PHYSICSDEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AT THENewsletter UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST SPRING 2018 Issue No. 18

Strong UMass Connection to the of the signal as seen by the two detectors. The alignment at 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics 0.40 seconds is perfect, showing that the signal was real, not due to noise. The signal was that predicted to be seen Gravitational waves, which could be predicted using for the merger of two black holes...... Einstein’s theory of General Relativity, propounded in 1916, were not directly observed until the LIGO However, there was . experiment, a century later. LIGO detected gravitational indirect evidence of . . . . waves using two detectors, one in Livingston, Louisiana, gravitational radiation . and the other in Hanford, Washington. The detectors are discovered in the 1970s located 3002 km, or 1865 miles, apart, and detect changes in an experiment done in their lengths which are a small fraction of the diameter by 2 UMass people of a proton. To rule out noise in the detectors due, among (not the cast of about other things, to natural, and human caused vibrations a thousand, from in the Earth, it is required that both detectors detect the 138 institutions, who same signal almost simultaneously. The graph shows a reported on the LIGO observation), namely, Prof. Joseph Taylor and his graduate student, Russell Hulse. What follows are two articles, the first on Joe Taylor’s visit to UMass this past Binary pulsar in the crab nebula. fall, followed by reminiscences of Russell Hulse. Taylor and Hulse received the Nobel Prize in 1993 for their discovery of the binary pulsar, which implied the existence Gravitational waves from both LIGO detectors. of gravitational radiation, and which ultimately led to superposition of the signals from both detectors, with a the construction of the LIGO experiment, which actually slight shift to account for the slightly different arrival times observed the gravitational waves...... Continued Page 5

PHYSICAL SCIENCE BUILDING The Physics Department is looking forward to occupancy of the new Physical Science Building (PSB), and the reconstructed West Experimental Station (WES) in June 2018. Ground breaking for these buildings took place in spring 2015. Faculty, postdocs and graduate students working in laboratory spaces in PSB will have offices in a completely renovated WES that has been moved adjacent to the PSB.

Former physics students might recall the West Experimental Station as the brick, Victorian era structure with turreted roof they walked by when going between Hasbrouck and Lederle Graduate Tower. The WES has historical significance as the first building constructed on the Amherst campus for research, and Continued Page 4 2 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST www.physics.umass.edu Amherst, MA01003-9337 University ofMassachusettsAmherst 1126 LederleGraduateResearchTower Department ofPhysics [email protected] Brigette McKenna,Designer [email protected] Monroe Rabin [email protected] Gerry Peterson [email protected] Rory Miskimen [email protected] Margaret E.McCarthy [email protected] David Kastor [email protected] Barry Holstein [email protected] Irene Dujovne [email protected] Anthony Dinsmore [email protected] Carlo Dallapiccola Editors: line: Request Joe Taylor slides. Monroe [email protected] withsubject access themonaUMassBox Drive,sendanemailto Point slides he used in his two talks.Forpermission to Joe Taylor hasagreed tomake availabletheThePower AMHERST UMASS

14 TEACHING DarkMatterDay TheLZDarkMatterExperiment 35 DONORS 33 30 NewFaces 25 PEOPLE 23 17 OUTREACH GraduateStudents,OldandNew ACFISchoolsandWorkshops Workshop on"Work from Noise" ACFISchoolonNeutrinolessDoubleDecay

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PhysicistsinIndustrySeminarSeries Undergraduate Research Projects Gordon Research Conferences Axion Research atACFI Nobel PrizeConnections-Hulse RESEARCH Physical SciencesBuilding Nobel PrizeConnections COVER STORIES Physics DepartmentFlashback In Memoriam Jane KnappRetirement AWARDS UMass ScienceOutreach Web-Based Tool forTeaching Science Academic QualityandDevelopmentReview New Master'sDegree Program REU Summer2017Research Traineeships DEPARTMENT HEAD’SLETTER NEW ALUMNI ALUMNI NEWS

Head’s Letter DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 3

[email protected] Narayanan Menon Sincerely, appreciative of the continuing financial contributions many of you have made to the Department that support activities of the continuing financial contributions many of you have appreciative sharing your life experience and career would also appreciate We outside the scope of our normal funding resources. with us, and visit when you can! advice and opportunities with our students. In short, please do keep in touch majors has more than doubled!), and construction of many new buildings to house both instructional and research of many new buildings to house both instructional and research than doubled!), and construction majors has more laboratory space in the Physical Science Building to be completed in April 2018; anticipate new research We activity. most We’re you to visit to see the new landscape of the university. welcome newsletter! We on that in next year’s more going forward. student population (the number of Physics the last few years with an increasing considerably in The campus has grown retirements of Jane Knapp and Kris Reopell this year cap a recent period of turnover where we have lost well over a period of turnoverwhere of Jane Knapp and Kris Reopell this year cap a recent retirements rapidly coming are on our staff The new faces retirements. century of cumulative administrative experience with five staff to working with them and we look forward up to pace with the complexities of keeping the wheels spinning at UMass, expertise and inter-disciplinary collaborations. expertise and inter-disciplinary supporting Department operations. The of staff experienced and tightly-knit crew Over the years, we have had a deeply source of research problems and a destination for student training and employment. The Center for Biological Physics, destination for student training and employment. The Center for Biological and a problems of research source network of shared is a hub for biological physicists on campus to form a Goldner, in the last year by Lori revitalized of faculty, postdocs and students for targeted workshops and schools in topical areas. The Massachusetts Center for The Massachusetts and students for targeted workshops and schools in topical areas. postdocs of faculty, opportunities in MassCAM advances forward-looking Dinsmore. Ross and Tony Autonomous Materials is led by Jenny as a these goals in addition to making connections with industry towards funding materials physics, and targets group While individual faculty research continues to flourish, three active centers have grown in our Department. Each of these in active centers have grown to flourish, three continues While individual faculty research Interactions is in its fourth year under the audience and mission. The Amherst Center for Fundamental has a different brings in groups and ACFI is research-focused Pocar. by Andrea joined recently leadership of Michael Ramsey-Musolf, aspects of many-body quantum physics, including strongly correlated electronic systems and non-equilibrium quantum electronic correlated including strongly aspects of many-body quantum physics, phenomena. experimental high energy physics group, working on the ATLAS experiment at the giant Large Hadron Collider. Their Collider. Large Hadron experiment at the giant on the ATLAS working experimental high energy physics group, expertise adds a new at the LHC. In addition, their hardware US university groups makes us one of the largest presence an expert at modern and is joins our condensed matter theory group, Romain Vasseur dimension to our existing group. Every time we bring in a new faculty member we add vitality to our research portfolio and expand the research horizon portfolio and expand the research to our research in a new faculty member we add vitality Every time we bring young promising very been fortunate to attract three have We graduate students and postdocs. for our undergraduates, Outschoorn Martinez join our and Rafael Coelho Lopes de Sa this Fall. Verena faculty members to the Department cancer for over a decade. Not a month earlier, we lost retired Professor Po-zen Wong, who died unexpectedly at his home who died unexpectedly Po-zen Wong, Professor we lost retired Not a month earlier, cancer for over a decade. in this newsletter. elsewhere detailed are both missed, and their contributions are in Amherst. They a couple of recent to remember new and exciting developments, I want I get to Before been fighting Joe Babcock, who had our computer systems administrator, we lost In mid-November, losses in our family. role. I thank my immediate predecessor, Rory Miskimen, for his years of devoted service to his years of devoted Miskimen, for Rory predecessor, thank my immediate I role. the Department. Department. I entered the Department as a beginning assistant professor in 1998. Having in assistant professor as a beginning the Department I entered Department. enjoying the I am teaching and research, life occupied with of my professional spent most a completely new colleagues in and faculty of learning staff, to work with students, process Dear alumni and friends of UMass Physics: of UMass friends alumni and Dear head of the Physics to you as the new to be writing pleasure a privilege and a It’s

ALUMNI NEWS NEW ALUMNI DEPARTMENT HEAD’S LETTER DEPARTMENT Jane Knapp Retirement Jane Knapp Retirement In Memoriam Physics Department Flashback New Master's Degree Program New Master's Degree Review Academic Quality and Development Science for Teaching Tool Web-Based UMass Science Outreach AWARDS Gordon Research Conferences Research Gordon Projects Undergraduate Research Traineeships REU Summer 2017 Research COVER STORIES Connections Nobel Prize Physical Sciences Building RESEARCH - Hulse Nobel Prize Connections at ACFI Axion Research Physicists in Industry Seminar Series

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35 DONORS 25 PEOPLE New Faces 30 33 ACFI Schools and Workshops New Graduate Students, Old and 17 OUTREACH 23 Dark Matter Day 14 TEACHING Double Decay ACFI School on Neutrinoless Noise" from on "Work Workshop Matter Experiment The LZ Dark 4 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Cover Continued/Cover/PSB The PSB has also been fitted out with a helium reclamation The PSBhasalsobeenfittedoutwithaheliumreclamation particle physicsdetectors. and aClass10,000cleanroomforassemblingnuclear/ a chemistrylab,anelectronicsshop,machine also hassharedspacesforsemiconductorprocessing, addition tolabmodulesforindividualPIs,thePSB equipment, tobepickedupandmovedaround.In for heavyloads,suchasradiationshieldingorvacuum Many ofthehigh-baylabshave“x-y”cranesthatallow 12 “high-bay”labs,wheretheceilingheightis15feet. where theceilingheightisapproximately10feet,and the PSBhasseven“low-bay”labsforexperimentalists, matter andhardcondensedmatter. Thephysicsfloorof as groupsworkinginexperimentalquantumcondensed experimental nuclear andparticle physics groups, as well the groundfloor. ThePSBwillhousetheDepartment’s Department, withthePhysicsDepartmentoccupying three floors,theuppertwofloorsareforChemistry the PSBareapproximately$90million.Thehas Towers intheearly1970s.Constructioncostsfor since theconstructionofLederleGraduateResearch investment inthePhysicsDepartment’s infrastructure building forthecampus,representinglargestsingle The PhysicalSciencebuildingisacompletelynew original casework. interesting interiorarchitecturalfeatures,including with fauxchimneysontheexterior, aswellmany retains muchofitsoriginal19thcenturycharm,complete for facultyworkinginthePSB.However, thebuilding core with modern utilities to serve as an office building was disassembled,andthenreconstructedaroundanew new positionnexttoPSB.Forthisreasonthebuilding that itwasnotpossibletomovethebuildingintoits Because ofthefragilityWES,contractorsdecided was mostrecentlythehomeforUMassAgExtension. physics detectors.Unfortunatelyliquidheliumhasalso and isalsousedtocooldowncertainclassesofparticle cryogen inquantumcondensedmatterexperiments, and liquefyingsystem.Liquidheliumisacommonlyused PSB areD.Candela,M.Tuominen, C.Wang, J.Yan; the The experimentalcondensedmatterfacultyassignedto helium boiloffandbuyingmore. reclamation and liquefaction, as compared to letting the plant, helium costs will be significantly less when doing then reuseit.Evenwiththecostofrunningaliquefying boiled offintheirexperiments,re-liquefythehelium,and and liquefying system will allow PIs to capture helium of PIstorunexperiments.ThePSBheliumreclamation helium costshavebecomealimitingfactorintheability become very expensive inrecent years, totheextent that High baylabforScottHertel housed inthe PSB-WEScomplex. graduate studentswilleventually be Department’s faculty, postdocs and that approximately1/3of thePhysics condensed matter. It is anticipated nuclear/particle physics,and quantum do future faculty hiresintheareasof spaces willallowthedepartmentto shared spacesthere. Theseopenlab lab modules in the PSB, as well as two are currentlythreeunassignedphysics A. Pocar, andR.Miskimen.There D. Kawall,R.CoelhoLopesdeSa, faculty assignedthereareS.Hertel, experimental nuclear/particlephysics Left: View ofPSBfromLeft: View CampusCenter Jun Yan's lab Cover DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 5 Arecibo Radio Telescope in Puerto Rico Radio Telescope Arecibo doubts to rest. Moreover, they provided persuasive they doubts to rest. Moreover, Radical velocity of pulsar observed by the (Doppler) shift. justification for funding what became a successful a successful justification for funding what became gravitational detect to (LIGO) experiment billion-dollar waves directly. Relativistic talk, Binary Pulsars and Professor Taylor’s the century-long effort to understand described Gravity, most fundamental laws, a better some of Nature’s Many in the audience fascinating and entertaining story. talks ever given at thought it was one of the very best of the scientific UMass. It described a superb example and all. method at work--warts, blind alleys, doubted by many, including Einstein himself, for well for himself, Einstein including by many, doubted in the made discovery A 1974 half a century. over Astronomy, of Physics and Department UMass / Amherst and fellow student with physics graduate together strong the first Hulse provided Russell Laureate Nobel follow-up More detailed for their existence. evidence have laid over many years extending measurements any truths! The second truths! The second lecture, the Physics Laureate and former UMass and former UMass Laureate Joseph H. Taylor, Professor lecture, “From The first Jr. Theory to Gravity’s Einstein’s Chirp,” was intended for a general audience. were No pre-requisites an required beyond Nature's in interest was followed by a colloquium by a colloquium was followed next day by Nobel lecture the of the existence of gravitational of the existence of gravitational Joseph Taylor

