Research Areas & Faculty

If you are interested in any of these areas, please contact the Physics Advisor, or Department Chair.

Acoustic chamber

Acoustics

Acoustics studies the production, transmission, and effects of sound, exploring phenomena like vibration, resonance, and the behavior of waves in various media.
telescope

Astronomy

: Astronomy investigates celestial objects and phenomena beyond Earth, including stars, galaxies, and cosmic events, to understand the structure and evolution of the universe.
Northern lights

Atmospheric Physics

Atmospheric physics focuses on the study of Earth's atmosphere, examining its composition, dynamics, and interactions to understand weather patterns and climate processes.
Nerves

Biophysics

Biophysics applies the principles and methods of physics to understand biological systems, examining the physical mechanisms underlying biological phenomena and structures.
keyboard

Computational Physics

Computational physics involves the use of numerical simulations and computer algorithms to solve complex physical problems, facilitating the study of phenomena that may be challenging to observe experimentally.
Tesla Coil

Experimental Physics

Experimental physics involves conducting experiments to explore and verify physical theories, often using sophisticated instruments and measurement techniques.
Lazers

Laser Physics

Laser physics studies the principles and applications of lasers, including the generation, amplification, and manipulation of coherent light for various scientific and technological purposes.
Humanoid robot

Machine Learning

: Machine learning applies computational algorithms to analyze data and make predictions, with applications in physics ranging from data analysis to pattern recognition.
MRI scan

Medical Imaging

Medical imaging utilizes physics-based techniques, such as X-rays and magnetic resonance, to create visual representations of the interior of the body for diagnostic purposes.
Nanotech

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology explores the manipulation of materials and devices at the nanoscale, applying principles of physics to create innovative technologies and materials.
Camera Shutter

Optics

Optics investigates the behavior of light and its interactions with matter, encompassing the study of lenses, mirrors, and the principles underlying the design of optical systems.
particles

Particle Physics

Particle physics explores the fundamental particles that make up the universe and their interactions, often studying high-energy collisions in particle accelerators.
Caliper

Physics Education

Prepares the student to teach high school physics and AP physics. The program allows for those interested to supplement their studies with extra courses in physics or other science through elective upper division credit.  A seminar course provides the student with exposure to careers in physics.
Plasma

Plasma Physics

Plasma physics studies the properties and behavior of ionized gases (plasma), exploring its applications in fields such as fusion energy and astrophysics.
Spectrograph

Raman Spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy uses laser light to analyze the vibrational and rotational modes of molecules, providing information about molecular composition and structure.
Cubic structure

Solid State Physics

Solid state physics examines the properties of solid materials, including semiconductors and crystals, to understand their electronic and structural characteristics.
Dark Matter vortex

Theoretical Physics

Theoretical physics involves the development and application of mathematical models and theories to explain physical phenomena, often guiding experimental research and exploration.
 
Portrait of Bonnie Anderson

Bonnie Anderson

Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Acoustics,
Thermoacoustics

Christian Draper

Christian Draper

Assistant Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Dwarf galaxies,
Cosmic voids,
Dark matter

Dallin Durfee

Dallin Durfee

Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Optics,
Atomic Physics,
Lensless imaging

Portrait of Karl Haisch Jr.

Karl Haisch Jr.

Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Brown Dwarfs,
Young stellar o
bjects

Portrait of Vern Hart

Vern Hart

Assistant Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Sparse Tomography,
Medical Imaging,
Cellular Scattering,
Machine Learning

Portrait of Joe Jensen

Joe Jensen

Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Extragalactic
distance scale,
stellar populations,
cosmology

Portrait of Joshua Lothringer

Joshua Lothringer

Assistant Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Exoplanets,
Brown Dwarfs, Stars

Portrait of Phil Matheson

Phil Matheson

Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Plasma Physics,
Perturbed angular
correlation to
characterize defects in
solid materials

Portrait of Kim Nielsen

Kim Nielsen

Associate Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Atmospheric Physics,
Gravity Waves

Portrait of Alex Panin

Alex Panin

Lab Manager/Instructor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Laser Physics,
Plasma Physics,
General Relativity

Portrait of John Powell

John Powell

Lecturer

[email protected]

Research Areas
Stellar evolution,
Stellar populations
Yellow giant stars

Dustin Shipp

Dustin Shipp

Assistant Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Biomedical optics,
Raman spectroscopy,
Physics education

Portrait of Cyrill Slezak

Cyrill Slezak

Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Computational Physics,
Biophysics,
Physics education

Portrait of Paul Weber

Paul Weber

Associate Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Particle Physics,
Solid State Physics,
Device fabrication,
Nanotechnology

York Young

York Young

Assistant Professor

[email protected]

Research Areas
Optics,
Photonics,
Laser physics

Mentored Research

Get Started!

  1. Start early in your degree - maybe in your sophomore or junior year (many faculty will not bring on seniors into their research labs).
  2. Carefully study the faculty research members and their research areas. Click on the different links to explore the different professors and their research interests. 
  3. Choose a few faculty members whose research seems most appealing to you.
  4. Be proactive in investing time in studying the faculty’s research, journal articles, etc., and be prepared to ask questions and comment on his/her research.
  5. Contact the faculty member via email for more information about opportunities in thier lab and schedule a time to meet them. If they don't respond to an email/phone call, drop by their office!
  6. Many times, you will begin as a volunteer until you have gained enough experience to merit credit/pay.
  7. Once you have sufficient experience, you will be eligible for research credit (494R), for every 1 credit you wish to earn please plan on spending at least 3 hours per week. You also can work towards funding for research projects (for example:  URSCA, TEELS, etc.  and  SAC )