Research:

Since 2007 my major focus has been with a project that involves providing solar powered lighting to rural secondary schools in Malawi. The system provides lighting for up to 50 students per classroom for up to 3 hours per evening. I have created a charity call LED Africa Charitable Society ( www.ledafrica.org ), which raises funds for the lighting systems. So far the lighting system has been installed into 9 schools in Malawi. For more information please go the website.

Another research interest of mine is applying physics to the study of everyday phenomena with particular emphasis on sports. This has involved an in-depth study of the physics of golf. Few sports have as many interesting physics phenomena as does the game of golf. My studies have looked at the physics behind the design of the clubhead of a driver and the behaviour of a golf ball. This research into the physics of sports has led to a spin-off company Sportmeter Technologies Inc, which is currently marketing a golf training device called the puttometer ( www.puttometer.com ). My research into golf also involved being part of the team that developed the Aimpoint technology used by the golf channel. This led to us winning an emmy in 2007 for technical achievement.

Overall, however, I am interested in physics in general. Currently this includes trying to come up with an alternative to dark matter as an explanation for the gravitational fields of galaxies.

Recent Publications:

Penner, A.R. The physics of golf. Rep. Prog. Phys. 66, 2003
Penner, A.R. The run of a golf ball. Can. J. Phys., 80(8) 2002
Penner, A.R. The physics of putting. Can. J. Phys. 80(2), 2002
Penner, A.R. The physics of golf: The convex face of a driver. Amer. J. Phys. 69(10), 2001
Penner, A.R. The physics of golf: The optimum loft of a driver. Amer. J. Phys. 69(5), 2001
Penner, A.R. The physics of sliding cylinders and curling rocks. Amer. J. Phys. 69(3),2001
Penner, A.R. Suspension of a disk on a surface of water. Amer. J. Phys. 68(6), 2000