Gravitational radiation caused by the motion of the pulsar. the of motion the by caused radiation Gravitational The Helen and Morton Sternheim Distinguished Distinguished Sternheim and Morton Helen The and 10th on October was delivered for 2017 Lecture waves, an entirely new form of energy and radiation. physical reality of these implied waves was However, Published in 1915, Albert Einstein’s theory of General Published in 1915, Albert Einstein’s Relativity appeared to imply the existence of gravitational conclusive evidence theory of general Einstein’s by predicted as radiation, relativity. around other stars. Studies of these "binary pulsars" around other stars. Studies of these clues regarding the have provided unique astrophysical as well as the first origin and evolution of neutron stars, remnants of supernovae known as pulsars. Together pulsars. Together remnants of supernovae known as he has discovered with his students and colleagues, a number that orbithundreds of these objects, including Only weeks after their discovery in 1968, Taylor 1968, Taylor Only weeks after their discovery in neutron-star has studied the dense, rapidly spinning, from Haverford College and his PhD in 1968 from Haverford College and his from Harvard University. Joe Taylor is the James S. McDonnell DistinguishedS. James is the Taylor Joe Emeritus, at University Professor of Physics, 1963 in BA his received He University. Princeton Department Colloquium, "Binary Pulsars and "Binary Pulsars and Department Colloquium, the next day. was given Relativistic Gravity," Continued/Cover/Taylor Left: View of PSB from Campus Center Left: View of PSB from 6 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Research RUSSELL ALANHULSE,PHD'75 detection ofgravitationalwaves. in 2015anupgradedLIGOachievedthefirstdirect Observatory. Afternearlyanotherquartercentury, of LIGO,theLaserInterferometerGravitational-Wave proof wassurelyaprerequisiteforthe1992funding losses viagravitationalradiation.Thisexperimental in quantitativeagreementwithGR,bystudyingenergy orbital dynamicsofthebinarypulsarwereshowntobe General Relativity [GR].By the late 1980s, measured quantitative questionsaboutgravitationalwavesin UMass, motivatedfurthertheoreticalworktoclearup Early resultsfromthiswork,muchofitcarriedoutat accurate pulsartiminginstrumentationandtechniques. also ledtothededicateddevelopmentofmuchmore The 1974discoveryofbinarypulsarPSRB1913+16 science andengineering.Inparticular, myapproach “Even at avery young age, I was very interested in which were graciously supportedby myparents.I ever-changing assortment ofhomeprojectsand hobbies, areas ofscienceandengineering throughbooksandan “My broadinterests in scienceled me to explorevarious Einstein prediction (time)withnoadjustableparameters. Observed decayofPulsarperiodasafunctiontime. surplus electronicsdistrict. History and the downtown American MuseumofNatural favorite ‘hangouts’becamethe in NewYork City, someofmy instruction. Whilegrowingup conventional classroombased with ratherlessinterestinthe on, do it yourself projects, to thesesubjectswashands- agree. Such a project combined physics, radio astronomy, pulsar searchformythesis,itdidnottakelongmeto see ifIwasinterestedindoinganew, high-sensitivity “When IwasapproachedbyProfessorJoeTaylor to one thatwastaughtbysomeverycapablefaculty. research inphysicsandastronomy, andasIdiscovered, provided anattractivePhDprogramofstudyand beautiful partofruralwesternMassachusetts.UMass not toofarfrommyparentsinNewYork, inarather this typeofflexibility, butalsobecauseitwaslocated UMass not only because its graduate program offered doctorate inphysicsratherthanastronomy. Iwentto broader scientificbackgroundanddecidedtogetmy in astronomy, preferablyradioastronomy, Iwanteda knew thatIeventuallywantedtodomythesisresearch at theUniversityofMassachusettsinAmherst.WhileI The CooperUnionin1970,Istartedgraduateschool “After receivingmybachelor'sdegreeinphysicsfrom schools, includingtheBronxHighSchoolofScience. received myearlyeducationintheNewYork Citypublic and abroad interest insciencetopursue awiderange advantage of theflexibilityofhaving a PhDinphysics was thenattendinggraduate schoolatUPenn.So,Itook & astronomymajorwhom ImetwhileatUMasswho Jeanne Kuhlman. was aSmithCollegephysics I alsowantedtobeclose to mygirlfriend(nowwife), the lackoffurthercareer opportunities inAstronomy. “During my post-doc, I began tobecome concerned about continue myrese Observatory (NRAO)inCharlottesville,Virginia, to post-doctoral positionattheNationalRadioAstronomy “After IreceivedmyPhDfromUMass,accepted a a binarysystem. pulsars, amongwhichwasthefirstpulsareverfound in The resultofthisresearchwasthediscovery40new operating system,bothentirelyinassemblylanguage. signal processingsearchalgorithmandarudimentary minicomputer onwhichIprogrammedthenoveldigital ft. radiotelescopeinPuertoRico,usingaModComp “The researchwascarriedoutusingtheArecibo1000 gravitational physics. understanding ofEinstein’s TheoryofRelativityand doing wouldprovetobe,norhowitimpactour “Little didIknowhowexcitingtheresearchwas always treatedmeasacolleague,notjuststudent. with Joe.Inadditiontobeingacreativescientist,he interesting. I really appreciated the opportunity to work four differentsubjects,allofwhichIfoundparticularly electronics and computers--a perfect combination of arch. Research DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 7 web site (NobelPrize.org). This web site also includes web site (NobelPrize.org). This web lecture. For more information on Nobel Joe Taylor’s and gravitationalsubsequent research on the binary pulsar and his Joe Taylor physics, see research publications from of gravitational colleagues. The recent direct detection and opened the waves has been extraordinarily exciting universe. It also led door to an entirely new view of the [ed. note: Rainer to the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics. and Barry Barish, for the discovery Kip Thorne, Weiss, waves] of ripples in space-time known as gravitational I accepted an invitation in 2004 to become a visiting visiting a become to 2004 in invitation an accepted I (UTD) at Dallas Texas of the University at professor community education using on science with a focus thatrewarding so that found I programs. outreach based joined and PPPL from 2007 in retirement early took I Science the founded and Regental Professor a as UTD The there. (SEEC) Center Education Engineering and providing informal, hands-on, project SEEC focuses on and Engineering Technology, based STEM (Science, and centers, science libraries, in education Mathematics) venues. I’ve continued to work at UTDother community along with other advisory activities, part time ever since, in New Jersey. mostly from my home with Parkinson’s in 2012, I was diagnosed “Unfortunately, my severely limited the scope of Disease which has it has not dimmed my activities ever since. However, and science in interest and with fascination lifelong technology.” of the binary *A more detailed account of the discovery Nobel the on Nobel lecture my in found be can pulsar Russell in Arecibo with the ModComp computer in 1970s. with Russell in Arecibo Binary pulsar discovery page from Hulse's notebook. Binary pulsar discovery page from youth and the general public via community outreach. As a result, increase the personal engagement, understanding, and enjoyment of engineering and science of “One of the important things I “One of the important things I tohelping was on focus to decided amusing twist is that Dean Slakey had been my landlady when I was a graduate student at UMass). opportunity was to serve on Dean School of Natural Linda Slakey’s Sciences Advisory Council (an boards of various types, including academia, government, industry, etc. One particularly enjoyable opportunities to engage in a wide range of new scientific activities. These included serving on advisory Theory of Relativity and explore gravitational physics. Receiving the Nobel Prize led to many Nobel Prize in Physics with Joe Taylor for the discovery Nobel Prize in Physics with Joe Taylor which proved to be an exciting of the binary pulsar, to test Einstein’s natural laboratory with which “An unexpected surprise came in October of 1993 October of 1993 “An unexpected surprise came in the sharing of honor high the had I found I when art supercomputers was in itself very exciting. was in art supercomputers particle transport in magnetically confined controlled confined in magnetically particle transport learn to opportunity The plasmas. fusion thermonuclear modeling using state-of-the- of computer the intricacies of possibilities for my future career. In the end, I took I end, the In career. future my for possibilities of Laboratory Physics Plasma the Princeton at a position physics and of atomic computer modeling (PPPL) doing 8 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Research AXION RESEARCH AT ACFI research involving UMass res experimental searches for the axion. In work last year function ofparameters isusefultoguide andinterpret A determined byasingleparameter, itsmass. produced attheveryearliest timesa for earlyuniversecosmology, theaxionrelicdensity, of the scalar about its minimum. In some scenarios to theenergydensitythroughsmall,coherentoscillations dilute, incoherentgasofparticles,theaxioncontributes interacting massivepar which hasaverydifferentcharacterfromweakly- The QCDaxionisacandidateforcolddarkmatter, makes up a substantial fraction of the known universe. physics mystery-thenatureof“darkmatter,” which The existenceoftheQCDaxioncouldalsosolveanother the netCPviolationiszero. -- thegroundstateofaxionliesatapointwhere parameters, andtheminimumoffield’s potential provides aneffectivecontributiontotheCP-violating a “dynamicalrelaxation”mechanism:thefielditself provides a natural explanation for this smallness through one part in ten billion. The proposed QCD axion field moment indicate that QCD preserves CP to better than effects, butmeasurementsoftheneutronelectricdipole of parameters,QCDwouldexhibitlargeCP-violating parity (ormirror)transformation.Forgenericvalues refers toacombinationofchargeconjugationwith interactions preserveCPsymmetry. CPsymmetry strong CPproblem,thepuzzleofwhy The QCDaxionwasfirstproposedtoaddressthe the range10 extremely lightscalarparticle,thoughttohavemassin atomic nuclei.TheQCDaxionisahypothetical, Fundamental Interactions(ACFI)beingperformed An areaofactiveresearchattheAmherstCenterfor precise calculationofthis axionrelicdensityasa

Patrick Draper -9 eVto10 earchers and collaboratorsatthe -4 eV. ticles (WIMPs).Insteadofa quarks into protons and is responsibleforbinding gluons. Thestrongforce interactions of quarks and describes thestrong Chromodynamics (QCD) the theory of Quantum “axions.” Inparticlephysics involves thestudyof Professor PatrickDraper by theoristandAssistant protons andneutronsinto neutrons, and binding

fter thebigbang,is and weighty seashouldmake gravitationally. Thisenormous observed tointeract anywaybut than thattheyhavenotyet been completely unknown, other = 5cm [m times aproton-massperteaspoon GeV/cm of particles (local density ~0.3 We live our lives immersed in a diffuse galaxy-scale bath STARTS CONSTRUCTION THE LZDARK MATTER EXPERIMENT being studied together with the possible realizations of collider signaturesofCP-violationinthesemodelsare postdocs JonathanKozaczukandJiang-HaoYu, the phenomenology. Inongoingworkinvolving UMass a varietyofdarkmattercandidatesandrichcollider this iswouldbenewQCD-likesectors,whichprovide strong CPproblem.Aparticularlystrikingexampleof collider experimentsmaybeabletoweighinonthe physics andCP-violatingcouplings,theLHCfuture model (BSM)physicsviolatesCP. Bysearchingfornew of howstronglyotherpossiblebeyond-the-standard- strong CP, the axionis special inthat it worksregardless for theQCDaxion.Amongproposedsolutionsto collider experiments couldprovide“indirect”evidence Another areaofstudyinvolvesthepossibilitythat corrections tothehigh-temperatureaxionmass. theoretical errorbarbycomputingthenextquantum with HirenPatel(UMasspostdoc)aimstoshrinkthe standard computation.Currently, anongoingproject is beingdoneofthetheoreticaluncertaintiesin University ofCaliforniaatSantaCruz,acarefulstudy higher-dimensional gaugefield. “Kaluza-Klein” models,wheretheaxionarisesfroma spacetimes arebeingstudiedinaninterestingclassof axion fields.Inongoingfollow-upworkcosmicstring the classicalfieldequationsthatareahallmarkof structure ofcosmicstrings,string-likesolutions (equivalences) were found, which relate to the spacetime models ofaxioninflationwerestudied.Newdualities (Melbourne), someofthetheoreticalpropertiestoy last yearbyDraper, Kozaczuk,Patel,andMattDolan exponential growthintheearlyuniverse.Inwork responsible fordrivingcosmicinflation,aperiodof proposed ascandidatesforthe“inflaton,”field Beyond darkmatter, axion-likeparticles havebeen dark matter. proton

~.938GeV],1teaspoon 3 3 ) whosepropertiesare , abitmorethan1.5 Scott Hertel Research DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 9 - - - quantity . This cross 2 cm -48 target nucleons) and reduce the and reduce target nucleons) 30 many tons of additional detector many tons of additional detector layers) and it will be the lowest in background event rate (roughly one background event every two years, after all signal event selection criteria appearing. is the next The LZ experiment search, poised generation in this sensitivity to have a world-leading LZ The 2020. in starting the by formed was collaboration LUX and the predecessor merger of (“LZ” = LUX- Zeplin collaborations includes over 200 Zeplin) and now researchers based around the world. The LZ detector itself will be both the largest dark matter detector ever built (7 metric tons of central xenon target atoms, surrounded by to the detector and observing the detector response, to the detector and observing the detector response, liquid xenon experiments of LZ scale require calibra tion isotopes internal to the detector material, mixed into the liquid xenon itself. These calibration isotopes start as radioactive gases, are precisely released into the xenon as needed, and then either decay away or are purified. These gaseous calibrations are a UMass hard ware contribution to the experiment, the Hertel Group the exactly for controlling systems building is are applied). These technical achievements will allow are applied). These technical achievements nucleon interaction a search for dark matter down to cross sections of only a few times 10 natural a is there because interesting is regime section this is the scale of mechanism for forces of this scale: Higgs particle servesHiggs-mediated forces (in which the rather than the standard force the role of force mediator, carriers Z, W ±, photon, and gluon). are greatly helped The background suppression goals by the xenon target atoms themselves, existing as a dense liquid (3.1 g/ml). The liquid xenon stops exter nal radiation much as lead does, preventing external radiation from penetrating more than a few cm into the radiation external of shielding’ ‘self This target. xenon is essential to achieving the low background rates and the dark matter sensitivity goals, but comes with the downside that detector calibration requires fairly novel methods. Instead of simply placing radioisotopes next direct detection in this GeV-TeV regime are two-fold: are two-fold: regime GeV-TeV in this detection direct order in target particles of numbers enormous supply are at the interactions (we the probability of to boost 10 or now, tons-scale that to rates low enough radiation natural background at a time exposed for years target can be the massive events background a handful of order-keV with only

The LZ cryostat nears completion. The 2.6m detectorthe contain will (top) inner vessel tall xenonliquid of tons metric 7 including itself, matter dark largest the material, target detector to date. might disrupt its elegant symmetries. The its elegant symmetries. might disrupt scintillation detectors. The challenges of dark matter challenges of dark The detectors. scintillation matter particle, and an order-GeV atom will cause that atom will cause that matter particle, and an order-GeV sufficient kinetic energy, atom to recoil with order-keV and ionization signals in particle standard produce to of liquid scintillator and water for shielding and background of liquid scintillator and water for shielding and background tagging. The person to the right gives a sense of the large scale of this largest-yet dark matter experiment. A cross section view of the LZ dark matter detection experiment, A cross by layers showing the central liquid xenon vessel, surrounded velocities, an interaction between an order-GeV dark, an order-GeV velocities, an interaction between is our most strongly favored search window, because this window, is our most strongly favored search technologiesis also a window for which existing detector dark matter can be extremely sensitive. At galactic in particle physics (the hierarchy in particle physics (the hierarchy We them). among foremost problem scale are a bit lucky that the GeV-TeV range, a mass range in which we range, a mass range in which we would naively expect new particles to appear to solve other questions been lucky. The most favored dark been lucky. matter particle mass hypotheses have mass long been in the GeV to TeV That’s the dream. The reality is that The reality is the dream. That’s so far our experiments have not how our existing standard model fits how our existing and more inside some enveloping truths. fundamental set of properties of dark matter (mass, matter (mass, properties of dark etc.), it will point interactions, spin, picture, i.e., us towards the bigger us that we are, at this time, completely ignorant of ignorant of completely are, at this time, us that we truths. The hope some fundamental the particle is that if we can measure universe, and any attempt to add a single particle to to add a single and any attempt universe, that system informing therefore bluntly of dark matter is presence any particle physicist feel a bit embarrassed, or at least or embarrassed, feel a bit physicist any particle `Standard Our famed of it all. mystery by the humbled of the 15% of the mass just about Model’ describes 10 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Research lower portionsofthedetector. necessary forsupplyinghighvoltageto of thevessel,showingalargeport the lowerportionofouterlayer section oftheLZxenonvessel.Thisis of theexperiment). Right: acompleted photo multipliertubes(PMTs, the‘eyes’ mockup ofastructure thatwillhold241 construction in2018.Left:afullscale in preparation for a busy year of LZ detectorcomponentstakingshape is oneofthemainUMasscontributions. central totheexperiment’s success,and LZ detector. Thiscalibrationsystemis radioactive calibrationgasesintothe practice releasing precise quantitiesof assembling a prototype system to physics graduate student) works Above: ChristopherNedlik(UMass scientific discussionandexperimentalimages,goto: Universe, anditsparticlenatureisstillunknown.Foramoredetailed that tookplacedayarelistedintheURLsthisarticle.Darkmattercomprisesabout85%of massofthe A dayhasbeenselectedtocelebratedarkmatterwiththeinauguralday, the31 DARK MATTER DAY @lzdarkmatter as amedium to educatethepublic.Of course,there’s alwaysTwitter: or newsandexperiments,visit animations, PowerPointslidesandvideos,oreducational resources, For additionalresourcessuchasvisualizingdarkmatter withimages, of thisNewsletter. a UMassexperimentsearchingfordarkmatterintheResearchsection laboratory/ , orlookintoProf.ScottHertelprofilewherehedescribes . Don’t beafraid ofthedark[matter]!

