Indeed, students from the Applied Learning Experiences photography class at Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) took hundreds of pictures during their visit to CHESS during the month of October. “It is a visually fascinating place,” said Harry Littell, Associate Professor and Chair of Photography at TC3, “And fun to try to imagine the physics taking place amidst the spaghetti of wires and equipment. I like seeing the precision machinery augmented with tinfoil and duct tape."
Their visit was part of a semester-long course focusing on industry and research in upstate New York. According to Littell, the goal of the visit to CHESS was to learn about the science taking place at the Synchrotron and make a visual record of the people and facilities behind the research. Ray Helmke, former director of the LEPP Computing Facility, found it exciting to return to the laboratory after retirement and see it from the perspective of a photographer. “Wilson Lab is a wonderful place to work and an astounding place to visit. The scope of technical activity and the meticulous dedication of the people involved is very clear from an outside perspective. It is visually fascinating, almost overwhelming; a feast and a challenge to photograph.”
Nancy Ridenour, a biologist and recently retired high school teacher, was interested in the use of x-rays for biological research. “If I were still teaching,” said Ridenour, “I would take my students to this facility to show them the connections between the research and information gleaned in textbooks. Teachers from NYS would benefit from the availability of this facility for visits with the students, and for research during sabbaticals.”
Take a moment to scroll through the collection of photos supplied by these visitors: Nancy Ridenour, Harry Littell and Ray Helmke.