Physics at Brown

Ne w s f o r Al u m n i an d Fr i e n d s 2007 Is s u e

Gr e e t i n g s f r o m t h e Ch a i r - Sp r i n g 2008 elcome to another issue of the Brown Physics newsletter. the rank of Associate Professor with tenure. We also report on WI wrote three years ago, during my first term as the some notable faculty achievements for the past year. department chair--with a committed faculty, dedicated staff, enthusiastic students, supportive administration, and engaged e continue the tradition of highlighting the research of alumni and friends--that the future of physics at Brown looked Wour 2007 Galkin Foundation Fellow on page 2. Also bright. Many things have taken place since then. Here we the effort in enriching our physics instruction continues. Three highlight some of the activities of the past year. new courses are offered this year and proposals for three new physics concentrations are under way. Other noteworthy 007 marked the 50th anniversary of the BCS Theory activities include WiSE, Poster Session, UTRA Awards, 2of Superconductivity. We honored Prof. Leon Resource Center, etc. In addition, community outreach Cooper with a two-day symposium on April remains a priority for the Department with a weekly 12-13. A brief description of this event is open house at Ladd and a greatly expanded five- provided on page 3. year NSF supported GK-12 program. e also report on the establishment hanks to a generous gift from his family, an Wof the Institute for Molecular and TAnthony Houghton Prize will be awarded Nanoscale Innovation, which represents an annually for the best theoretical thesis. Thanks to expansion for the newly created Center for gifts from friends of Prof. Kyungsik Kang, a special Nanoscience and Soft matter (CNSSM), initially lecture on High Energy Particle Physics will be held proposed by physics, chemistry and engineering. I on April 25, 2008. Lastly, we also welcome two new am pleased to announce that Prof. Gang Xiao has agreed to members of our staff, Ms. Elizabeth Barlow and Ms. Susan serve as the first Director of CNSSM. In addition, please join Mattraw as Financial Administrator and System Administrator, me in congratulating Professor Jay Tang for his promotion to respectively.

Fa l l 2007 In c o m i n g Cl a s s

Mr. Michael Antosh Mr. Pengyu Liu University of New Hampshire, University of Sci. & Durham Tech. of China Ms. Saptaparna Bhattacharya Mr. David Malling Indian Inst. of Tech., Madras Syracuse University Mr. Andrew Blaeser Mr. Ryan Michney Boston University Dartmouth College Mr. Jeremy Chapman Ms. Mirna Mihovilovic Syracuse University University of Zagreb Mr. Richard Cook Mr. Florian Sabou University College, London Babes-Bolyai University Mr. Alex Geringer-Sameth Mr. Antun Skanata Washington University University of Zagreb Mr. Carlos Hernandez Faham Mr. Son Le Mr. Chenjie Wang Arizona State University Hanoi University of Technology University of Sci. & Tech. of China Mr. Ilyong Jung Mr. Chao Li Mr. Congkao Wen Kyungpook National University University of Sci. & Tech. of China Zhejiang University

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2007 Ga l k i n Fe l l o w - Yo n g x i n g Gu o

ongxing Guo, the 2007-2008 Galkin foundation fellow, is correspond to periodic variations of the fluorescence and Ycompleting his Ph.D. dissertation research on Microtubule birefringence intensity. Moreover, the variations could be birefringence patterns. For the past four years Yongxing has explained by presuming that the MT’s form bundles that take conducted research at Brown on a sinusoidal shape. The University, with his advisor sinusoidal undulations produce Prof. James Valles, in frequent the striations provided all of collaboration with Prof. Jay Tang the sine waves are locally in and his graduate student Yifeng phase and neighboring sine Liu. waves “nest” together. The predicted density variations he viability of cells relies on from this nested geometry Tlarge molecules self organizing are in quantitative accord into structures that support their with the measured data. The shape and carry out the functions temporal evolution of the essential to life. A great deal patterns revealed a surprising of effort has focused on the mechanism. It showed that mechanisms controlling and driving MTs that are aligned by their self assembly. Yongxing Guo, magnetic field or flow during a Galkin Fellow, has been investigating how a ubiquitous bio- the initial stages of polymerization form bundles. The bundles, polymer manages to self assemble into a macroscopically which polarize light, elongate and buckle in coordination with visible structure. His work, while carried out in a test tube, their neighbors. These buckled bundles create the birefringent nevertheless has provided insight into mechanical processes stripes. This work was published in Proceedings of the that can underlie biological pattern formation. National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A.