originators of DarkMatterDaytoact matter-hub https://www.interactions.org/hub/dark- Learn moreaboutdark matter atthe programs. agenda forphysicsclubsandoutreach dark matterdaycouldspiceupthe around the31 students. Coupled with the spooky days material for elementary to college school This URLischockedfullofeducational https://www.darkmatterday.com/ in radicalways. out, orwemaybeonthevergeofaneweraextendingstandardmodel And then,whoknows?ThestandardHiggs-mediatedinteractionmayberuled ready fordarkmattersearchdatainearly2020,aftersomeinitialcalibrations. cur overthesummer. TheHertel Groupisworkingtowardshavingthedetector testing thesourceinjectionsystem,andconstructionoffinalsystemwilloc using speciallow-radioactivitymaterials.AtUMass,thespringwillbespent have beenconstructedinmock-upformandarenowenteringfinalfabrication begin detector assembly. Many components of the interior detectorstructures January. Aspeciallow-radoncleanroomhasbeenconstructedtoreceiveitand nium) hasbeenformedandwillarriveattheSouthDakotaexperimentsitein already takingshape.Thecentralliquidxenonvessel(madeofultra-puretita 2018 willbe the busiestyearinLZconstructionandmajor components are to buildthefinal`sourceinjection’hardware. to test thehardware and practice thecalibrationprocedures,beforemoving on material itself. The Group is currently setting up a test stand here on campus of calibrationisotopereleasedintothedetectorandissupplyingradioactive . Thesescientistswerethe st ofOctober, the2018 http://lz.lbl.gov/ . st ofOctober2017.Theglobalevents - - Community DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 11 ------Looking for tracks in a simple cloud in a simple cloud Looking for tracks a seminar led by chamber built in Pocar. Andrea Physics Professor Most of the participants are experienced secondary teachers, but there are often new are secondary teachers, but there experienced Most of the participants are as well as occasional elementary educators.teachers or science education grad students, Develop Professional For attending and participating in the seminars, teachers receive Positive Psychology for STEM Learning and Beyond, Brain Science = (Biology + Engineer ing), and Sustainability. a session ideas from one or more themselves very adept at taking have proven Teachers of expertise or engineering topic outside their area having a focus on a specific science K12 the entire across This has occurred and adapting it for their specific curriculum. grade level spectrum. The seminars typically include a mix of topics from the physical, biological, and earth of topics from The seminars typically include a mix math, and computer science. Occasional sessions sciences, engineering and technology, Concentration, includes: list year’s This issues. pedagogic to specifically devoted are Engagement and Clouds and Weather, Air Pressure, Amount, Counting by Weighing, . - . These materials and many others from a variety of STEM Ed programs are archived by the library at archived are a variety of STEM Ed programs . These materials and many others from SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING SATURDAY SEMINAR SATURDAY ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE www.umassk12.net/sess https://scholarworks.umass.edu/stem/ seminar leaders and the opportunity for teachers to “practice” working with lab materials is a viable model for school year seminar leaders and the opportunity for teachers to “practice” working with development. professional and their topics plus many seminar materials, go to For additional information about the SESS, including a list of presenters that the seminars are outstanding.” that the seminars are by talented information presented coupled with a mix of background It is clear that the short, focused content presentations, very valuable because there are a lot of projects out there being passed off as inquiry-based that only keep the students busy, busy, students the keep only that inquiry-based as off passed being there out projects of lot a are there because valuable very the “nuggets” to further develop and expand the said to provide teach the concepts. The seminars were but do not really nearly unanimous in their belief were One commented that “The kids love it!” Berger concluded that “respondents projects. Several years ago Education Professor Joe Berger used questionnaires and focus groups to evaluate the SESS program. Many to evaluate the SESS program. groups and focus Joe Berger used questionnaires Several years ago Education Professor noted that other teachers in their schools have asked them what they learned in the seminars, especially regard respondents content with inquiry-based techniques and are ing the hands-on demonstrations. Participants felt that seminars addressed study course at a reduced tuition rate. Those who choose the credit option are required to do outside reading as well as to to do outside reading required are option tuition rate. Those who choose the credit study course at a reduced the seminars. This work culminates with develop a curriculum plan for their students based on some learning experience from session for sharing teachers’ lesson ideas. Over 300 teachers have elected this option. an additional Saturday will be tested for its strength in a semi a in strength its for tested be will Conservation nar led by Environmental structured,independent in a 3-credit, of enrolling ment Points, needed for continued certification. They also have the option Making a cross laminated timber that Making a cross 8:30 AM to 1 PM, and are led by UMass and other Five College faculty as well as by K12 teachers. The presentations typically and other Five College faculty as well as by K12 teachers. The presentations led by UMass 8:30 AM to 1 PM, and are to learning, lesson and include handouts that can be customized for use in designing individualized model an inquiry approach publicly accessible. online and are posted plans. Most of these materials are The goal is to provide teachers with background information and lab-based activities that will provide the foundation and in the foundation information and lab-based activities that will provide teachers with background The goal is to provide from run programs Saturday and learningof teaching development centive for the classroom. implemented in materials to be concept of the Saturday Seminars as a way to assist K12 teachers in making sense of, and creating useable curriculum materi teachers in making sense of, and creating Seminars as a way to assist K12 concept of the Saturday for a few years. Modest user followed by NSF support the Raytheon Corporation, with funding from started als. The program fees now cover most of the costs. to implement the curriculum described by the Technology/Engineering section of the curriculum described by the Technology/Engineering to implement the Frameworks. Engineering and developed the Associate Dean of the College of Mort and Chris met with Kathy Rubin, In the Fall of 2000, Technology and Engineering was published in 1996, followed five years later by the published in 1996, followed five and Engineering was Technology the Learning was being made with incorporating progress version. Although revised teachers should proceed was still not a clear sense of how there for science, Standards alum and retired Amherst Regional High School physics and electronics teacher. teacher. and electronics High School physics Amherst Regional retired alum and for Science, Massachusetts Frameworks version of the draft The Some background: potential impact is impressive. potential of the Mort Sternheim, Emeritus Director Professor is managed by Physics The program and education physics a UMass Emery, Chris and Ed), (STEM Education Institute STEM The Science and Engineering Saturday Seminars (SESS) are in their eighteenth year of presenting engaging science and en and science engaging of presenting year their eighteenth in are (SESS) Seminars Saturday Engineering and The Science 140 sessions have been there a year, once or twice Saturdays for five Offered teachers. to STEM day seminars half gineering students, so the 100 Each teaches about high school teachers. and middle or so is 30 attendance The average altogether.

12 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Research UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROJECTS Alexander Moschella Michael Maxwell Nikolaos Marmanis Mingquan Li Sonya Leaf Martyna Laszcz Jeremy Laprade Robert Keane Shashank Jayakumar emulsions.

Luke Brown Jack Bolster John Blatchford Anshul Bhargava Allyson Bergeron small amountsofelectricandmagneticfields. Bren Backhaus Abdoul Ayouba andpHofnanodroplets. Justin Alfonse Mufid Alfaris Student Research Project Faculty Advisor undergraduate projects thatwere underwayinFallof2017andSpring2018. Physics studentstoengageinawidevarietyoforiginal,cutting-edgeresearch projects andteachingprojects. Here isalistof52 Scott Israel Matthew Harris Matthew Golben Alex Gekow Yihan Gao Ben Farrell Kenneth Eva (Honors Matthew Downing Tape project) Freeman Dong Devan Dhand Robot Thomas ConnollyWang Chris Caron Project. Josh Carey insulators. Josh Carey Matthew Burke Matthew Burke phase transitions.

detector. (SupportedbyaCommonwealthHonorsCollegeresearch fellowship)

Goldner

Dinsmore

Goldner Yan

chambersatJefferson Lab. Pocar

Dinsmore

Kawall Dallapiccola Ertl Pocar Miskimen Wang Pocar Wang Menon Yan Sedrakyan Wang Pocar Yan Pocar Sorbo Pocar Goldner Traschen Dallapiccola Dinsmore Kastor Dallapiccola Lannert Pocar Pocar Ross

observatory. qubitandcavityexperiments.

CommonwealthHonorsCollegeresearch grant) circuit inthequantum regime. Assemble, calibrate,anddesignasoftware forthetaperobot. Making PC-board basedmicrowave circuit andcharacterizingmicrowave components. Learning aspectsofmagneticfieldmeasurementLearning usingNMRandother techniques. Measuring theelectricdischargerateatsurfaceofachargedpowder. In-depth investigationofJamesClerkMaxwell’s equationsdescribingelectromagnetism. Data analysisandsimulation. Setting upfluorescence correlation measurements todeterminesimultaneoussize Learning stringtheorythroughLearning BrianGreene’s “TheElegantUniverse.” DS-50 dataanalysis. Making high-quality2Dcrystalsusingagloveboxandtubefurnaces. Studying thetheoryofadilation-Maxwellsysteminanexpandinguniversewith Data analysisandsimulationsofparticlephysicsasobservedwithATLAS, andtheBus Development ofafast-analog current-summing amplifier foruseonthemuondetection Analyzing microwave propagation inferrite-loadeddevicesanddesigningamicrowave Measurement ofpHinwater-in-oil nanoemulsiondroplets usingpHsensingdyes. Studying chargedgranularmedia Analyzing Ground StateDensitiesfortheColdAtomLabBubbleProject. Basic traininginbiophysics,including theBioBootCamp. Temperature stabilitycontrol forsiliconphotomultipliertubesandcryogenicoperation. Prototyping thecathodeinnEXOenrichedxenonobservatory Studying quantumspinsystemsthatconstitutethebasicmodelsofmagnetic Studying thePresence ofKrypton-85intheDarkSideDetector. (Supportedbya Cryogenic testingofsiliconphotomultipliertubesforthenEXOenrichedxenon Programing microwave pulsecontrol hardware/software foradvancedsuperconducting Encapsulation withthinpolymerfilms Characterization ofbackground sources andMonteCarlosimulationsofDarkside-50 Making andstudyingtwodimensionalcrystalsofBNMoTe Making highqualitytwodimensionalcrystals(graphene,boron nitride,andchalcogenides) Geant4 simulationsfortheDarkSideexperiment Applications ofgroup theorytoparticlephysics. Investigation oflipid-dependentprotein bindingtoliposomes. Studying electrostatic forces atfluidinterfacesandtheformationofparticle-stabilized Testing ofSiphotomultipliertubesinliquidxenon Set up,evaluate,andintegrateelectronic instrumentsforquantumcontrol measurements.

2 tostudystacking

Research DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 13

Matthew Burke, Neil Shah, and Nicholas Miller "Determining the transition Point of a High Tc Superconductor"

"

Guangfeng Yu, Alexander Moschella, and Rex Tufts "Investigation of Alexander Moschella, and Rex Tufts Guangfeng Yu, Chaotic Double Pendulum"

Lisa Himuro and Mufid Alfaris Lisa Himuro "Dynamic light scattering questions, editing youtube videos of the lectures. questions, editing youtube videos of the using for dark photons in the High-Luminosity LHC program Studies of searches coupled map systems relevant in ecology. relevant coupled map systems magnetic and of inhomogeneous induction decays in the presence free Studying NMR of liquid crystal emulsions in water. Measurements materials and devices for energy conversion and storage. New assistant for Physics 114. Teaching microwave for low-temperature and device holder up a dilution refrigerator Setting Measuring single GFP molecules as tracers in a bath of active urease enzymes. urease bath of active in a as tracers GFP molecules single Measuring particles connected into a pair of spacetime three-dimensional theory of decay of The project) by a string. (Honors Faraday magnetometer. high bandwidth sensitivity, of a high Development enzymes. of active urease as tracers in a bath single GFP molecules Measuring and to measure software control setup and measurement Assemble microwave in on tracer particles and stresses to track the forces Using LAMMPS simulations of photosensors. Cryogenic testing granular hopper flow using LAMMPS. Simulating statistical physics and particle physics. from Numerical simulations of systems Learning to study and chaos theory by using numerical methods nonlinear dynamics Cryogenic testing of photosensors. testing of Cryogenic Teaching assistant for Physics 131 and 132: Supervising students, helping with assistant for Physics 131 and 132: Supervising Teaching Pocar Ross Tuominen Dallapiccola Wang Draper Machta Sorbo Kawall Ross Wang Tewari Pocar Tewari Traschen The theory of dynamical black holes in inflationary universes. universes. black holes in inflationary theory of dynamical The Traschen

Frederick Coburn, Jonathan Pham, and Frederick Kendall Sullivan "The Gravitational Constant" ILAB COURSE WORK POSTER SESSION ILAB COURSE WORK George Metzler, Justin Archibald, and Olivia Comeau Justin Archibald, George Metzler, of local acceleration due to gravity using "Measurement Bessel Pendulum" measurements. simulated samples. simulated Makayla Vessella Workman Darrell Zachary Gao Sun Ishan Srivastava Kathryn Tweedie Miskimen RF fields. RF Kawall Anushka Shrivastava Ben Strain Eleanor Scott Schneer Tom gravity-driven granular material flow. material granular gravity-driven Anwesha Saha Neil Shah superconducting qubits. superconducting Jonathan Powers Justin Roberts Liam O’Brien Liam O’Brien Kyle O’Connell Linda Oster Ian Murphy Ross Naseery Mackenzie Bela Nelson 14 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Teaching SERIES PHYSICIST ININDUSTRY SEMINAR teaching engineer atMedrobotics,amedicaldevicecompany & AstronBS'15)whoisworkingasamechanical in diverse fields. We hosted Michael Buckley(Physics This year, physicsstudentsmetwithphysicistsworking and totalkourvisitorsaboutcareerspaths. to broadentheirknowledgeofcareeroptions intend thesevisitsasanopportunityforourstudents and joinsmall-groupmeetingswithstudents.We national labs,whovisitcampusandpresentseminars various fieldsoutsideacademia,bothinindustryand Industry." This series features physicists working in continued theseminarseriescalled"Physicistsin year’s Newsletter for more information), we have for Autonomous Materials (MassCAM; see last Under thesponsorshipofMassachusettsCenter please contactus. If youareinterestedinparticipating inthisprogram, career optionsinphysics. We thankallofourvisitors. great opportunity for students to learn about the many Pacific NorthwestNationalLab.Thesevisitswere a many years'experienceinprivateindustryandat the we hostedphysicsalumnusJackLareau,whohashad from Genyaelsewhereinthisnewsletter.) Mostrecently, (Physics BS'17)presentedherwork.(Seetheletter company, Rigetti, where our alumna Genya Crossman alumna, 2014).We heardfromaQuantumComputing Pratt, MaximilianZieringer, andDanaDjerf(UMass MA. We hostedthreevisitors fromFormLabs:Brendan with themaker-space Artisan'sAsyluminSomerville, in Raynham,MA;Michaelalsotalkedabouthiswork

