Faculty Profile
Hans Pfister
Professor of Physics; George Wesley Pedlow Chair in Pedagogy (1991)
Contact Information
Tome Scientific Building Room 211
717-245-1307
Bio
As an advocate for the environment he encourages sustainable living, supports sustainable technology, and embraces renewable energy sources. While trained as a plasma physicist and always a plasma physicist at heart, he spent the past two decades designing, building, testing, and reengineering several solar collectors, amongst them numerous Solar Air Heaters (SAHs). These are devices that convert solar energy directly into hot air, with the purpose of heating houses and buildings. He has also designed and built thermal storage devices based on Phase Change Materials. One of his latest schemes, Active Glazing Loss Reduction (AGLR) focusses on reducing thermal loss through the glazing of SAHs. He is also known for his numerous kinesthetic physics experiments, incorporating his students into the experiment, thus allowing them to feel the forces and accelerations on their own body. Other interests include physics puzzles, tricks, and toys, as applied to the physics classroom.
Education
- Staatsexam, Eberhard Karls Universitat, 1981
- Ph.D., University of California at Los Angeles, 1991
2024-2025 Academic Year
Fall 2024
PHYS 314 Renewable Energy Engineering
A project-centered approach to the study of renewable energy sources, energy storage, and energy efficiency. Examples of projects include: the Solar Air Heater (SAH), Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors, Photovoltaic (PV) Arrays, Thermal Storage Devices based on Phase Change Materials (PCMs), LED lighting, modern wind turbines, adiabatic compression and expansion, and the coefficient of performance (COP) of heat pumps. In particular, students design, build, test, and re-engineer their own SAH with an absorber based on physics principles learned in the course. Prerequisite: 131 and 132 or 141 and 142, and 211 or permission of instructor. Offered every two years.
PHYS 392 Contemporary Topics & Careers
This seminar examines physics and astronomy as contemporary research disciplines, their divisions into broad subfields, as well as some research questions of current importance. A second emphasis is on the development of bibliographic and scientific presentation skills. The seminar also familiarizes students with the application process for internships and research experiences. Finally, it prepares physics and astronomy majors for life after Dickinson (career options, graduate programs, cover letters, personal statements, etc.).
Prerequisite: Physics major junior status. One-half course credit.
PHYS 550 Reducing Glazing Loss in a Dou
Spring 2025
PHYS 211 Vibrations, Waves & Optics
Completion of both PHYS 211 and PHYS 212 fulfills the WID Requirement.
PHYS 312 Electrodynamics
This course will investigate electrostatics, magnetostatics, and electrodynamics in vacuum and in matter. Maxwell's equations of electrodynamics are developed and explored in depth. Vector calculus is used throughout this course. Possible projects include the experimental study of capacitors, the force and torque on a magnetic dipole, and an exploration of Faraday-induced electric fields. Prerequisite: 211, 212 and 282, or permission of instructor.
PHYS 550 Independent Research