ore than 10 years ago, workers discovered the he observations suggested a mechanical model for the Mspontaneous development of zebra-like stripes (see Tprocess, which Yongxing went on to develop aided by figure) in a solution of polymerizing Microtubules (MTs). discussions with Professor Alan Bower. The model asserts MTs are hollow cylindrical filaments composed of protein that an individual MT bundle elongates through continued subunits (tubulin) that form and grow rapidly in length when polymerization and buckles within the elastic network formed their solution is warmed to near body temperature. Because by the other bundles and unbundled microtubules. The stress these bio-polymers serve as major driving the buckling originates components of the eukaryotic cell in the elongating bundle pressing cytoskeleton, the stripe finding against its surroundings. A normal suggested an origin for structures mode stability analysis of the observed in some cells. Models model shows that the characteristic for the symmetry breaking process wavelength and critical buckling giving rise to the striated pattern force are determined by the were proposed, but none had been properties of the bundles and their quantitatively verified. Yongxing, neighboring elastic network. By in close collaboration with fellow graduate student Yifeng analyzing the time lapse phase contrast microscopy images of Liu and supported by NASA, initially attacked this pattern the pattern and using cutting edge image analyzing algorithms formation problem using quantitative microscopy techniques. created by Yongxing, the local MT bundle alignment directions Those experimental investigations led to a microscopic view were obtained, from which the MT bundle contour lengths of and a quantitative model for the pattern formation. were measured. The same growth rates among different MT bundles revealed that the MT bundles elongate uniformly ongxing applied quantitative fluorescence and along their contour during buckling and polymerization occur Ybirefringence (i.e. polarization) imaging techniques to uniformly along the bundles. This work was published in see the MT striations develop. He found that the striations Physics Review Letters. continued on page 10

he Galkin Foundation Fellowships are funded through a generous donation by Mr. Warren Galkin, Class of 1951. Each year T the Fellowship recognizes exceptional promise and achievement in physics by a senior graduate student.

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AO Wi l l i a m s The A. O. Williams lecture of 2007 was of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He delivered by Prof. Joseph Taylor from received his Ph.D. from the University Princeton to a packed auditorium. During of Cambridge (U.K.) in 1982, and for the the day, Prof. Taylor met with faculty and years 1982-1985 was a postdoctoral fellow engaged in a lively lunchtime discussion at the Institute for Theoretical Physics, with graduate students on science and University of California at Santa Barbara. careers in science. Prof. Goldenfeld has been an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow, a University Prof. Taylor and Russell Hulse (his Scholar of the University of Illinois, a former graduate student) were jointly recipient of the Xerox Award for research, awarded the 1993 Nobel Prize in Physics and a recipient of the A. Nordsieck award for their discovery of a binary pulsar which enabled many tests for excellence in graduate teaching. In of general relativity, and, in particular, the first evidence for the 1996, he co-founded NumeriX, a company that specializes in existence of gravitational waves. high-performance software for the derivatives marketplace. The Department is looking forward to the A. O. Williams lecture Prof. Goldenfeld is a member of the Editorial Board of the of 2008, which will be delivered by Prof. Nigel Goldenfeld from International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Finance and is a the University of Illinois. Prof. Goldenfeld holds a Swanlund Fellow of the American Physical Society. Endowed Chair and is a Professor of Physics at the University

2007 Co o p e r Co n f e r e n c e

condensation. A A series of two-day symposium, public lectures under “50 Years of the BCS Theory “Superconductivities; from Mystery of Superconductivity”, was held to Mastrery” was held in the afternoon. during April 12-13, 2007 at Brown, Dr. Alexis P. Malozemoff, (American highlighting and celebrating the 50th Superconductor Corporation), lectured on: “New anniversary of the theory of superconductivity. The Horizons for Superconductor Applications: the BCS theory stands as an outstanding achievement Electric Power Grid”. Prof. Leon Cooper also gave in the development of twentieth century knowledge a lecture on: “Supercondutivity and other insoluble with far reaching applications in science and problems.” A panel discussion was held technology. The Nobel Prize given for this involving all these speakers, including Prof. work (to Bardeen, Cooper and Schriefer) David Lee (Cornell), a recipient of the represents one of the glowing successes of 1996 Nobel Prize in Physics, for his work US science. on superfluidity.

he symposium began in the morning he second day featured new scientific Tof April 12th with talks by several Tdevelopments and breakthroughs distinguished speakers: Anthony J. Leggett with talks by Eugene Demler (Harvard), (Illinois) 2003 Nobel Prize in Physics for Alexei Kitaev (Caltech), Robert Schoelkopf his work on superfluidity; Frank Wilczek (MIT), (Yale), J.S.Tsai (NEC Research, Tokyo), and with 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics for the additional contributions from Profs. Sean discovery of asymptotic freedom in Ling, Gang Xiao and Brad Marston. the theory of the strong interaction; Profs. A. Jevicki and G. Xiao, who Wolfgang Ketterle (MIT) a recipient were responsible for organizing this of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics highly successful for Bose-Einstein symposium.