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decay cannottakeplacebecausethedaughternucleusis wherein theparentnucleusisstronglybound,beta emits anelectronandantineutrino.Insomecases, nucleus havingZ+1protonsandA-Z-1neutrons protons andA-Zneutrons,decaystoa“daughter" a “parent"nucleuswithAnucleons,consistingofZ underway aroundtheworld.Inordinarybetadecay, become everimportant,withexperimentsplannedand The searchforneutrinolessdoublebetadecayhas Musolf, theACFIdirector, ofUMass. the UniversityofNorthCarolinaandMichaelRamsey- Lecturers werePetrVogel fromCalTech, JonEngelfrom to hearaboutthebasictheorybehindsuchsearches. dozen studentsfromallthemajorexperimentscame for FundamentalInteractions(ACFI).Nearlytwo beta decayexperimentswasheldattheAmherstCenter experimental studentsinvolvedinneutrinolessdouble During the week of October 31-November 4 a school for deeper understanding ofthesignificance oftheirwork. and returned totheirvariousexperiments with amuch The studentswereveryenthusiastic abouttheschool learn theassociatedtheoretical basisforsuchprocesses. is thestudents from theseeffortsthatcame toACFI involves UMassACFIdeputy directorAndreaPocar. It experiment, EXO,usestheparentisotope up invariouslaboratoriesaroundtheworld.Onesuch parents andvariousdetectortechnologieshavebeen set is soimportantthatexperimentsinvolvingdifferent level. Thisprobeoffundamentalneutrinocharacter been observed,andlifetimelimitsareatthe>10 antiparticle. At the present time, no such events have is of“Majorana"type,meaningthatititsown This typeofdecayisonlypossibleiftheneutrino accompanied bytwoelectronsbutnoantineutrinos. having Z+2protonsandA-Z-2neutronsoccurs double betadecay, whereinthetransitiontodaughter Even moreelusiveisthepossibleexistenceofneutrinoless in thetarget. by utilizingverylargenumbers>10 observation ofsuchdoublebetadecaysismadepossible year lifetimeoftheuniverse.Despitethismismatch, lifetimes oforder10 nevertheless been detected in a number of systems, with are required, suchdecays are relatively rare. They have and two antineutrinos. Because two weak interactions Z+2 protons,A-Z-2neutrons,andemitstwoelectrons parent decaystoadifferentdaughternucleus,having possible for a double beta decay to occur, wherein the higher inenergythantheparent.Inthiscase,itmaybe DOUBLE DECAY ACFI SCHOOLONNEUTRINOLESS 21 years--muchlongerthanthe~10 25 ofparentnuclei 136 Xe and 25 year

10

Teaching DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 15

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The Gordon Research Conferences now have an now have an The Gordon Research Conferences the “Power Hour.” informal session for attendees called https://www.grc.org/the-power-hour/default.aspx. Hour is an open First initiated in 2016 the Power conferees,all by attended be can which session, informal face in science. for discussion on the challenges women interactions in a The intent is to provide small group select professional field with participants across different It also gives career. scientific stages in each person’s a voice to different minorities who can discuss their perspectives for professional growth. For protocol, the Chairs select a woman to serve as the organizer of the session. Then the program is adapted to the needs of the group. The GRC organizers provide initial topics and support materials to initiate discussion. In 2017 there were over 108 Power Hours. NEW AT THE GORDON RESEARCH THE GORDON RESEARCH NEW AT CONFERENCES

The theory students lead a teach-back session, presenting the computer lead a teach-back session, presenting The theory students on a ring. the dispersion of a set of equal charges to find code they wrote

participating faculty participating faculty skills of the students, to allow them to contributedesigned projects that build on the existing and graduate students. REU students postdocs faculty, to the projects with the guidance of also week. They classes held each professional development also attended scientific talks and Amherst of town the and research UMass what of bit little a saw and life campus enjoyed our students participated in a poster At the end of the nine-week program, have to offer. session showcasing their research. their first introduction Students research. to with were partnered within physics faculty with case) one (in and and Polymer Science They Engineering. immersed in were after research shortly Ourarrival in campus.

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TOPICS 2017- 2018 TOPICS ACFI SCHOOLS AND WORKSHOP SCHOOLS AND WORKSHOP ACFI • Nuclear Theory Topical Collaboration, February 3-4, 2017 • Nuclear Theory Topical • Neutrinos at the High Energy Frontier, July 18-20, 2017 • Neutrinos at the High Energy Frontier, • The Electroweak Box, September 28-30, 2017 October 31- November 3, 2017 • School on the Physics of Neutrinoless Double, Beta Decay, • Testing CP-Violation for Baryogenesis, March 29-31, 2018 CP-Violation • Testing (Theoretically) Strong, April 6-8, 2017 • Making the Electroweak Phase Transition WORKSHOP ON 'WORK FROM NOISE' FROM ON 'WORK WORKSHOP the Massachusetts Center for Autonomous Materials the Massachusetts Center for Autonomous Materials (MassCAM). The principal organizers were Professors Narayanan The principal organizers were Professors Narayanan Menon, Jon Machta, S. “Thai” Thayumanavan, Tony Dinsmore, and Jenny Ross. The event was supported by what basic science do we need in order to understand what basic science do we need in systems that are driven out of equilibrium, their function materials? and their use in human-made in biology, and Europe and 10 UMass faculty, plus some of their plus some and Europe and 10 UMass faculty, included short students, attended. The workshop of the question: presentations plus extended discussions to Manipulate Matter.” The event was held during The event was held during to Manipulate Matter.” 26-28, 2017). the beautiful foliage season (Oct from the US Approximately 20 invited researchers The Physics department hosted a 3-day workshop on The Physics department hosted a from Noise: Harnessing Fluctuations the topic “Work column depends on the column depends on the at opening the of size base and the width and material of the tube. Students were challenged challenged were Students flow the how measure to rate of a draining vertical Community College or Holyoke Community Community College or Holyoke Community to UMass from these had transferred College, or participants, it was For many of the institutions. REU SUMMER 2017 BIOLOGICAL AND SOFT MATTER RESEARCH TRAINEESHIPS RESEARCH MATTER SOFT AND BIOLOGICAL 2017 SUMMER REU Research Soft Matter and the Biological- year of the fourth ran department Physics 2017, the of the summer During Technical came from Springfield of whom five had 7 participants, This year we REU program. (B-SMaRT) Traineeships 16 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Teaching Back from theleft:SebastianUrrutiaQuiroga, Yuan-Tang Chou,SamyuktaKrishnamurthy, Brendan Sheehan, FabrizioGabbiani Front: MattDecapua,Michelle Berry, Tristan Mingzhu Cui,Tao Winick, Wang, Guanghui Zhou,Siao-FongLi MichaelLilly KaiBolayYongsoo ChoiAiminDingKevinFlood graduate students,oldandnew 1997 MSandPhDgraduatesnotpictured: PaulFinley, RaduMondescu,Jusak StefanHeinrichsThomasHemmertYury Kolomensky HansKutschera Ke Wang, UtkarshAgrawal, DavidKessler, JesseUnderland AlexeyPetrov ErikSchaeffer OliverStrauss Not pictured: Xiansheng Caimm GRADUATED IN1997 Tandean, FriedelvonGoeler ENTERED IN2017

Outreach DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 17

. [email protected] it hosts a database of short science lessons it hosts a database use in the classroom or at and activities for home. The aim of the site is to provide the home. The aim of site is available at https://sciphile.org/, where where https://sciphile.org/, at available is site so that non-specialists can easily discover them so that non-specialists them in a highly indexed and searchable way, way, searchable and indexed highly a in them into their classes. (Think and incorporate them kinds of active-learning activities and topics that kinds of active-learning know about, while packagingscience professionals active since early 2014, and currently receives over receives currently and 2014, early since active countries. 300 visits/day from about 200 different Wikipedia for science teachers.) The site has been been science teachers.) The site has for Wikipedia

outreach siphons, rockets, and pendulums, to name but a few. Each to name but a few. siphons, rockets, and pendulums, activity to engage students in the includes a hands-on lesson the lesson on hurricanes fundamental science. For example, a tabletop flamingincludes construction plans for generating Blaylock says, science tornado in a waste paper basket. As excitement to it. should always have an element of CLUB UMASS SCIENCE OUTREACH continues its mission The UMass Science Outreach Club area local to demonstrations and lessons science bring to Physics Department andschools. The club is sponsored by the membership its but staff, and faculty physics by supervised The Sciences. Natural of the College over from all derives club offers a wide range of science topics with a heavy dose of drama and fun, from charging soap bubbles, to freezing a with kites foil levitating to nitrogen, liquid in balloons de Graaff machine. In Fall 2017 they traveled hand-held Van Fort Crocker Farm Elementary, to Pelham Elementary, and the Amherst Boys and Girls Club. River Elementary, institution your at perform club the have to Arrangements can be made by contacting them WEB-BASED TOOL TO TEACH SCIENCE TEACH TO TOOL WEB-BASED beyond the science education to support In an effort developed a web- Guy Blaylock has Professor university, science. The and parents teach to help teachers based tool on such topics as At sciphile.org, you can find lessons levitation, electric motors, magnetic static electricity, color friction, polymers, super-absorbent illusions, optical principle, vortexes, smoke rings, perception, Bernoulli’s

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are looking to build sustained efforts to improve improve to efforts sustained build to looking are experience in the Department. everyone’s and underrepresented minority faculty members and underrepresented minority faculty members have College and Department The students. and and priority, standing a climate departmental made the department are strategic and warranted. One area the committee felt additional efforts are needed is in improving departmental climate for female, LGBT research directions and teaching programs the research directions and teaching programs the the to recommending pursuing, been has department dean and provost that further faculty investments in spent a day and a half on campus meeting with spent a day and a half on campus meeting with staff, and students. The summary report faculty, the endorsed strongly committee the by written committee were Paul Goldbart (Georgia Tech), Alex committee were Paul Goldbart (Georgia Tech), Kusenko (UCLA), Bob Redwine (MIT), with Dan Reich (Johns Hopkins) chairing. The committee Quality and Development) review process, where process, where Quality and Development) review UMass academic departments and programs are reviewed every seven years. Members of the visiting to examine the Department’s teaching, research and to examine the Department’s a is visit committee external The missions. service (Academic AQAD central part of the University’s DEVELOPMENT (AQAD) REVIEW (AQAD) DEVELOPMENT hosted In March of 2017, the Physics Department Dean Goodwin a visiting committee appointed by ACADEMIC QUALITY AND QUALITY ACADEMIC For more information or applications, please see For more information or applications, http://www.physics.umass.edu/graduate junior and senior years, and then stay one additionaljunior and senior years, and then stay year to complete a masters degree. The Physics Department is also considering starting The Physics Department is also considering would track new The in Physics. track degree a new students start be a '4+1' masters program, where undergraduate taking graduate level courses in their interactions, condensed matter, biophysics, etc.) matter, interactions, condensed specialization. c) an instrumentation b) a means to acquire skills and prepare for with advanced specialization jobs in industry area of physics (fundamental in a particular a) a springboard to admission into a PhD a) a springboard program prepares students for one of a number of things, things, of a number of students for one prepares their choose to customize they depending on how course selection: be will nominally MS program This Physics It and is course-based. in 3 semesters completed NEW MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAM! DEGREE MASTER'S NEW a into students admitting started has department The 2018. Fall begin to program MS Physics 18 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Awards Network, co-directoroftheNSFNSECCenterfor also directoroftheNSFNationalNanomanufacturing A fellowoftheAmericanPhysicalSociety, Tuominen is associate atHarvardUniversity. University ofMinnesotaandwasapostdoctoralresearch and materialsscienceaPhDinphysicsfromthe received abachelor’s degreeinchemical engineering Tuominen has beenat UMass Amherstsince 1993. He the inspiringpeoplewhomakeitasuccess.” with himtosupporttheaspirationsofthiscollegeand said. “Iamthrilledtohavethisopportunitywork to mentorshipandtheadvancementofothers,”Serio achievements arecoupledwithastrongcommitment innovation andboldthinking,importantly, his “Mark’s researchcareerhasepitomizedexcellence, Natural Sciences (CNS), effective Oct. 1, 2017, CNS Dean forResearchandInnovationintheCollegeof Professor MarkTuominen hasbeennamedAssociate in thecollege. Integrated ConcentrationinScience(iCons)program an instrumentalmemberoftheteamthatcreated the and anOutstandingCollegeTeacher Award. Hewas Amherst, hewasawardedaTEACHnologyfellowship a Cottrell Scholar, among other honors. At UMass He wasanNSFNationalYoung Investigatorand MassNanoTech atUMassAmherst. Hierarchical Manufacturing,andco-directorof faculty awards RESEARCH ANDINNOVATION INCNS TUOMINEN NAMED ASSOCIATE DEANFOR Narayanan Menon. Menonhasbeenat UMassfortwo UMass Physics Professor(andnowDepartment Head) Outstanding FacultyAward for Researchwasgivento a researchawardtooneof itsmembers.The2017CNS Each yeartheUMassCollege ofNaturalSciencespresents MENON WINSCNSRESEARCH AWARD

faculty, withinCNS. encompassing more than 450 departments andtwoschools, faculty advancementforthe13 for the success of research and will havebroadresponsibilities leadership team,Tuominen As amemberoftheDean’s Dean Tricia Serioannounced.

