 2011, and the 95th Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science

ODEKIRK

Tristan OdekirkResearch poster — “Speed of a Pulse on a Taut Wire,” MidSouth Chapter of the Acoustical Society of America, April 2011; also published in The Physics Teacher

BLAND

Pete BlandResearch poster — “An Efficient Flood Basin Water Depth Sensor,” 95th Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science

WHITE

Jon WhiteResearch poster — “High Altitude Data Logging,” 19th Annual Arkansas Space Grant Symposium, April 2011, and the 95th Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Academic Year 2009 – 2010

NISHIKAWA

Asami NishikawaResearch poster — “The Effect of a Helmholtz Resonator's Neck Geometry On The Aero-Acoustic Excitation of Resonance,” MidSouth Chapter of the Acoustical Society of America, March 2010, and the 94th Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science

MORRIS

Dustin MorrisResearch poster — “Behavior of a Helmholtz Resonator Driven at High Amplitudes,” MidSouth Chapter of the Acoustical Society of America, March 2010, and the 94th Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Academic Year 2008 – 2009

PENN (MASON)

Kim Penn (Mason)Honors College thesis — “Rocket Lab and BalloonSat: The Importance of Student Based Hands-On Experiments in the Classroom”BalloonSAT and LabPro poster, 2009 AAPT Winter MeetingModel Rocket Thrust presentation, 2009 AAPT Winter Meeting; also published in The Physics Teacher

BROZAK

Matt BrozakPhysics Department senior lab report — “Qualitative Analysis of Symmetric Modes of a Vibrating Drum”Mode (0,3): video, animation · Mode (1,1): video, animation · Mode (1,3): video, animation · Mode (2,1): video, animation

MCNEW

Shane McNewPhysics Department senior lab project — “Bessel's Flames of Glory.” The project was to build and test a Ruben's tube like device based on 2D square and circular geometry rather than a Ruben tube's 1D geometry.Circular pan modes: (0,1), (1,1), (2,2) · Square pan modes: (2,0) & (0,2) degenerate, (2,1), (2,2)

Academic Year 2007 – 2008

SMITH

Holly SmithThermoacoustic Quality Factor presentation, 154th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of AmericaPhysics Department honors thesis — “Impedance Measurement of a Thermoacoustic Engine Constructed from a Helmholtz Resonator”Honors College thesis — “A Thermoacoustic Approach to Exploring Resonance”NASA Workforce Development Project — “Reduction of Fan Generated Tonal Noise in a Ventilation Duct with Applications to the International Space Station”

STOLL

Steven StollPhysics Department honors thesis — “Investigation of Temperature Gradients in a Demonstration Model Thermoacoustic Refrigerator”

LANIER

Stephanie LanierAeroacoustic presentation, 154th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America

MASON

Kim MasonBalloonSAT and LabPro presentation, 92nd Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of ScienceModel Rocket Thrust presentation, 92nd Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science — engine footage: A3-4T, C6, E9

Academic Year 2006 – 2007

FIELD TRIP

Christa Harbor, Holly Smith & Dr. SlatonTrip to Johnson Space Center