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2007 PhD Re c i p i e n t s

Yun-Hu Huang “Solar Neutrino Detection Utilizing a Variant of a Coded Aperture on a Large Scale (HERON)” Advisor: Prof. Lanou Ki-O Kim “Enhanced Echolocation via Robust Statistics and Super-resolution of Sonar Images” Advisor: Prof. Cooper Jeffrey Kubo “Searching for Strong Galaxy-Galaxy Lenses in the Deep Lens Survey” Advisor: Dell’Antonio Bhaskar Elnaz Alipour-Assiabi “Shape Transformations in Lipid Sethumadhavan Bilayer Membranes and Other Problems in Physical Biology” “Electrical Breakdown Advisor: Prof. Powers in Helium Cells at Thorsten Jens Battefeld “Cosmological Perturbations in Low Temperature” the Early Universe” Advisor: Prof. Advisor: Prof. Seidel Brandenberger Weifeng Shen “Ultra- Ivo Kolev Dimitrov “Ultrasonic sensitive MgO-based Attenuation, AC Magnetic Magnetic Tunnel Susceptibility and Small-Angle Junctions for Spintronic Immunoassay” Advisor: Prof. Xiao Neutron Scattering Studies of Vortex States in Single-Crystal Nb and V-Ti Matthew David Truch “The Balloon-borne Large Alloys” Advisor: Prof. Ling Aperture Submillimeter Telescope” Advisor: Prof. Tucker Aristomenis Donos “Bubbling Qi Wen “Exploring the Mechanism of Like-charge AdS and Droplet Descriptions Attraction in Polyelectrolyte Solutions” Advisor: Prof. Tang of BPS Geometries in IIB Supergravity” Advisor: Prof. Jevicki

2006-2007 Ma s t e r o f Sc i e n c e Re c i p i e n t s 2006-2007 Gr a d u a t e Aw a r d s Van Anh Dao Kewang Jin Dung Van-Tien Galkin Foundation Fellowship: Dapeng Wang Jun He Hyunjin Kim Nguyen Forrest Awards: Dipanjan Mazumdar and Matthew Truch Zhijun Jiang Feifei Li Dina Naim Anthony Houghton Award: Aristomenis Donos Obeid Dafei Jin Cuong Kieu Dissertation Fellows: Wei Guo and Weifeng Shen Nguyen

Pe t e r St u a r t Vo s s , Tr u s t e e , Aw a r d e d Di p l o m a s

eter Stuart Voss is chairman and chief Committee for the endowments of two Boston-based Pexecutive officer of IXIS Asset Management philanthropic organizations, a regional vice chair for Group, a global investment management firm the Campaign for Academic Enrichment, a member with headquarters in Boston and Paris. He of the Brown University Advisory Committee has served on the Board of Governors of the on Corporate Responsibility in Investing, and a Investment Company Institute and as a member member of the President’s Leadership Council. A of the Board of the United Way of Massachusetts 1968 graduate of Brown, Voss will serve as a term Bay. He is currently chair of the Investment trustee through June 30, 2012.

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2007 Un d e r g r a d u a t e De g r e e Re c i p i e n t s

Patrick Allen Courville: Bachelor of Jonathan Ross Schwartz: Bachelor of Arts, Science, Math-Physics with Honors, Physics ”Describing Black Holes with String Theory” Advisor: Prof. Lowe Ryan Allen Shewcraft: Bachelor of Arts, Math-Physics Daniel John Finn-Foley: Bachelor of Science, Math-Physics Lick-Kong Tam: Bachelor of Science, Math-Physics with Honors, “Near-Surface Peter Benjamin James: Bachelor of Swimming Caulobacter Tracked with Science, Geo/Physics/Math with Honors Nanometer Sensitivity” Advisor: Prof. Tang, 2006-2007 Mildred Widgoff Prize for Stefan John Janiszewski: Bachelor excellent thesis-presentation of Science, Math-Physics with Honors, “Gravitational Lens Magnification and Scott Justin Wolin: Bachelor of Science, Mass Maps” Advisor: Prof. Dell’Antonio, Math-Physics with Honors, “Jet Energy 2006-2007 Mildred Widgoff Prize for Calibrations for the CMS Missing Tranverse excellent thesis-presentation Energy Trigger” Advisor: Prof. Landsberg, 2006-2007 R. Bruce Lindsay Prize for excellence in Physics Li Wei Liu: Bachelor of Science, Math-Physics with Honors, “A Quantitative Comparison between Magentic Force Chin Lin Wong: Bachelor of Science, Physics with Honors, Microscopy and Scanning Magneto-Resistance Microsopy” “Implementation of the Pyramid Star Identification Technique” Advisor: Prof. Xiao Advisor: Prof. Tucker, 2006-2007 R. Bruce Lindsay Prize for excellence in Physics, Phi Beta Kappa Nathaniel Steven Safron: Bachelor of Science, Physics with Honors, “Characterization of the lowfield Behavior of Anthony Nicholas Zorzos: Bachelor of Science, Engineering- Magnetic Tunnel Junction Devices via Novel Magnetotransport Physics, “Visualization and Tracking of Electrospray Droplet measurement Techniques” Advisor: Prof. Xiao Emissions” Advisor: Prof. Breuer Robert McLellan Schaefer: Bachelor of Arts, Physics