LORENZO SORBOPROMOTION very largescales. deviate fromEinstein’s theoryofgeneralrelativityat gravity, aswellonthepossibilitythatgravitymight Sorbo has also workedonvarioustheoretical aspects of of photonsintheCosmicMicrowaveBackground. cosmological quantities,suchasthe(polarized)spectrum that mightbeobservabletodayinthemeasurements of that occurredatsuchanearlystagecouldleadtoeffects and homogeneous.Prof.Sorbohasstudiedhowprocesses accelerated expansionthat made the Universe very large Big Bang)underwentaperiodofinflation,phase of the very early Universe (about 10-35 seconds after the Lorenzo Sorbohasbeenpromotedtotherank The Department is pleased to report that Professor http://www.sciencecodex.com/umass_amherst_team_ tissues. Additionaldetailscanbefoundatthewebsite. of theunderlyingmaterials,suchastextilesorbiological or to use the wrinkles on surfaces to infertheproperties scientists tousewrinklessculptsurfacetopography, to supportit.Theworkisexpectedhelpmaterials on curvedsurfacesandpresentsexperimentalwork of complexwrinklepatterns,includingthosefound which proposes a new law for predicting the wavelength and OxfordUniversityMathematicianDominicVella, Davidovitch, UMassPolymerScientistTom Russell, UMass PhysicsProfessorBenny example istheworkwith in macroscopicsystems.An looking at symmetry breaking Specifically, hehasrecentlybeen condensed matterphysics. in theareaofsoftexperimental His groupperformsresearch at theUniversityofChicago. decades, having obtained his PhD patterns-176569 offers_new_simpler_law_of_complex_wrinkle_

widely believedthat In particular, itis Early Universe. the Physicsof of research concerns Sorbo’s mainfield 1, 2017.Professor effective September of FullProfessor Awards DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 19

In his second project, Liam and Professor Lorenzo In his second project, Liam and Professor Lorenzo cosmology. problem in a theoretical Sorbo are tackling they are studying the process by which Specifically, the vacuum decays into a pair of particles connected by a string. Liam has been finding solutions to the Einstein Field Equations describing this process, and for quantities important various computing then Liam is computing the these solutions. Most notably, Once probability for this process to actually occur. third-year students for their their for students third-year academic achievements at UMass / Amherst, and only 56 students each year from the to chosen are class junior entire receive this award. Liam has been very active UMass, at in doing research different two taking on experimental projectindependent projects. In the first, an Liam has been with Professor Narayanan Menon, fluid-fluid interfaces.studying how rigid plates attach to have a vast array of Such processes at fluid interfaces applications, yet are not well understood. As such, Liam from experiments has designed and performed his own scratch and developed techniques for extracting and analyzing data detailing the motion of the plates. He APS March presented some of his findings at last year’s Meeting (one of the largest physics conferences in the world), and is working towards publishing the results of the project. Last spring, Liam Christopher O’Brien, ’18, Physics, ’18, Physics, Last spring, Liam Christopher O’Brien, received major. Science Computer Mathematics, This Field Alumni Scholar Award. F. the William prestigious award recognizes LIAM CHRISTOPHER O'BRIEN '18 LIAM CHRISTOPHER “We have only tested our system in idealized lab lab in idealized system our only tested have “We try it like to would said. “We Lane environments,” idea of to get a better real weather situations outside in we this experimentation be possible. Through what will the panel a way to increase in mind of finding have a goal outdoor percent in a realistic by at least 10 efficiency we can this to be possible If we can find environment. that our system can have an immense prove definitively of campus.” impact on the sustainability the is continuing to work on As an update, Cameron his honors research thesis that will project this year for for and prototype of a system outline the feasibility UMass campus.

Cameron Smith-Freedman, Matthew "Donnie" Rollings, "Donnie" Rollings, Matthew Smith-Freedman, Cameron Lane, and Luke Fateiger Cameron Matthew Yee, will require more data collection and analysis using the will require more data collection model system. He continued that the team will also investigate filing a patent through UMass technology transfer office. First, which and parts list, design a complete develop they must campus in some form is one of our next goals for this would we year next seniors be all will we As project. love to see it working to some effect before we leave.” In June 2017 Lane said, “Implementation on the UMass of food science major, Matthew Yee, to develop a modela to develop Matthew Yee, food science major, of system and gather data. For iCons 4, they are proposing a working prototype that can save energy on campus. For iCons 3, they continued their work, with the addition the with work, their continued they 3, iCons For serves as a literature research experience. renewable energy track of the iCons program. Their program. Their renewable energy track of the iCons in the iCons 2 2016 research proposal was presented which course, Integrated Scientific Communication, (Cameron Lane, physics; Cameron Smith-Freedman, Smith-Freedman, (Cameron Lane, physics; Cameron chemistry; and biology; Matthew “Donnie” Rollings, computer science) is enrolled in the Luke Fateiger, cool solar panels to render the panels more efficient. panels to render the panels cool solar the Class of 2018 The integrated team of students of Amherst Libraries bestowed this honor and $1k bestowed this honor and $1k Amherst Libraries to 2016 paper on using water prize for their spring of the iCons project is to allow students the freedom is to allow students the freedom of the iCons project upon an idea throughout their to continue building program. The Friends of the UMass four years in the in the UMass Amherst Undergraduate Sustainability Sustainability Amherst Undergraduate in the UMass is it “What paper, for their research Research Award One goal to Make Solar Panels Cool?” Going to Take PANEL COOLING PROPOSAL PANEL in Concentration in the Integrated Four students first place been awarded program have Science (iCons) iCONS STUDENTS HONORED FOR SOLAR FOR STUDENTS HONORED iCONS undergraduate awards undergraduate 20 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Awards University of ArizonainTucson. astrophysics andaPhDminor inastrobiologyatthe fraternity. HeispursuingaPhD inastronomyand New StudentsOrientation leaderandsecretaryofhis in theMilkyWay. Hewasalsoaresidentassistant, a UCLA andworkedwitha scientist studyingstarclusters Journal. Hehadbeenasummerresearchintern at paper on stellar feedback published in Astrophysical from Leominster, wastheleadauthorofascientific Ryan Boyden, a double major in physics and astronomy Association. receive aplaqueandanawardof$1kfromtheAlumni contributing tothecampuscommunity. Recipients and enhanced the reputation of the University by initiative andleadershipofsomeitsmosttalented members oftheClass2017forexemplaryachievement, The UniversityofMassachusettsAmhersthonoredten frequently takespartingamesatalllevels. He is also an avid lover of basketballand football, and including LittleLeagueWorld Seriesqualifyinggames. chosen asanumpireinvarioustournamentgames, and championshipgamesforthelocalleague.Hewas League foryears,includingregularseason,post he hasworkedasanumpireforhishometownLittle a contributingmemberofhiscommunity. Mostnotably, in physicsresearch.Outsideofphysics,Liamhasbeen earning aPhD.Afterthat,hehopestopursuecareer physics byattendinggraduateschoolinphysics,and As tothefuture,heintendsfurtherhisloveof senior thesisbeginningnextspring. theory. ThisprojectwillbecomethetopicofLiam’s persistent problemswithinanotherwiseverysuccessful inhomogeneities intheearlyuniverse,oneofmajor to usethismodelinthecontextofinflationdescribe having the probability, Liam and Professor Sorbo intend RYAN BOYDEN '17 intellectual accomplishments further distinguished their undergraduate studentswho exemplary achievementof strong academic record and Award recognizesthe The 21stCenturyLeader 21st CenturyLeaders. Commencement inMayas seniors duringUndergraduate and accomplishedgraduating

IDA ANDJOSEPHSIMENAS AWARD is aphysics major with a secondary majorin astronomy, of theIdaandJosephSimenasawardinMay, 2017.Tara Tara Dowd those ofIdaandJoseph. of people,andenthusiasticwithapositiveattitudelike in the face of adversity, able to collaborate with allkinds support physicsmajorswhoarehard-working,resilient and establishingthisaward,Scottaimstorecognize undergraduate/awards. Inmakingthisgenerousdonation biography online at http://www.physics.umass.edu/ and engineering(Joseph).Readerscanfindafascinating administration andteaching(Ida)lumberretail ground-breakers in their respective fields of business and JosephSimenashadremarkableliveswere funds forthisawardinmemoryofhisparents.Ida physics majors.ScottSimenas(BS,1971)donatedthe Simenas PhysicsScholarship,foracademicallyexcellent for an annual undergraduateaward,the Ida andJoseph The Physics department has been given a new endowment nEXO detectors. Andrea Pocar oncryo-coolersforthe Darksideand junior physics major, who proposed work with Professor Tewari onsimulatinggranularflows. Anweshais a Justin isajuniorandwill work withProfessorShubha Professor ScottHertelon the LZdark-matterdetector. Anthony isasophomore and proposedtoworkwith working withProfessorVerena MartinezOutschoorn. she proposedaproject on theATLAS muon detector, Roberts, andAnweshaSaha.Yihan isasophomoreand physics majorsYihan Gao,Anthony Raykh,Justin This year, fourChangawardshavebeenofferedto students formanyyearstocome. awards will provide valuable enriching opportunities for the generosityofProfessorChangandhisfamily. These projects. ThePhysicsDepartmentisverygrateful for undergraduate physicsmajorspursuingresearch – toprovidefundsinperpetuityforsmallgrants the EdwardS.ChangFundforUndergraduateResearch Professor Changestablishedagenerousendowment– Associate DeanforAdvising.Afterhisretirementin2008, Undergraduate ProgramDirectorbefore becoming the He wasthePhysics Department ChiefAdvisor and special interestinundergraduateteachingandadvising. Professor Edward Shih-Tou Chang had an enduring CHANG RESEARCH AWARD the UMassScienceOutreachClub. outstanding academicrecordandhasbeenactivewith part oftheCommonwealthHonorsCollege.Tara hasan (class of 2018) was named the first recipient (classof2018)wasnamedthefirstrecipient

People DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 21

Allyson Bergeron Ida and Joseph Simenas Award Joseph Simenas Ida and excellence) (academic Dowd Tara Amy Ralston Fund S. Chang Edward (supporting outstanding reasearch) Nathan Rose Dandamudi Rao Scholarship in biological physics or closely (research in memory of Kandula Sastry) area, related Kieran Ramos Kandula Sastry Book Award Kandula Sastry and versatility) (academic excellence Jonah Chaban Class of ‘76-’77 Kofler’s Richard Scholarship in Physics) of career intention (strong

Kandula Sastry Thesis Award of outstanding thesis) (presentation Basem Mahmoud El-Menoufi Dr. student awards student GRADUATE AWARDS MAY 2017 MAY AWARDS GRADUATE Theodore Kareta, Jonah Chaban, Thomas Bogue Kareta, Theodore UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS MAY 2017 MAY AWARDS UNDERGRADUATE

AWARD RECIPIENTS, PHYSICS DEPARTMENT, MAY 2017 MAY RECIPIENTS, PHYSICS DEPARTMENT, AWARD Matthew Bissaillon Matthew Morton & Helen SternheimMorton & Helen Award and/or teacher preparation) (educational outreach Kareta Theodore Alissa Roegge Bela Nelson Memorial Scholarship Cook Jr. LeRoy F. and activity in outreach (academic excellence or teaching) Rosales Daniel Sanchez Award Scholarship Hasbrouck excellence) academic (junior, Thomas Bogue (outstanding teaching assistant) Leila Farhadi Sara Feyzbakhsh Dario Rosenstock Quinton Teaching Assistant Award Quinton Teaching Back from left: Kieran Ramos, Matthew Bissaillon, Dario Rosenstock, Nathan Rose, Daniel Sanchez Rosales, Back from Front: Tara Dowd, Leila Farhadi, Sara Feyzbakhsh, Bela Nelson, Amy Ralston, Alissa Roegge, Allyson Bergeron Tara Front: 22 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST People people Rafael CoehloLopesdeSa scale currentlyaccessibleincolliderexperiments.Thisis breaking at the electroweak scale, the highest energy player inthemechanismofspontaneoussymmetry recently observedelementaryparticleandisthemain of physicsathighenergies.TheHiggsbosonisthemost the roleofHiggsbosoninstructurelaws detector attheLargeHadronCollider(LHC)tostudy broadly defined.Heusesthedatacollectedby ATLAS Rafael’s researchisinexperimentalhighenergyphysics, premier US national laboratory for High Energy Physics. was aLedermanFellowforfouryearsatFermilab,the research university. BeforecomingtoAmherst,Rafael State UniversityofNewYork, anotherlargepublic Brook University, theflagshipresearchcampusof the largestcityinBrazil.RafaelgothisPhDfromStony Lopes deSa,whojoinedthefacultyasanAssistant The PhysicsDepartmenttowelcomesRafaelCoelho discuss ideas withcolleagues,postdocs andstudents. ATLAS groupat UMassandtobeable to workand will bebuilt. Heisalsoveryhappyto bepartofthe Sciences Building,where partsofthisnewdetector time preparing his laboratory in the new Physical excited tobeatUMass and ishavinganenjoyable to thepointwherecollisions happen.Rafaelis heart oftheATLAS experiment,asclosepossible produced ineachcollision,asmalldetector the new detectortomeasurethedirectionsofparticles part ofalargecollaborationintheUSdeveloping a necessary tohandletheincreasingintensity. Rafaelis of particlecollisionseveryyearandnewdetectors are ATLAS experiment.TheLHCisincreasingthenumber Rafael alsodesignsandconstructsnewdetectorsfor the electroweak spontaneoussymmetrybreakingmechanism. new measurementsthatcanelucidatethedetailsof mass andexplainsthenuclearweakforce.Rafaeldesigns the mechanismthroughwhichelementaryparticlesget NEW FACES

institute locatedintheheartof Paulo (Brazil),asmallresearch of theStateUniversitySao Theoretical Physics Institute in theoreticalphysicsatthe Then, he did a Master’s Degree many similaritiestoUMass. public researchuniversitywith of RiodeJaneiro(Brazil),alarge in physicsattheStateUniversity undergraduate, Rafaelmajored Professor in Fall 2017. As an

degree in Physics and Verena receivedherbachelor's of theCMSCollaboration. previously beenamember ATLAS Collaboration,having She iscurrentlyamemberofthe focused ontheLargeHadronCollider(LHC)atCERN. Her researchisinexperimentalhighenergyphysics, department as an Assistant Professor in the fall of 2017. Verena I.MartinezOutschoornjoinedthephysics students inresearch. career opportunitiesinscience aswellmentoring outreach andparticularly enjoysexposingstudentsto Verena isalsopassionateaboutscienceeducationand improve theirdetectioncapabilitiesforthefuture. the triggerandreadoutmuondetectorsinorder to data. Asaresult,sheworksonnewelectronics to one ofthemostimportanttriggersusedtocollect interesting eventsinLHCcollisionsandaretherefore detectors. Muonsareverypowerfulsignatures of capabilities oftheATLAS detector, focusingonmuon partners. Inaddition,sheisworkingonimprovingthe is solight,suchasadditionalscalarparticlesortop particles that could explain why the Higgs boson of darkmatter. Sheisalsointerestedinseekingnew boson tolookfornewparticlesthatcouldbeindications physics attheLHC.SheiscurrentlyusingHiggs Her primaryphysicsinterestisthesearchfornew Physics attheUniversityofIllinoisfrom2014to2017. was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Lab from2011to2014,and Fellow atFermiNational was aLedermanPostdoctoral from HarvardUniversity. She her PhDinPhysics2011 Mathematics in2005and Assistant ProfessoratUMass. to beoneofmostenjoyableactivitieshisjobasan electrodynamics in the Spring of 2018 and finds teaching is looking forward to teaching an advanced course in learned techniquesinthermodynamicsandwaves.He laboratory courseforphysicsmajors,wherethey In the Fall of 2017, Rafael taught an introductory Verena MartinezOutschoorn

People DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 23 to welcomes Katie Bryant as

The Physics Department graduate student payroll. Over the years, with increasing computerization of campus business, Katie had found her contact with colleagues around campus diminished. She took the job in Physics, in part, because it is more people being more as well as oriented, our new Graduate Program Manager (GPM), as of Fall Graduate Program Manager (GPM), our new 2017. Katie comes to the Department from the far side of campus (Whitmore Administration Building), where she worked in Human Resources for 17 years. For the majority of this time she handled experiences. The students, staff and faculty are great experiences. The students, staff and There is always and always full of life and adventure. on and at the end of something new and exciting going that is exactly where I want to be.” the day, in Criminal Justice with degree Brittany has her bachelor’s of Hartford a minor in Sociology from the University graduate Schooland will soon continue her journey with of 2018 (while still in Forensic Psychology come Spring Hobbies working with us in the Physics Department!). breweries new discovering gardening, reading, include lives She Arizona. and Maine Canada, to traveling and Jayjay. in Connecticut with her energetic Pomeranian, Fundamental Interactions (ACFI), as well as other as other as well (ACFI), Interactions Fundamental Brittany in Hasbrouck, Based programs. departmental activities research centers’ many of these organizes and summer training conferences, such as workshops, grant proposals. programs, and education from us to came Brittany with a outside the University others lot of experience helping health in need, such as mental working on counseling and Currently, campaigns. political Nationalof the a member is she Leadership Honors Society of involved withand Success and is meetingskills, new learning enjoys She Angels. Soldiers’ learn to continuing importantly, most and people new to the University of from those experiences. Coming goal, being a place Massachusetts has been a long-term new professional full of culture, new experiences and her time here in learning opportunities. She describes one of my favorite the Physics Department as “by far Katie Bryant