2006-2007 Un d e r g r a d u a t e Aw a r d s

Mildred Widgoff Prize for Excellent Thesis R. Bruce Lindsay Prize for Excellence in Physics: Scott Justin Presentation: Stefan John Janiszewski and Lick-Kong Tam Wolin and Chin Lin Wong

Ph y s i c s WiSE Un d e r g r a d u a t e Re s o u r c e Ce n t e r his semester saw a revival of he Physics Resource Center continued in full swing; run Tthe Physics WiSE (Women in Tby the physics Department Undergraduate Group (DUG) Science and Engineering) affinity (in particular Andrew Potter (08), Ryan Murphy (08) and group. Led by juniors Amy Teddy Baker (08)). The Resource Center was established in Lowitz and Karriane Bergen, the 2006 to provide additional assistance to students in the first- Physics WiSE organized multiple and second-year undergraduate classes (PHYS 0070, 0080, events, including a presentation by 0470, and 0500). On Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Prof. Narain on her research and multiple tables in the lobby area are occupied by juniors and seniors, each of whom is coordinating a discussion with the experiences in physics. A forum 10 or so students present regarding the material in that week’s on graduate school and careers problem set. In addition to getting further explanations on the after Brown which was attended course material, the students benefit from getting to know the by more than 20 undergraduates, older students and realizing that they are not fundamentally graduate students, postdocs, and different from them. Meanwhile, the juniors and seniors faculty was held. Many further benefit by learning how to explain concepts and gaining an activities have been planned for even deeper understanding of the material; plus, the review of the spring semester. concepts is particularly helpful for preparing for the GREs.

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Th r e e Ne w Ph y s i c s Co u r s e s

HYS0120: Assistant Professor Dima Feldman will be Pteaching a new first-year seminar course this Spring on “Adventures in Nanoworld” (PHYS0120). The course is a general introduction to the rapidly developing fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. It will focus on nanoelectronics, quantum information, and the interface between nanoscale physics and biology. The quest for miniaturization has always been a major trend in technology as the rich history of the clock illustrates. Especially in modern electronics, making smaller and smaller components has become so important that for several decades now the number of transistors per integrated circuit has doubled every 24 months. The trend cannot however continue forever since the size of atoms sets a limit to possible miniaturization. Even before that limit is reached, quantum mechanics becomes crucially important. Thus, quantum paradoxes and puzzles such as the fate of famous Schrödinger’s cat are deeply connected with future technology. Besides quantum mechanics, the second major theme of the course will be self-organization: Interaction of numerous simple individual nanoparticles can result in complex behavior. The course will critically assess common myths and misconceptions about nanoscience. One of the assignments will be based on a bestselling science fiction novel about dangers of nanotechnology. Students will be asked to detect assumptions, exaggerations, and science mistakes in the story. The course will also make visits to laboratories to introduce students to nanoscience research being conducted at Brown.

HYS1600: Professor Brad Marston will be teaching a Pnew course in the Spring on “Computational Physics” (PHYS1600). The course was designed by Professor Robert Pelcovits, and revives a similar course that he taught some time ago. It will provide students with an introduction to scientific computation, primarily as applied to physical science problems. It will assume a basic knowledge of programming and will focus on how computational methods can be used to study physical systems complementing experimental and theoretical techniques. The course will be taught interactively in a classroom equipped with computers and using the Python programming language. “Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods: Applications to Physical Systems,” third edition, by Gould, Tobochnik and Christian will be the course textbook. The course will be capped by a final project involving the computational analysis of a physical system chosen by the student and approved by the instructor. Topics to be covered include Introduction to computational physics, Simulating particle motion (solving differential equations on the computer), Simulating more complicated dynamics: many-body systems and molecular dynamics, Chaos and dynamical systems, Solving one-dimensional quantum mechanics problems, Numerical integration in high dimensions: Monte Carlo method, and Application of the Monte Carlo method to statistical mechanics problems.

HYS2610C: Professor Gang Xiao taught PHYS2610C, “Selected Topics in Condensed Matter Physics,” this Fall. This new Pcourse helps graduate students broaden their scope of knowledge in condensed matter physics, learn how to leverage their existing background to select and conduct research, and develop a sense of how to build their professional career based on condensed matter physics. Selected topics include nanoscale physics, materials, and devices, spintronics and magnetism, high temperature superconductivity, strongly correlated systems, Bose-Einstein condensate, electrons in strong magnetic fields, and applications of condensed matter physics. The course also provides an introduction to some experimental techniques used in current research.

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Pr o p o s a l s f o r Th r e e Ne w Ph y s i c s Co n c e n t r a t i o n s he Physics Curriculum Committee has been working this Fall biological physics. One of the new faculty members, Assistant Ton three proposals for new undergraduate concentrations in Professor Derek Stein, has been working with his colleagues on a “Physics and Philosophy,” “Biological Physics” and “Astrophys- proposed curriculum. ics.” As the proposals are refined they will go first to the full department for review, and if found desirable by the faculty, on to ith the growth of our astrophysics group, including plans Brown’s College Curriculum Council chaired by the Dean of the Wto hire a theoretical astrophysicist, it is also time to con- College. sider offering a Sc.B. degree in astrophysics. According to purred in part by the recent hire of a philosopher of physics, Martha Mitchell’s Encyclope- SAssistant Professor Douglas Kutach, by Brown’s Philosophy dia Brunoniana, “astronomy Department, Prof. Dima Feldman has taken the lead in organizing was among the earliest subjects a new “Physics and Philosophy” A.B. concentration. Students taught” at Brown. Originally concentrating in “Physics and Philosophy” would take equal mea- the province of the Department sures of courses in the Departments of Philosophy and Physics, of Mathematics, the subject including courses such as “quantum mechanics” and “epistemol- passed to the care of the Phys- ogy.” The concentration is expected to be attractive to humani- ics Department upon the re- ties students who might not otherwise consider taking physics tirement of Professor Charles courses. Smiley who led a number of expeditions to observe solar ncreasing numbers of undergraduate and graduate physics stu- eclipses. Associate Professor Idents are interested in science that lies at the intersection of Ian Dell’Antonio, who is also biology and physics. Recent additions of new physics faculty the physics concentration advi- who work in the area of biological physics, as well as a plan to sor, is proposing a rigorous and hire a theoretical biological physicist, make it feasible now for fully modern curriculum. the Department to consider offering a new Sc.B. concentration in

Le c t u r e Se r i e s o n Hi g h En e r g y Pa r t i c l e Ph y s i c s regular Lecture Series on High Energy May 2006. He graduated from Seoul National University and AParticle Physics is planned through obtained his Ph.D. from Indiana University. He was an active gifts from friends of Prof. Kyungsik Kang. researcher in the field of theoretical particle physics, with more The first of this Series is planned for April than two hundred refereed journal publications and articles. 25 and will feature Prof. Matt Strassler of He was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the Rutgers University. Korean Academy of Science and Technology, and the Korean Physical Society. s noted in the Physics Newsletter a Ayear ago, Prof. Kyungsik Kang came memorial service was held on July 7th, 2006, during which to Brown in 1964, and served Brown faithfully for more than Ait was noted that Kyungsik enriched us all by bringing us forty years as a member of the Physics Department. Prof. Kang together as members of a global family. For us at Brown, this retired from teaching in 2005,and passed away unexpectedly in singular achievement is Kyungsik’s personal legacy.

Ja y Ta n g : Pr o m o t e d f r o m As s i s t a n t Pr o f e s s o r t o As s o c i a t e Pr o f e s s o r (w i t h Te n u r e ) o f Ph y s i c s e f f e c t i v e Ju l y 1, 2008 ay received his B.S. in Physics from Peking University assemblies. In particular, Jay’s lab studies the assembly of Jin 1987 and his Ph.D. from Brandeis University in 1995. the so-called cytoskeletal proteins, such as actin and tubulin, After postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School, which form long filaments. Higher levels of assembly he served as assistant professor of physics at Indiana occur in solutions of these filaments, including isotropic University from 1999-2002. Since 2003 he has served as networks, liquid crystalline phases, and densely packed an assistant professor of physics and engineering at Brown lateral aggregates. “We seek to elucidate interactions that University. Jay’s lab is currently involved in a new research govern the formation of these states, predict and manipulate program of molecular biophysics. The main research goal transitions among them, and explore biomedical applications.” is to understand the mechanisms and properties of protein

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2007 Po s t e r Se s s i o n

n November 14, 2007 the Department held its annual year graduate students typically join research groups at O“Poster Party”, where faculty and their research the end of their first year and the poster event gives them students (both graduate and undergraduate) displayed an overview of the many opportunities available to them, posters illustrating the exciting research allowing ample time for one-on-one being carried out over a broad range of conversation with potential research research areas. All research groups in the advisors and their current graduate Department and affiliated groups in the students. The event also provides an Department of Chemistry and the Division opportunity for undergraduates to of Engineering were represented. learn about departmental research and develop connections with faculty his event is very informal and leading to summer participation in a Tprovides students with an easy and research group through the University’s welcoming way to learn about research UTRA program, as well as senior thesis opportunities in the Department. First projects.