2017...... can one find in er studies in France, and majored France, and majored studies in at École Normale in Physics and (ENS) in Lyon Supérieure school graduate attended then CEA Saclay in Paris and at Research (Saclay Nuclear got his PhD inCentre) where he postdoctoral 2013, followed by University the at appointment and of California, Berkeley Romain did his undergraduate undergraduate his did Romain What new states of quantum matt non-equilibrium systems? Are there new phases and dynamical phase phase Are there new phases and dynamical that go transitions far from thermal equilibrium physics? beyond the traditional dogma of statistical

Materials (MassCAM). Her responsibilities have Materials (MassCAM). Her responsibilities have recently expanded to include the Amherst Center for Brittany Bonenfant joined the Physics Department in Assistant, initially 2017, as an Administrative May, working with the Massachusetts Center for Autonomous Brittany Bonefant NEW STAFF show exotic fractionalized excitations, and in topological phase transitions that go beyond the standard picture of symmetry breaking. associated with zero-temperature systems, can occur in Romain matter. interacting strongly and “hot” arbitrarily is also interested in topological phases of matter that body localized” systems raise the intriguing possibility intriguing the raise systems localized” body that quantum coherent phenomena such as quantum typically and topological order or quantum criticality, break down as a result of the localization of excitations localization the a result of down as break among distant that would ordinarily transport energy Such “many- regions to establish thermal equilibrium. He has worked extensively on isolated strongly disorderedHe has worked extensively on isolated can systems for which the laws of thermodynamics in thermal equilibrium and in non-equilibrium quantum quantum non-equilibrium in and equilibrium thermal in research addresses questions such as systems. Romain’s the following: strongly correlated quantum systems, with a focus with a focus strongly correlated quantum systems, and quantum on the interplay of strong interactions bothphenomena entanglement, leading to new emergent Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Lawrence Berkeley working on Romain is a condensed matter theorist The Physics Department welcomes Romain Vasseur, who Vasseur, Romain welcomes Department The Physics Fall, Professor in faculty as an Assistant joined the Romain Vasseur Romain • • 24 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST People David Nguyen September 2017asaTechnical Specialistsupervising David NguyenjoinedthePhysicsDepartmentin part-time resourcewhileshelearnstheropes. job, andalsoverygratefultohaveJaneavailableasa So far, Katierelatesthatsheisverypleasedwithhernew bowling atlanesdowninChicopee. relatively shortcommute.Theyenjoyregularleague is happilyfarremovedfromcampuswhilestillbeinga together withtheirEnglishBulldog,inMontague,which Casey (23),bothofwhomliveinthearea.Theylive, Parking Services, have two daughters, Jamie (21) and Katie andherhusbandMichael,whoworksatUMass renting anapartmentandsettinguphousekeeping. would supplyadvicetonewforeignstudentsabout them duringtheiryearsatUMass.Forexample,Jane students dealwithawidearrayofissuesthatconfront recently retiredGPM,cantestify, thejobinvolveshelping and livesofPhysicsgraduatestudents.AsJaneKnapp, As GPM, she will also be involved with the careers of theprocess. payroll requests,ratherthanseeingonlytheendpoint varied andchallenging.Sheisnowtheoneinitiating native, andcurrently residesinAmherst. himself aboardgameenthusiast. HeisaMassachusetts here atUMass,enjoysmusic andfilms,considers David wasonceamember ofthemarchingband positive experienceforstudents inthesecourses. the Physics Department, providing an educationally helping to further improve instructional labs for His interestslieinscienceeducation,withgoalsof textbook forthePhysics131coursethispastsummer. courses, andhasaidedinthecreationofacustom as ateachingassistantforthePhysics131and132 to hisworkontheundergraduatelabs,hehasserved toward amaster'sdegreeinEducation.Inaddition now continuinghiseducationatUMass,working at UMass,inphysics,andis David wasanundergraduate the labcourses. and creationofmaterialsfor well asassistanceinthedesign of the undergraduatelabs, as the setupandtroubleshooting infrastructure. Heistaskedwith the undergraduatelaboratory Patty Ryan getting tointeractwithstudentsonaregularbasis. productive working environment, and particularly enjoys finds the department to have a pleasant, comfortable and helping studentsgetregisteredforoverfilledclasses.She – gettingcoursessetupandscheduledeachsemester; focus ontasksassociatedwithourundergraduatecourses Department. After a major reorganization in History, years as the Graduate Program Coordinator in the History Patty hasworkedatUMassfor22years,including16 Undergraduate ProgramCoordinatorinSummer2017. The PhysicsDepartmentwelcomed PattyRyan asitsnew about involving girlsinscience. complement of teachingmaterialsand directing information 2. Breaking Through: It’s Women’s Work. Offered is afull Your Career andPersonalBrandthrough SocialMedia and The 2018eventovertwodays centered on1.Advancing of theengineeringapplication ofemergingtechnologies. sharing importantcareer adviceandinformingscientists was broadcast. TheGlobalMarathon,afree, onlineseries message from CanadianPrimeMinisterJustinTrudeau www.discovere.org/] interactiveandarchived. Aspecial Inspiring Women inEngineering&Technology.[ http:// An interesting event is the electronic Global Marathon: policy/> com/2018/03/06/gender-equality-epws-european-research- table” component.FullarticleNew York. After college, she lived in New York City and San York After college, she lived in New Jane grew up in western Massachusetts and upstate New York. Jillian who lives in Richmond, She has two daughters, Diego, before returning to this area to be near her family. who lives in Northfield, MA. She is looking forward to the birth of her first grandchild in winter, and Elizabeth VT, Jane was a central figure in the Physics Department staff. Our former and current Department Business Managers Department staff. Our former and current Department Business Jane was a central figure in the Physics retirement. in honor of Jane’s had these comments to pass along different Chairs of Graduate Admissions and Qualifying Exam Committees, TA Supervisors and Graduate Program Supervisors and Qualifying Exam Committees, TA different Chairs of Graduate Admissions comprehensive knowledge of the graduate jobs were made greatly facilitated by Jane’s Directors. All these people’s program and her institutional memory. Graduate School rules changed continually over the years might not have been her favorite thing. Graduate School rules changed continually many with closely worked Through the years she Jane. for a plus also was members know faculty to Getting progress through the graduate program, answering questions, and finding solutions to the truly wide variety of to the truly solutions and finding questions, the graduate program, answering through progress Jane topic. any on resource sympathetic and helpful sensible, a was She arise. might that situations and problems fact that she would still be fielding questions she never encountered before. The loved that, even after two decades, as welcoming new grad students from abroad and making sure they understood how to sure they understood how to grad students from abroad and making as welcoming new and rent apartments. open up bank accounts know our graduate students, helping them with theirJane particularly enjoyed getting to of formal tasks to attend to, e.g., interfacing with the Graduate School and faculty the Graduate School and faculty attend to, e.g., interfacing with of formal tasks to on time, and organizing records graduate students would get paid supervisors, so that out many less formal roles, such admissions process. She also carried for the yearly grad years, taking on a newly established position that gathered together in one office all the together in one office all the newly established position that gathered years, taking on a the graduate program, which had tasks and resources for information, administrative Jane had a large number among a number of faculty members. previously been split to her for some time. to her for in the Department for nearly 20 out to be the case, and Jane stayed This indeed turned Manager, retire in Fall, 2017. Jane started at UMass back in 1994, working at a number of jobs around campus, of jobs around at a number back in 1994, working started at UMass 2017. Jane retire in Fall, Manager, Office and Personnel Ann Cairl, how her friend Jane recounts the Physics Department. landing in before finally as a friendly workplace up the Physics had been talking in the Department, Manager Physics grad students and faculty were sad to see Jane Knapp, the Department’s longtime Graduate Program Graduate Program longtime the Department’s to see Jane Knapp, faculty were sad students and Physics grad GRADUATE PROGRAM MANAGER JANE KNAPP RETIRES KNAPP JANE MANAGER PROGRAM GRADUATE 26 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST People IN MEMORIAM and competence,butalso his friendlinessandgenerousspirit. Dec. 5,2017,tohonorJoe's memory, wherehiscolleaguesspokenotonlyof professionaldedication enjoyed bikingandinsisted oncontinuingtoliveanactive,richlife.TheDepartment heldaget-together Although hedealtwithaterminalillnessfornearly tenyears,henevercomplained.Hewasanavidskier, Joe's family and friends have described him as being vibrant, strong, physically fit, and positive inattitude. daily lifeinabusyItalianpiazza. sitting atthewindowoftheir"roomwithaview"in Verona, gazingdownattheconstantebbandflowof through Alpine meadowsoutsideMerano, watching thesunset over the Adriaticfrom a jettyinPesaro,and Joe andBrucefrequentlytraveledtoItaly. Amongthehighlightsofthosetripswereridingbikesalongapath the University. Inaddition,JoeenjoyedtakingclassesattheCulinaryArtsInstitute inNewYork City. Education andbecamealicensedmassagetherapist in1999,workingwithvariousmen'ssportsteamsat Institute and studying Russian. He also attended night classes at local Stillpoint School of Advanced Massage in 1990, spending a month in theformerSovietUnion helping to modernize computersystemswithin the Outside oftheDepartment,JoeparticipatedinanexchangeprogramwithLeningradPolytechnicInstitute and holidays.Joewascarefultoalwaysremainincontact,evenwhenheonvacation. constant contactwithnumerousDepartmentfaculty, staff,orresearchpersonnel,sometimesonweekends research forthepurchasingofnetworkingequipment.Thisrequiredhimbeingincloseandsometimes network management,backupofcriticalsystems,monitoringnetworksforoutsideintrusions,and maintenance ofthecomputationalclusters,configuringswitchesconnectedwithbothwiredandwireless matter physicsandexperimentalhighenergyparticlephysics.Amongotherthings,Joewasresponsible for processing units used by groups in theoretical condensed include WiFi andnetworksofdedicatedclusterscentral being primarilytheuseofisolatedpersonalcomputersto his tenureintheDepartment,computingchangedfrom applications forvariouscomputingplatforms.During included hardware, software and network devices, and programs oftheDepartment.Hisareasresponsibility environment for the teaching, research and administrative and enhancingthecomputing,network,electronics a SystemsManager, hewasresponsibleforsupporting In 1997,JoejoinedthePhysicsDepartment,whereas of InformationTechnology. University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1988, in the Office Technical CommunityCollege.Joebeganworkingatthe and earningadegreeindataprocessingfromSpringfield and taughtmusicinthePrettyPrairie,Kansas,publicschoolsforoneyearbeforereturningtoMassachusetts Massachusetts. He graduated from Kansas State University in 1978 with a BS degree in music education Joe wasbornJuly19,1955,inWarren, Ohio,andmovedwithhisfamilyatayoungagetoWestfield, Joe whenhepassedaway. by multiplemyeloma,aplasmabloodcancer. BruceCarson,hisspouseandpartnerof34years,waswith died onNovember17,2017,attheMassachusettsGeneralHospitalinBostonfromcomplicationscaused Joseph Haines Babcock, the computer systems analyst for the Physics Department for the past 20 years, People DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 27

(1930-2017) passed away in May 2017 at the Cooley Dickinson Hospital Hospital Cooley Dickinson at the 2017 in May passed away (1930-2017) Doll Research. His major experimental tool at that time was neutron scattering, carried out at Doll Research. His major experimental controversy on the nature His papers generated considerable Brookhaven National Laboratory. was some consensus settled, there when the dust magnets; of the magnetic transition in random point of view was essentially correct. that Po-zen’s of properties transport and the structure to naturally turned interests his at Schlumberger, While Po-zen time. of a considerable length him for stayed with interest and this rocks, sedimentary properties of these complex natural materials to basic was one of the pioneers in relating the fractals, and nonequilibrium growth models. Writing statistical physics issues like percolation, on the physics of rocks, he summed up his attitude to the in a review article in Physics Today After completing his early training in Hong Kong, Po-zen moved to the United States for a States for United the to moved Po-zen Hong Kong, in early training his completing After Chicago. His PhD research was on disordered magnetic graduate degree at the University of on when he moved to his first job at Schlumberger- systems, a topic that he continued working Phillips Russell Jones Russell Phillips “Sedimentary rock makes up much of the Earth's surface and contains two of the most vital fluids for “Sedimentary rock makes up much of the Earth's surface and contains two , 1952-2017, retired professor of Physics, died unexpectedly at his home in Amherst on October 16, 2017. died unexpectedly at his home in Amherst on October 16, 2017. , 1952-2017, retired professor of Physics,