2007-2008 Ph y s i c s UTRA Aw a r d s

Edward Baker ‘08 “On the Dynamics of Amandeep Gill ‘08 “Black Holes Near Taylor Newton ‘08 “Duality in String Particles Near Space-Like Singularities” and Far” Advisor: Prof. Dell’Antonio Theory and N=4 Super Yang-Mills Advisor: Prof. Lowe Theory” Advisor: Prof. Spradlin John Keller ‘08 “Research in Particle Daniel Butler ‘09 “Neural Networks for Physics” Advisor: Prof. Cutts Reshma Ramachandran ‘09 “The Particle Discrimination in the XENON10 Behavior of Ultra-Confined DNA Miriam Klein ‘09 “Spectroscopy of Detector” Advisor: Prof. Gaitskell Molecules” Advisor: Prof. Stein Lensing Cluster Galaxies” Advisor: Prof. Simon Buttrick ‘09 “Nanopore Dell’Antonio Stefan Schaffer ‘09 “Electronic DNA Barcoding of DNA/Protein Complexes” Analysis Using Solid-State Nanopores” Noah Levin ‘10 “Development of Advisor: Prof. Stein Advisor: Prof. Stein Photomultiplier Tube Detector Array for John Cucco ‘09 “Testing Cluster Effects LUXcore Experiment” Advisor: Prof. Michael Schwarz ‘08 “Liquid Crystal on Mass Reconstructions” Advisor: Prof. Gaitskell Modeling” Advisor: Prof. Pelcovits Dell’Antonio Michael Mak ‘08 “Microrheology Aaron Weinstein ‘09 “Development Deepa Galaiya ‘08 “Physical of F-Actin networks Using Optical in LUXcore and the Search for Dark Charicterization and Modeling of Tweezers” Advisor: Prof. Tang Matter” Advisor: Prof. Gaitskell Superhelical Actin Bundles” Advisor: Prof. Tang

he UTRA program provides opportunities for collaborative work between students and faculty members and allows T students to gain insights into the structure of academic work in a particular field.

Galkin Fellowship - continued from page 2

o move closer to a cellular environment, Yongxing is to develop new intuition into how structures can form in multi- Tnow investigating how adding a second molecule to a molecule system such as a cell. polymerizing tubulin solution affects the pattern formation. uring his Ph.D. studies, Yongxing participated in a number Background molecules proteins can exert osmotic forces that Dof scientific workshops and international conferences enhance the tendency to form bundles. In addition, they can including the New England Complex Fluids Workshops exert osmotic torques that can help align bundles. He and (NECF) and American Physical Society Meetings (APS). coworkers have seen dramatic effects on the stripe formation He has also been awarded the Student Travel Grants from including complete quenching of it. More microscopically, they the Division of Biological Physics for the 2007 APS March have observed thicker bundles. With continued work he hopes Meeting.

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Ou t r e a c h uring the summer, the Physics Department began a new goal is to have this Dmajor outreach effort with the Providence Public School experience enhance System. This program grew out of several existing efforts which the graduate student demonstrated the effectiveness of outreach both for Brown research. To aid students and the public school students. in this, the fellows participate in a or example, Prof. Greg Tucker ran a small NASA supported multi-week training Fpilot program for three years which brought high school program during the teachers into his research lab during the summer. During the summer prior to school year Brown students visited two high schools each week starting as fellows and established after-school science clubs. in the schools. The fellows learn about inquiry based methods of learning, along with dramatic increase in the scope of outreach was made possible other essential classroom skills. Aby the award of a five-year grant from the National Science Foundation, which provides support for nine graduate student he fellows are selected through a competitive application teaching fellows each year. Tprocess. This year’s GK-12 fellows from the Physics hen starting in Department are Helen Hanson and John Macaluso, who have Wthis program, focused on working with teachers at nearby Hope High School. fellows are already Other GK-12 fellows are working with a number of other high engaged in their schools and elementary schools in Providence. The program also thesis research. By enlists the aid of volunteer graduate students, some of whom will having the fellows become teaching fellows the following year. bring aspects of their research to the The NSF GK-12 program was established in collaboration classroom and helping with the Engineering Divison and Department of Geological students to learn, the Sciences.

St a f f Ne w s

lizabeth Barlow joined the Dept. of Physics as the Financial Administrator in February 2007. Liz came from the Dept. of Psychiatry and Human Behavior where she served as the Research Eand Financial Manager. Before joining the Brown community, Liz worked at Harvard Medical School in Boston in the Department of Neurobiology. She hopes to work with faculty, staff and students to streamline the seemingly endless paperwork and processes we face everyday. She is working toward ensuring that the needs of faculty, staff and students are met while still complying with funding agency requirements and Brown University guidelines. Liz is very happy to be adding the physical sciences dimension to her past experience in basic and clinical research. usan Mattraw began working at Brown in early 2004 and has held various technical positions in the departments of Chemistry, Engineering and CIS during that time. She has worked as DCC, SElectronics Technician and Support Specialist in these departments helping to create and provide computing and hardware solutions for PCs and Macs through direct support, written documentation and podcasts. Prior to working at Brown she worked extensively as an R&D technician and support specialist throughout the Boston area for several audio product developers, helping to create and improve hardware, software and documentation for signal processors and synthesizers. In addition to this she has also provided technical support for touring music acts as well as being as a freelance recording engineer and musician. She began her technical career as a child when she was given a broken watch to play with and, through curiosity, somehow managed to repair it. As a result her family encouraged her technical interests and problem solving skills which have been a large part of her life since that time. She is very excited to be working as the System Administrator for the Department as she has developed a keen interest in the area of Physics.