as well. His death came in the midst of good health and robust activity. He leaves his wife Chiu-wun and his daughters as well. His death came in the midst of good health and robust activity. Stephanie and Joyce. They have our deepest condolences. but often wound their way around to larger life issues.” and absorbed in his new interest in 2007. He then spent an active life traveling Po-zen retired early from his physics career, up writing academic articles in art journals - traditional Chinese art. It was a matter of great pride to him that he ended Po-zen was a dedicated but challenging teacher, who demanded much of his students and made a strong impression on who demanded much of his students and Po-zen was a dedicated but challenging teacher, with students typically started with physics them. Don Candela, in the adjoining office, recalls that “His conversations tools appropriate to a university lab. His interests in the emerging field of soft-condensed matter physics also broadened, tools appropriate to a university lab. His interests in the emerging field on influence an important formation. He had and in pattern electrochemistry, problems in working on new as he started concentration in soft matter physics. the future research profile of the department, in nucleating our now-well-established in such a ‘dirty’ and uncontrolled system. With further thought, however, we should realize that these are but the usual further thought, however, in such a ‘dirty’ and uncontrolled system. With new.” mental barriers that we have to overcome every time we study something ‘rock physics’ continued, but he developed new When Po-zen moved to an academic life at UMass in 1988, his interests in our lives—water and hydrocarbons. Yet physicists have paid little attention to rock, mainly because we are discouraged physicists have paid little attention to rock, our lives—water and hydrocarbons. Yet rock, piece of with a but when faced models, with idealized in working well trained are We apparent complexity. by its it is even possible to find interesting physics not only do we not know where to begin, but we also may question whether subject beautifully: tenacity, and loved demolishing the position of conventional wisdom. and loved demolishing the position of conventional tenacity, Po-zen Wong departments across the country knew Po-zen as a uniquely talented experimentalistColleagues at UMass and at other Physics with great and life. He relished a good argument, would pursue a scientific debate with an original take on both physics Predeceased by his beloved wife Ereda Jones. He and she travelled extensively and enjoyed camping, hiking and ballroom dancing. extensively and enjoyed camping, wife Ereda Jones. He and she travelled Predeceased by his beloved was held in June 2017 at the Lord Jeffrey Inn. friends and many Physics colleagues A Memorial Luncheon attended by family, his a full life and adapted gracefully to struggles in his later years, he led Despite many medical Sharon, son, Kevin and their families. He is survived by daughters, Linda and physical limitations. was respected as a researcher, teacher and a steady, dedicated departmental citizen. In many dedicated departmental a steady, teacher and researcher, was respected as a on of things to come. His work in the Physics Department was a harbinger ways, his presence basement of the original Hasbrouck in Atomic Physics, conducted in the electron scattering in the department. modern research programs was one of the first NSF-funded Laboratory, Professor in 1958 before the department Physics Department as an Assistant He joined the UMass He his retirement as Professor in 1993. and continued at UMass until offered a PhD Program He then served in the US Army as an Instructor in the Radiological Defense Branch Branch Defense Radiological the in Instructor an as Army US the in served then He 1954 and from 1952 to in Alabama at Fort McClellan Core School of the Chemical in 1958. of Connecticut from the University degrees in physics and PhD earned Masters Emeritus Professor Professor Emeritus Phil Reed Jones, Helen and Paul Jones John of Rev. son York, New in Troy, in 1930, Born in Northampton. UMass in 1951. a BS in Physics from and received MA in 1947 Academy in Ashfield from Sanderson graduated 28 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST People Among the“NotableWomen,” Young appearsontheFiveofDiamondsandisalso daughter pairinthedeck. project, saysthattothebestofherknowledge,RubinandYoung are theonlymother- Bunny Laden,founder and president “Notable Women” of the California-based card planetary science,astronomy andinsciencecommunication. women inseveralbranchesofphysics,mathematics,electricalandcomputerengineering, The project isintendedtodrawattentiontheaccomplishmentsandcontributionsof her mother, Vera recognized Rubin,alsoaninternationally astronomer. honors 54“NotableWomen inthePhysicalSciences,”includinglateUMassAmherst A projectwomeninsciencewaslaunchedonlinefeaturinganewdeckofplayingcards celebratinginternational that ‘Notable Women’ PlayingCards HonorLateAstronomers JudithYoung andherMotherVera Rubin but mirror. She a variety of topics. She is an amateur astronomer to grind atelescope who obtained a Messier certificate and learned psychology ofmusic,laterworkedatAppleasatechnicalwriter, authoringthousandsofpagesdocumentationon Laden, aformerresearch assistantprofessor attheUniversityofWashington, where she taughtmusiccognitionand at thePalomarObservatory. ShediedinDecember 2018atage88. work ongalaxyrotation rates, darkmatter, theRubin-Ford effect andforbeingoneofthefirstwomentouseinstruments the NationalMedalofScienceandGoldRoyalAstronomical Society. Shewasknownforpioneering Her mother, astronomer Vera Rubin,appears inthedeckonAceofHeartscard, andisnotedashavingbeenawarded recognized thisworkbyawarding hertheAnnieJ.CannonPrizeforpromising research byayoungwomanastronomer. They discovered thedistributionofgasandlightisproportional ingalaxies.In1982,theAmericanAstronomical Society where shecollaborated withNick Z.Scoville onastudy measuring carbon monoxide andthecold gascontent ofgalaxies. Young hadcometocampusin1979asapostdoctoralresearch associateattheFiveCollegeRadio Astronomy Observatory, in 2014atage61. gatherings at thesite. Astronomy department head Stephen Schneider and others have continued them since her death in 1997nearMcGuirkAlumniStadiumandformore than15yearsledseasonalsunriseandsunset sun duringsolsticesandequinoxes.Shebeganbuildingtheastronomical calendar Young created thecircle ofstandingstonesthatalignwiththerisingandsetting UMass AmherstSunwheel. that sheisknownforpioneeringgalacticstructure research andforcreating the outstanding achievementbyawomanphysicistintheearlyyearsofhercareer, and many accomplishments, she won the Maria Goeppart-Meyer Award, whichrecognizes featured inablogpostbytheproject founderLaden.Young’s card notesthatamong card decksare available fora$12donationatthe https://www.edcardproject.org/the-cards.html recalls attending a STARMUS “Life in the Universe” festival in 2016,saying she “couldn’t help notice the high male-to-female ratio of speakers.” And, “I wasn't the only one who noticed,” she adds,areporter fortheU.K.Guardian newspaperaskedorganizersabouttheimbalance, who saiditwasnottheirproblem. Laden notes,“Thatgotmetothinkingaboutthepoolof femalephysicalscientistsavailable to talk about astronomy, physics, cosmology, planetary science and related fields. Inspired by “TheNotableWomen inTech” cards aboutwomen– present project, Idecidedtolearn to writescientifically requires topicflexibility andperhapsabitof awildattitude.”The and past–whohaveare makingcontributionstothephysicalsciences,makeplaying cards to highlight their achievements, and give the decks to schools and other groups where theycouldinspire girlstopursuethesciences.” She adds,“Thephysical sciences are justthe start.ThepurposeoftheEducational Card Project istomakeanddistributecards thathighlightthe achievementsofany underrepresented group inanyscience,technology, engineering,artsormathematics field.” on thetwoJokercards. Shesays,“Jokers are wildandflexiblecards. Theability Among the 54 women scientists included in her first deck, Laden put science writers Among the54womenscientists includedinherfirstdeck,Ladenputsciencewriters astronomer Judith Young and People DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 29 Byron arrived from Berkeley to start work in theoretical atomic physics, much to the surprise of several of the faculty who felt that Fred would change his mind during 1965-66, after accepting our offer a year earlier. “Due primarily to the efforts of Roy Cook and Mort Sternheim, appointments in 1967 solidified our theoretical program in elementary particle and of John Brehm from the additions physics with nuclear Illinois to build a laboratory to study semiconductors. Illinois to build a laboratory to study made was programs and people new 7 of addition This to assign new possible by Hunsberger's willingness based on thefaculty positions to individual departments regardless of discipline, and to the candidate, quality of We new laboratories. provide financial support to start good made and established had we because succeeded class programs at use of an effective network to first Brookhaven. and Princeton Illinois, Berkeley, MIT, Yale, with a variety of new“In 1966 we continued our growth solid state theory appointments -- Stan Engelsberg in from experiment atomic in Krotkov Bob Princeton, from to join Norman Ford Ken Langley from Berkeley, Yale, Quinton Arthur and phenomena, critical studying in to organize our program in experimental from Yale nuclear physics. And in a move which had a profound and lasting effect, we appointed Bill Irvine from Harvard in astronomy and astrophysics. Hisprogram our start to Harrison from England effort led to the addition to Ted in College Amherst from Amy Tom and cosmology in also in 1966, as well as a shift observational astronomy, in the center of the 4-college (later 5-college) astronomy Fred program from Amherst College to UMass. Finally, All this, of course, was to be supplemented by a spectrum to be supplemented was of course, All this, programs. research of theoretical the of use good make to wanted we course, “Of and Ed at UMass. Phil Jones talent already significant physics programs in atomic had research Soltysik already level. supported at a modest then federally which were recruiting toward building therefore focused our We facility for bubble chamber a scanning and measuring an experimental elementary photographs to support by program. The group was co-led particle physics to UMass in 1965 from who came Steve Yamamoto, Berkeley from came who Shafer, Janice and Brookhaven, substantial research experience. in 1966, each with included Dick Kofler who came The new group also came from and Stan Hertzbach who from Wisconsin to addition, In PhDs. fresh as 1965 in Hopkins, Johns in 1965 Mort build our efforts in theoretical physics, and Roy Cook was Sternheim was recruited from Yale 1965, Norman in recruited from Princeton. Finally, laboratory to study Ford came from MIT to build a came from critical phenomena, and Claude Penchina in elementary particle physics and nuclear physics, and individual laboratories in solid state and atomic physics. make the greatest sense for UMass. With advice from UMass. With sense for make the greatest and elsewhere, we decided to build an colleagues at Yale experimental research base in the form of user groups prospect of working with Hunsberger's support to build abuild to support Hunsberger's with working of prospect quality graduate program was too exciting to turn down. So, I set about trying to construct a plan which would appointments as the essential element of a doctoral appointments as the essential element of a doctoral program to be developed. Although I was not attracted by the opportunity to do administrative work, the “I was recruited from Yale by Hunsberger, whose whose by Hunsberger, “I was recruited from Yale overriding philosophy was to support quality demand for excellence in all new appointments, the demand for excellence in all new appointments, the to assess this excellence ability of Hunsberger and Tippo in individual cases, and to support it with resources. Hunsberger, the Dean of Arts and Sciences, and then by Hunsberger, who came as Provost in 1964. Overall Oswald Tippo, success during this period was made possible by the 1964, and each year saw an increment of 1500 students 1964, and each year saw an increment The College!’). Amherst than (‘larger faculty 100 and 1961 by I. Moyer growth was overseen starting in “Starting in the early sixties, UMass underwent a period“Starting in the early sixties, UMass was 9000 inof enormous rate of growth. The enrollment I cannot promise total accuracy of recall. Nevertheless, recall. accuracy of total promise cannot I advance in forgiveness ask and can, I best the do will I for oversights and incorrect recollections. “I have been asked for my recollections of the start of “I have been asked for my recollections and Astronomy at the modern Department of Physics years ago, in 1964, UMass. Since this period began 33 expansion, the department split into separate Physics expansion, the department split into year 2000. and Astronomy departments in the of lymphoma at his home in Baltimore. His son Steven son His Baltimore. home in his of lymphoma at Physics at UMass M. Gluckstern endowed a chair in to the huge department Due in honor of his father. his retirement, he was asked to write a brief history was asked to write a brief history his retirement, he of the UMass physics department, of the development in 2008 Robert Gluckstern died which appears below. In 1982 Gluckstern gave up his administrative post gave up his administrative post In 1982 Gluckstern Park College the at research and teaching to return to of time the At 1997. in retirement his until campus for academic affairs and provost. He left UMass in 1975for academic affairs of the University of Maryland. to become chancellor of the UMass Department of Physics and Astronomy of Physics and Department of the UMass He served vastly expand the faculty. and proceeded to when he became vice chancellor in this role until 1970 presence of Philip Bevier Hasbrouck, the "modern" era the "modern" of Philip Bevier Hasbrouck, presence an Robert L. Gluckstern, 1964 when Professor began in head named was University, Yale at physicist accelerator PHYSICS DEPARTMENT FLASHBACK DEPARTMENT PHYSICS dates UMass at of physics teaching the Although the and century twentieth the of part earliest the from 30 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST People important contributions toourpushtoward excellence. Shin Lin, Marshall Thiebault, and Ik-Ju Kang all made Al Mathieson,BenCrooker, PhilRosen,BillFoland, Trimmer, PhilJones,Ed Soltysik, BobGray, BillRoss, other placesexperienced. Infact,peoplelikeJohn thrust andavoidedmuch ofthe‘twotier’hostility conscious ofincludingthe‘old-timers’inourchanging supported at about $1 million per year. We were always administration therewere about45facultyfederally 1964-65 yearandbythetimeIdepartedforcentral The PhDprogramwasquicklyapprovedduring the profound impactuponthedepartmentanditsthrust. $30,000 peryear, theadditionslistedabovehada was 11facultywithfederalsupporttotalingabout “Considering thatourbasepriortomycomingin1964 and waseventually‘stolen’byPrinceton. awarded theNobelPrizein1993forhisworkatUMass astronomy program.AsyouknowbetterthanI,hewas Finally, BillIrvinerecruitedJoeTaylor toourradio subsequently becameinterestedinpedagogicalissues. from ArgonneandKlausSchultzColumbiawho nuclear theoristandpublicpolicyexpertDavidInglis to work in solidstate theory. We also addedsenior to workinnucleartheoryandBobGuyerfromDuke work in atomicexperiment, Bill Gerace from Princeton particle experiments,FrancisPichanickfromYale to saw theappointmentsofDieterFreytaginelementary “My final yearinvolved in recruitingwas1969 which from Michigantoworkinastrophysics. astronomy. The final appointment in 1968 was Bill Dent Harvard tostartourverysuccessfulprograminradio addition, BillIrvinerecruitedRichardHugueninfrom Hoffman camefromBrowninsolidstatetheory. In to doworkintheoreticalnuclearphysicsandAllan MIT's BatesLaboratory).JimWalker camefromM.I.T. physics (toworkasauseratYale's facilitiesaswell of Gerry Peterson from Yale in experimental nuclear “Our growthcontinuedin1968withtheaddition accident, 7-8yearsaftercomingtoUMass. years later and Mark Goldenberg died in an unfortunate group. BillactuallylefttogoPittsburghacoupleof also addedBillClelandtothehighenergyexperimental and equipmentininfra-redastronomytoUMass.We Plummer, fromJohnsHopkinstomovetheirprogram the seniorphysicistJohnStrongandhiscolleague,Bill strengthen astronomy and astrophysics by acquiring work inatomic/solarphysics.BillIrvinecontinuedto Mark GoldenbergfromPrincetontodoexperimental Washington UniversityatSt.Louis.We alsoadded Arthur SwiftfromWisconsin, andBillMullinfrom Northwestern, GeneGolowichfromCarnegie-Mellon, alumni news mester atUMassaskingifIwasinterestedinquantum Willocq’s groupacoupleofweeksbeforemylastse a dearfriendandlabmatefromProfessorStephane Engineer. However, whenIfirstreceivedatextfrom prise tofindmyselfpursuingthecareerofaQuantum classes at UMass; thus, retrospectively, it is no sur Professor Mark Tuominen were two of my favorite with ProfessorDonaldCandelaandElectronics Genya Crossman computing was, I am designing qubits. One mere year after first researching what quantum more andultimatelytransitioned tothedesignteam. began tolearnaboutthedesigns, Ionlywantedtolearn procedures as well as how the chip was designed. AsI data requiresanunderstanding ofboththefabrication Professor Willocq’s guidance.Understandingthedevice ter spendingtwoyearsanalyzingsimulation results under sis ofourdevices,whichfeltlikeasmoothtransition af production, I also facilitated data acquisition and analy superconducting quantumdevices.Whileassistingwith semi-conductor fabricationprocessescanbeused for quickly broughtuptospeedonhowcommonplace I’d neversteppedintoacleanroombefore,butwas tum chipfoundrywasexhilarating,tosaytheleast. in andhelpbringuptheworld’s firstdedicatedquan member ofthefabricationteam.Gearinguptotrain Berkeley, California.Atthestart,Iwastrainedasa Computing, aquantumcomputingstartupbasedin osity. After graduating in Winter 2017, I joined Rigetti topic, butnotsolelyforthepurposeoffeedingmycuri One year later, I am still readingall I can find onthe versal, gate-basedquantumcomputer. may beaviableoptionforbuildingscalable,uni how microwavedeliverytosuperconductingqubits months learning all I could about the field, particularly technology hadnotyetbeenbuilt,Ispentthenextfew Knowing nothing about the topic other than that the would be the startof this scientist’s great exploration? much aboutit.”Whoknewasimpletextfromfriend computing, I responded, “I’m not sure, I don’t know were backinNewHaven).We ranatightship!” yes didsheadmitthatdidn'tlikeit(allherfriends whether he had accepted the position. Only after he said whether she liked it in Amherst. She in turn asked him Mort turnedtomy10yearolddaughterB.J.andasked Mort aroundinFall1964toseepotentialhousing, for 1965wasMortSternheim.AsmyfamilyandIdrove “Finally -- an earlyrecruitingvignette.Ourfirstrecruit