Pa g e 9 Ph y s i c s a t Br o w n LADD

s Ladd marked its 116th year of operation, we have been from the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Afortunate to have an unusually high number of clear Commission, of $47K. The Champlin grant is being used to evenings. Most recently, Comet Holmes, which brightened enhance our outreach efforts to the Providence Public Schools, by a factor of more than a million over the span of weeks, and the RIHPHC grant will be used to upgrade the Transit captured the imaginations of the more than 400 visitors over Room and its instruments that once provided time signals via the course of several of those clear nights. They peered telegraph to the region. through our telescopes to view what one visitor described as he number of people who have signed up for our Listserv a “translucent blue jellyfish” move slowly from night to night Tjust passed the 500 mark. Francine Jackson’s witty articles across the background field of stars. about the sky and astronomy have drawn rave reviews. To sign alloween is an especially appropriate holiday for Ladd. up for our newsletter and other news related to astronomy, the HScience fiction/ fantasy/horror writer H.P. Lovecraft’s sky, and upcoming events at Ladd, go to: http://www.physics. first love was astronomy, and he spent years volunteering at brown.edu/physics/commonpages/ladd/ Ladd. Our 2nd annual Halloween celebration drew a crowd of more than 200 excited little ghosts and goblins. After scaring them with skeletons in the Transit Room, giant spiders, and Kenneth F. Kinsey, '55, ghosts in the clock vault, we calmed them back down with Warwick, using transit treats, including free star maps and glimpses of Comet Holmes at Ladd Observatory to through the 12” Brashear refractor. observe stars crossing ur commitment to outreach continues to grow, as we meridian. Button Oseek funding for new projects that make Ladd a beacon in hand activates for science education in the community. Over the last year chronograph. Ladd has received two grants- one from the Champlin Foundation for $59K and, as of November 25, another grant

2007 Fa c u l t y Ac h i e v e m e n t s

Professor Meenakshi Narain has been Graduate student Michael Stewart and elected a Fellow of the American Physical Professor James Valles discover the existence Society. She is also selected as one of of Cooper Pairs in Insulators. the 2008 Career Award Winners by the ADVANCE program at Brown. Professor Greg Landsberg Professor Xinsheng has been Sean Ling has been elected Physics awarded a NHGRI Coordinator for grant for his research the US CMS in Hybridization- Collaboration. Assisted Nanopore DNA Sequencing. Professor Marcus Spradlin has been Professor Vesna Mitrovic has been selected awarded the 2008 as an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow. Salomon Award & DOE Oustanding Junior Professor Jay Tang’s Research Team - Investigator Award. Selected to Receive a Research Seed Funding Award & Discover The Professor Anastasia Strongest Natural Glue Volovich has been Known To Science. awarded the 2007 NSF Career Award. Professor Humphrey Maris has been Professor Chung-I Tan received the awarded the 2007 President’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Phonon prize. Governance.

Pa g e 10 Ph y s i c s a t Br o w n

In s t i t u t e f o r Mo l e c u l a r a n d Na n o s c a l e In n o v a t i o n