(BS'17)writes:QuantumMechanics ...... ------

Alumni News DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 31 ------(PhD '04) writes: I remember my time at time at my I remember '04) writes: (PhD I am married to Manal Mansour and we have three beau three have we and Mansour Manal to married am I school, high in senior a Miriam, together: children tiful and the twins Mourad and Maya in junior high school. watching we enjoy going on trips together, As a family, Every theater. the and games, video playing movies, year we spend most of the summer in our native Egypt, staying deeply in touch with our heritage and culture. tational physics, tational physics, super theory and of string the context usually within e-book an co-authored and edited also have I gravity. to the theoryanthology of articles on various approaches I have taken career, of everything. Over the course of my students particular interest in involving undergraduate this purpose I have in theoretical physics research. For designed to teach developed a curriculum specifically research in students the material needed for advanced resulted in several as short a time as possible. This has and peer graduation theses, conference presentations, working on a new reviewed papers. I am currently undergradu book based on my experience supervising ate research. with re I have begun a collaboration Most recently, searchers of the Center for Fundamental Physics at newest Egypt’s Zewail City of Science and Technology, I and most advanced STEM oriented research university. presenting seminars typically visit them over the summer, and leading advanced workshops for high-energy physics PhD students. I am hoping to continue developing this relationship in the future. Moataz Emam Emam Moataz those During of my life. best years as the Amherst UMass from with and learn to work the opportunity years I had hope to be I could ever the greatest professors some of advisor), Kastor (my thesis with; Drs. David associated Donoghue, John and Holstein, Barry Golowich, Eugene I accepted visiting graduation, After a few. only to name University Clark and College Holyoke Mt. at positions the at position tenured a down in settling finally before where Cortland, at College York New of University State I am currently As Professor sociate and Chair of the Physics Depart ment. I Over the years, have continued on with research my sym on focus a metries in higher dimensional gravi - - - - -

. a physics teacher a physics teacher and a teacher- with Along coach. roles, other many he has served on the MCAS (Mas sachusetts Com Assessmentmittee student Systems, He taught 12 He taught 12 years in Spring field at Central High School as [email protected] (BS ’97, MEd ’01) lives one mile north of (BS ’97, MEd ’01)

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU HEAR FROM WE WANT TO

We welcome all feedback and look forward to welcome all feedback and look forward We can be Our editors hearing about your adventures. at reached often sights physics professors among the wildlife in his many walks around the pond. High School—teaching robotics, forensics, Earth science, not is he When physics. of levels several joyfully, and, grading or jumping on the trampoline with his kids, he Physics Committee and just had a recent UMass phys LeDoux ’14) as one of his student ics graduate (Tom teachers. Abe is now in his 6th year at Easthampton test required for grade advancement and graduation) as a materials, friction, and gravity experimentalist ski as a materials, friction, and gravity Park CO. He then attended the instructor in Winter Program. UMass 180 Days in Springfield MEd ing high school science in Easthampton MA. He lives ing high school science in Easthampton Alessandro (9) and with his wife, Laila, and 2 boys: he spent 3 years Luca (6). Upon graduating in 1997, Abe Phelps teach currently is and Pond Puffer’s to adjacent campus part of the driving force behind quantum computing. part of the driving pushed further than ever before at a rate much faster ever before at a rate much faster pushed further than exciting era are in an incredibly We than ever before. be of physics, and I am thrilled to for many disciplines quantum machine learning, none of which I’ve formally none of which I’ve machine learning, quantum and find myself encountering more studied before but of physics is being My understanding more frequently. circuits, then seeing the results of my work fabricated of my work then seeing the results circuits, topics over lunch cover Conversations and measured. and systems, cryogenic engineering, microwave like I hear many people note that what they learned in school in they learned that what note many people I hear my to spend fortunate I am their jobs. to is irrelevant into them translating Hamiltonians, analyzing days

32 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Alumni News Don Candela,PaulSiva(‘00), JohnDonoghue(‘76G) also informthe departmentbyusingthe newsletter address Alumnus oralumna, pleaseofficiallyupdate addresses via Sternheim, StevenMahala(‘15),JohnDonoghue(‘76G) Sternheim, Margaret McCarthy(’77G)talkingtoapartiallyhiddenHelen Zamites(‘15),MichaelBuckley In front: William Autonomous Materials(MassCAM) Jenny RosstalksaboutMassachusettsCenterfor Jenny RossonMassCamandMortSternheimSTEMED.Agoodtimewashadbyall. of bothcurrentstateandfutureprospectstheDepartment,afterwhichtherewerebrieftalksbyfacultymembers who participatedinapostersessionontheirresearch.DepartmentHead,RoryMiskimen,offeredbriefoverview Alumni weekendfestivities.Theeventwaswellattendedbyalumni,facultyandcurrentPhysicsundergraduates, The UMassPhysicsDepartmenthosteditsAlumniReuniononJune3,2017,aspartoftheannualUniversity

2017 PHYSICS ALUMNI REUNION http://www.umass.edu/umassmag/contact/address.html [email protected]. Racquel Kirpan,LaceStokes, Jason Stevens('92) Nelson (‘18) Adrian Parsegian,BennyDavidovitch,JonahChaban(‘18),Bela Rory Miskimenandtheattendees.

, and New Alumni DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 33

Daniel Todd, Craig Methot, Jordan Kornfeld, Russell Phelan Craig Methot, Jordan Daniel Todd, UNDERGRADUATE COMMENCEMENT 2017 COMMENCEMENT UNDERGRADUATE Back row from left: Anubhab Haldar, Trey Nasser, Teddy Kareta, Christopher Brissette, Mark Lewis, Christopher Kareta, Teddy Nasser, Trey left: Anubhab Haldar, from Back row

Front row from left: David Nguyen, Jonathan Bond, Sean Bradley, Trevor DeMille, Samantha Cabral, Trevor left: David Nguyen, Jonathan Bond, Sean Bradley, from row Front Alissa Roegge, Ryan Boyden, Edward Gelberg, Saba Karimeddiny, Kaylee Spitaels, James Smith, Daniel Sanchez Rosales Kaylee Spitaels, James Smith, Daniel Sanchez Alissa Roegge, Ryan Saba Karimeddiny, Gelberg, Edward Boyden, 34 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST New Alumni

Degrees awarded sincetheSpring 2017Newsletter DaleAbbott MS Degrees We are delightedtoreport arecord theirbachelor’s numberofstudentsearned degree inphysicslastyear! Jonathan Bond BS andBADegrees Connor Fay Aaron Dunbrack* Trevor Demille Chasya Church Samantha Cabral Antoinette Butler Christopher Brissette Sean Bradley Boyden Ryan Proportional SimulationUsingGEANT4andConstructionofMulti-Wire Chambers Miskimen Jordan Jefferson Kornfeld NationalLaboratoryChargedPionPolarizabilityExperiment: MonteCarlo Saba Karimeddiny AcceleratorFacility:DevelopingNuclearInstrumentationandSimulation Miskimen TheChargedPionPolarizabilityExperimentattheThomasJefferson National Robert Johnston Xenon Observatory Pocar CharacterizationofSiliconPhotomultipliersforuseintheNextEnriched Edward Gelberg ColliderPhenomenologyoftheHiggsTriplet Model Ramsey-Musolf Aaron Dunbrack Deformation”, A. Dinsmore (R&DScientistat BlockEngineering,Inc.Southborough, MA) Derek Wood, “AssemblyofParticlesOnto RigidCylindersandFlexibleMembranes: Probing Effects ofSurfaceCurvature and Engineering) Nanocomposites", DimitriosMaroudas (ChemEng),Ashwin Ramasubramaniam, MIE(PostDoc,UmassAmherst,DeptofChemical Thennakoon AsankaWeerasinghe, "ComputationalModeling ofDefect-Engineered Graphene DerivativesandGraphene-Polymer Middletown, CT) Lee Walsh, GranularSquares "Vibrated asEquilibriumandActiveMatter",N.Menon(PhysicsPostDoc,Wesleyan University, Wei Hong,“InterfaceDriven DynamicsandAssembly”,A.Dinsmore (Software Enginbeer, Facebook,MenloPark,CA) Baltimore County, MD) Cody Goolsby-Cole,"Production ofCosmologicalObservablesDuringtheInflationaryEpoch", L.Sorbo(Lecturer, UniversityofMaryland LHC", C.Dallapiccola,(DataScientist,BLKBOX,NY, NY) Nathan Bernard,"Search forlong-lived,massiveparticlesdecayingintodimuonverticesinpp collisionswiththeATLAS detectoratthe PhD Degrees ThesisTitle Advisor BS Degrees here atUMass.Forinformation,seehttps://www.cns.umass.edu/icons-program/ Project. Thenineabovewere completedsincetheSpring 2017newsletter. “iCons”meansthatthestudent ispartoftheiConsprogram The AmericanPhysicalSocietyencouragesundergraduateresearch. Manyundergradresearch projects culminateinaseniorCapstone

The Ising model with a random, time-varying, external field Machta field The Isingmodelwitharandom,time-varying,external Olivia Geneus Edward Gelberg* Rintaro Kirikawa Saba Karimeddiny* Theodore Kareta Jarrett Jordan Robert Johnston* Lubin Jian Anubhab Haldar Matthew Gentry new alumni DavidNguyen Andrew Ouellette Trey Nasser Nicholas Miller Craig Methot Charles (Mark)Lewis Brendan Kuzio Tenzin Kunsel John Krone Jordan * Kornfeld

PrayushPokharel Andrew Scoledge Schober William Christian Ruiz Eric Rucki Daniel SanchezRosales Alissa Roegge Kevin Quirion Evgenia Plaka Dylan Pare

listedbelow

Steven Wagner Amelia Vinciguerra Nicholas Trieber Daniel Todd Alexander Tang Kaylee Spitaels James Smith Warren Sharpp * capstone

Donors DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST 35

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Oksana Starjevskaya-Stowell '06MRP Mark L. Stowell Hajime Sakai & Sachiko Sakai R. Sapp '75PhD Edwin Scheff '78 J. Andrew SchmiedeshoffGeorge '82MS,'85PhD A. SerinoChristopher '07 Shu '77MS Ker-Li Simenas '71 Scott J. & '78PhD Slavkovsky J. Thomas Martha Slavkovsky & R. Smart '77,'92,'94MS Peter Martti A. Peltola '81MS Martti A. Peltola '73MS & Doris (Dejonge) Peterson Gerald A. Peterson '71 Poeton W. Richard Berner & Diane Potts R. Bradley '73PhD John K. Pribram Ramarao Jayakumar Michael Ramsey-Musolf Dean M. Reese '02 David S. Margil '89 S. Margil David Donald '92PhD R. McAllaster ‘77MS & E McCarthy Margaret ‘71 James B Ricci '85PhD M. Moore Steven A. Nasser '17 Trey '76 A. Newton Steven Elizabeth M. Nuss '77PhD Moshe Oren '80 Karen Parker Margaret (McMahon) '72 Lareau Margaret (Way) '75 Latimer Margaret Irina Leaf '76MS James M. Leas '76 Ledin E. Phillip '13,'14MS,'14MED Ledoux J. Thomas '63MS Legare Roger J. '71MS R. Lundquist Theodore A. Mann '67MS,'70PhD William MapsJonathan '82PhD John P. Lareau '72 & '72 Lareau John P.

Yury G. Kolomensky '94MS,'97PhD Yury Julie (Yaple) Johnson '80MS,'85PhD Julie (Yaple) Donald Kaplan '01 Mercedes (Del Rosario) Huang '72MS Mercedes Robert & L. Huffman '85PhD Huffman '87 Kristina (Parks) Donna (Peters) Howell '81,'84MS,'87PhD Howell Donna (Peters) '71MS & H. Huang Whittak Pamela Houmere '77 Houmere Pamela & '82,'87PhD Howell W. Roger Harris '71MS,'75PhD A. Goldberg (Garvey) GralenskiMargaret '54 Duane C. Holmes '68MS Rebecca (Cornwall) Galkiewicz '75MS (Cornwall) Rebecca Robert R. Gamache '76MS,'78PhD Howard B. Foster '59 Foster B. Howard Gabbiani '97PhD Fabrizio Robert K. Galkiewicz & '77PhD & Carol (Lemke) Emery (Lemke) '69,'74MED & Carol '67MS,'73PhD DonaldFleming M. Mary Duggan E. Dumas '91 P. Thomas Emery'72,'77MED,'87CAGS B. Christopher Edward F. Demski '55 F. Edward Duggan '75 & Richard O. Michael S. Cowell '13,'13 Michael S. Cowell '85 Davis A. Christopher Scott B. Chase '80 Scott B. '02MS,'07PhD Lisa (Kaufman) Coates '55 Coletta J. Theodore Thomas D. Radcliff D. Thomas '75 & Dwight Allen Joan Centrella Paul S. Bourgeois '91,'05 PhD & PhD '91,'05 Bourgeois S. Paul '94,'04 Stanton Tamara '80 & Elizabeth Brackett David G. Bentley Lawrence '06 Lawrence G. Bentley David '05 A. Bloore David Austin M. Barnes '14 Austin Michael G. Belanger '66 Anonymous Donors Anonymous '88 Anderson Richard C. '88 Armstrong E. Bruce This list represents those who contributed to the Department of Physics from January from the Department to 31, 2017. December 2017, to 1, who contributed those of Physics represents list This [email protected]. at and kindly omissions our attention bring them to you any ask that for apologize We Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage PAID Department of Physics Amherst, MA University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 North Pleasant Street Amherst, MA 01003-9337

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RISING RESEARCHER AWARD Rising Researchers, a special title for outstanding undergraduate researchers, exemplify the range and depth of talent that UMass/Amherst undergraduate students possess to conduct meaningful research. Six seniors with outstanding accomplishments were honored in April 2017 with the Rising Researcher award. Saba Karimeddiny ’17, a physics major and Commonwealth Honors College student, was the advisee of Professor Jonathan Machta, who says he made a “great decision” to supervise a freshman project when usually only upperclassmen conduct research. Karimeddiny had been working on an interdisciplinary project with mathematical ecologists from the University of California–Davis. “Saba’s project has involved exploring the connections between systems of coupled nonlinear oscillators, traditionally used to study spatially extended oscillating populations, and the Ising model, an important theoretical model in physics,” said Machta. He conducted simulations of both coupled oscillators and the Ising model, demonstrating that there is a correspondence between these two superficially different systems. The result was a paper titled "Critical fluctuations of noisy period-doubling maps" coauthored by Noble, Karimeddiny, Hastings, and Machta which was published in the European Physical Journal B. The manuscript of a second paper on the subject, authored by Karimeddiny, is in preparation and is tentatively titled, “Ising-like behavior of coupled, one-dimensional, noisy oscillators”. In this paper Karimeddiny shows that a system of one-dimensional nonlinear oscillators behaves quantitatively like the one-dimensional Ising model.

He has given several talks about his work at undergraduate research conferences and also described his work at the American Physical Society Meeting in March 2017. “This is the first time I have sent an undergraduate to this meeting,” says Machta. Saba is now in the Cornell Physics PhD program.