n 2007 President Simmons and the Brown Corporation Iapproved plans to establish the Institute for Molecular and Nanoscale Innovation (IMNI) on the Brown campus. IMNI was “Research in the Stein group applies conceived as a “polydisciplinary” organization dedicated to the tools of nanotechnology, including team R&D involving faculty participants centered in physics, solid-state nanopores and nanofluidics, chemistry, and engineering, but also including representation from to study individual bio-molecules in over nine departments in the physical, life, and social sciences. detail. The goals are to understand the The Institute represents an expansion of the proposal a year ago fundamental science of nano-biological from the departments of physics and chemistry and the division systems, while also exploring exciting of engineering for a new Center for Nanoscience and Soft Matter technological possibilities, like single- (CNSSM). molecule DNA sequencing.” MNI is charged with promoting and coordinating research Iand education in the area of molecular and nanosciences. It focuses on three major research themes: Center for Advanced Materials, Center for Nanoscience and Soft Matter (CNSSM), and n 2007, IMNI held a workshop in Providence on Nanomaterials NanoHealth Working Group. The Institute will be located in the IAnd Living Systems attended by researchers from Brown, Metcalf complex, centrally located between the Barus & Holley MIT, Yale, and the Marine Biology Laboratory at Woods Hole. building and the new life sciences cluster. IMNI will support The Institute also held the Small Forum, a workshop for regional team building, proposal preparation, block grant management, nanotech companies to explore collaborations with Brown seminars, special functions, and nanoscience course offerings researchers. A weeklong symposium as an official kick-off for across campus. The Institute will also help Brown researchers IMNI is planned for early May 2008. and students link to the outside world, and includes a partnership with the NanoBusiness Alliance, which represents over 250 innovation-based companies in the U.S. nanotechnology sector. “Professor Gang Xiao has been recently appointed as the Direc- aterials science is one of the most exciting and broad fields tor for the Center of Nanoscience and Mof research involving cross-disciplinary collaborations. Soft Matter (CNSSM). His research fo- The primary aim of CNSSM is to promote frontier research cus is currently on magnetic nanoscale and to foster the development of collaborations and intellectual structures and devices. He has been exchanges between faculty in chemistry, engineering, physics, studying electron transport and nano- and other departments such as biology. Brown physics, chemistry, magnetism in magnetic multilayers and and engineering faculty have already begun to expand their tunneling junctions. Devices based on research efforts in the nanoscience direction. Recent faculty hires these structures exhibit giant magnetore- in the area of nanoscale soft condensed matter include Professors sistance that has had significant impact Derek Stein in Physics, Shouheng Sun in Chemistry, and Thomas on the information storage industry.” Webster in Engineering. These new faculty have substantially increased opportunities for on-campus collaborations among Brown chemists, engineers and physicists.

Al u m n i : Wh e r e a r e t h e y n o w ?

hree undergraduate Physics alumni of the class of 2000 of Washington in 2006. Don is continuing his policy work this Twho went on to earn Ph.D.’s in Physics have become very year as the APS’ in-house Senior Science Policy Fellow. But involved with science policy on a national level. Don Engel, there’s more! who earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in et another member of the class of 2000 is engaged in 2006 served as the American Physical Society’s Congressional Yprestigious science policy work. Lawrence Lin, who Fellow for 2006-2007. He worked with Congressman Rush earned his Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Holt, one of two Ph.D. physicists in Congress. Don was Barbara in 2006, is serving this year as an Executive Branch succeeded in the APS Congressional Fellow position by Fellow for the American Association for the Advancement another alum of the class of 2000, Matt Bowen, who will of Science (AAAS). Congratulations to our very successful serve in the office of the Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid alumni who are providing a great public service by bringing (Matt was featured on the cover of the APS News magazine their knowledge of physics and science to our government. this past October). Matt earned his Ph.D. from the University continued on page 12

Pa g e 11 Physics at Brown

Physics at Brown Newsletter Department of Physics Box 1843 Brown University Providence, RI 02912

ALUMNI, WE’D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Ne w s ? Co m m e nt s ? Pl e a s e w r i t e t o th e a b o v e a d d r e s s o r e-m a i l u s at Jo d i e _Gi l l @b r o w n .e d u

Alumni - Where are they now?- continued from page 11

nthony Aguirre, Brown ‘95, went on to receive his ylvia Smullin, Brown ‘98, is currently an Associate APh.D. at Harvard University in 2000. As Assistant SResearch Scholar at Princeton University in the Professor of Physics at the University of California, Santa Department of Physics, as a member of the Romalis Cruz, he performs research in Theoretical Cosmology, the Group. Her reserach focus is using atomic physics to probe study of formation, nature, and evolution of the universe. fundamental symmetries.

ohn Austen McGreevy, Brown ‘97, originally from Staten JIsland, New York, is currently an Assistant Professor of ames Battat, Brown ‘01, received his Ph.D. at Harvard Physics at MIT, working on string theory. He completed his JUniversity and is a 2008-2011 Pappalardo Fellow at MIT. thesis work at the University of California, Berkeley, and His current research includes efforts to understand the nature Stanford. Prof. McGreevy joined the MIT Department of of dark energy and dark matter which dominate the mass- Physics in July 2006. energy budget of the Universe.

argaret Lise Gardel, Brown ‘98, continued to receive essie Thaler, Brown ‘02, went on to obtain his Ph.D. at Mher Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2004. Currently JHarvard University in 2006. As a Miller Fellow, Dr. she is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics, Thaler will continue his research in particle physics at the focusing on Experimental Biophysics, in the Institute for Miller Institute, University of California, Berkley until Biophysical Dynamics, the James Franck Institute, and the 2009. College at the University of Chicago. She is a 2008 Sloan research fellowship recipient. Would you like us to include your update in our next newsletter? Do we have your current address? Email all updates to [email protected]. Please be sure to include your full name and date of graduation.

Physics Department Chair: Chung-I Tan Address: Physics Department, BOX 1843, Providence, RI, 02912 Co-Editors: Meenakshi Narain and Beverly Travers Phone: (401) 863-1434 or (401) 863-2641 Layout Editor: Jodie Gill Email: [email protected] Website: http://physics.brown.edu

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