A Message from the Chair

Welcome to the Department of Physics newsletter for Summer 2013! As I have mentioned in previous years, our department is a very special place indeed, and Resonances gives us chance to share some of the past year’s significant events with you. For example, this past year saw as many as six scientists at FSU being elected Fellows of the American Physi- cal Society. Only the massive Los Alamos National Laboratory had more! Other high- lights include: the five year$ 168M renewal award to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory by the National Science Foun- dation, participation in the Higgs discov- ery, a trip to CERN for our undergrads, faculty being selected for and even serving as chairs on top-level national committees, faculty also winning other national and local awards, and our superb graduate and undergraduate students being engaged in outstanding research. I hope the newsletter is able to convey some of this excitement to you! Since this is my last newsletter as chair, I would like to say that it has been an absolute privilege to serve the physics family at FSU for the past six years. It has been a highly rewarding experience seeing the department continue on its stellar upward trajectory. This has been possible not only because of our brilliant students and faculty but also the most wonderful and devoted staff anywhere on the planet! There are many exciting new events beginning to unfold; for example, we will have four new tenure-track assistant professors starting this fall — three in astrophysics and one in energy and materials. We are also beginning to scan and digitize all our old photos and dusty neg- atives to put them on the web for your viewing pleasure (and to help preserve them for posterity). For this next set of highlights, you will have to wait until next year’s newsletter, which will be introduced by our new chair, Dr. James Brooks. Dr. Brooks takes over the reins this August. It will be fun, Jim — believe me! Finally, many thanks to Dr. Nick Bonesteel and Kun Yang for compiling the newsletter and Scott Baxter for so expertly putting it together. Very best regards to each and every one of you, and please don’t hesitate to drop me a line at [email protected].

Peace, love, art, music and physics!

Mark Riley Chair Raymond K. Sheline Professor of Physics 2 f 2013 f RESONANCES RESONANCES f 2013 f 3

Six FSU researchers join ranks of APS Fellows Barry Ray

SPECIAL TO RESONANCES

Florida State University’s stellar reputation for high quality scientific research across numerous disciplines was confirmed when six researchers were elected as fellows of the American Physical Society (APS). The American Physical Society is the nation’s largest and most prestigious profes- sional society dedicated to the advancement of physics research and knowledge. Election to fellowship in the 50,000-member society is limited to no more than one-half of one percent of the society’s membership and is a significant recognition by a scientist’s peers of his or her outstanding contributions to physics. Members of Florida State University’s High Energy Physics group. Members of this group played an important role in the search for — and “Those of us who have spent any time Six new APS Fellows for 2012 from FSU, from upper left to lower right: Rufina G. Alamo, possible discovery of — the elusive Higgs boson at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. with these outstanding FSU programs are Dragana Popovic, Peter Hoeflich, Luis Balicas, Peng Xiong, and Paul Cottle. not surprised that six of our colleagues would be selected in a single year,” said FSU physicists part of CERN’s discovery of new particle Vice President for Research Gary Ostrander. and the University of California Davis. Paul Cottle, the Steve Edwards Professor When physicists working on experi- (CMS) experiments, both of which were on the analyses used for the discovery “This is another tangible example of the con- The APS fellows and the language pro- of Physics in the Department of Physics, “for ments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) heavily engaged in the search for the Higgs include Harrison Prosper, the Kirby Kemper tinued upward trajectory of our research vided on their citations are: the impact of his efforts to improve univer- announced on July , 2012, that they observed boson. Florida State has been a member of Professor of Physics, FSU computer special- efforts at Florida State.” Rufina G. Alamo, a professor of chemical sity physics education, especially for precol- a new particle that may contain properties the CMS collaboration since 1994, when ist Kurtis Johnson, and graduate student Florida State’s American Physical Soci- engineering in the Florida A&M University- lege teachers, and his advocacy for effective of the elusive Higgs boson, several Florida design of the experiment was just begin- Joseph Bochenek, who is currently at CERN. ety fellows for 2013 are Peter Hoeflich, Dra- Florida State University College of Engi- precollege science education standards and State University researchers had a special ning. Prosper has long championed the advanced gana Popovic, Luis Balicas, Rufina G. Alamo, neering and frequent MagLab researcher, policy in Florida and nationally.” reason to celebrate. In a seminar and press conference analysis techniques necessary to make this Peng Xiong, and Paul Cottle. “for her use of well-characterized materi- Peter Hoeflich, a professor of physics, Members of Florida State’s High Energy viewed around the world, the ATLAS and discovery with the data available. Florida State tied for second in the als and performance of carefully designed “for outstanding contributions to stellar Physics (HEP) group are among hundreds CMS collaborations independently pre- “In my view, there is simply no way we nation for the number of APS fellows elected experiments to address structure-property evolution, radiation hydrodynamics, and of scientists and graduate students from sented evidence of a new particle within data could have arrived at this point now with- for 2012. The university was outpaced only relationships in polyolefins.” nuclear astrophysics, especially in the con- American institutions who have played accumulated over the previous 16 months. out the use of such methods,” Prosper said. by the massive Los Alamos National Labo- Luis Balicas, a MagLab scholar/scientist, text of modeling the light curves and spec- important roles in the search for the Higgs Many members of the FSU HEP group were “It was obvious to myself and my colleagues ratory, which produced 10 new fellows, and “for experimental studies of unconventional tral evolution of supernova explosions.” at the LHC, located at the immense CERN glued to their screens to watch the webcast way back in 2000 (and we wrote a paper to tied with research powerhouses Harvard, superconductors, heavy fermion materials, continues on page 14 laboratory near Geneva, Switzerland. More that started at 3:00 am EST on July 4, 2012. that effect) that the use of such techniques the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and frustrated magnetic systems.” than 1,700 people from 89 American uni- Ashley Huff, an FSU undergraduate work- was the only responsible way forward in the versities — including Florida State Univer- ing for the summer with researchers from Higgs search if we were not to waste taxpay- sity — and seven U.S. Department of Energy Duke University, was in the auditorium at ers’ money by throwing away expensively (DOE) national laboratories helped design, CERN. “It was such an awesome experience acquired data. This is a fabulous result build and operate the LHC accelerator and and I feel so lucky that I was able to be there which is only the first step toward under- its four particle detectors. for such a historic event,” reported Huff. standing this new particle.” The United States, through the DOE’s Members of Florida State’s High Energy The new particle is in the mass region Office of Science and the National Science Physics (HEP) group are among hundreds around 126 gigaelectronvolts. (A gigaelec- Foundation, provides support for research, of scientists and graduate students from tronvolt is a little more than the mass of computing, and detector operations at the American institutions who have played a proton.) Publication of the analyses is LHC for the “A Toroidal LHC Apparatus” important roles in the search for the Higgs. (ATLAS) and “Compact Muon Solenoid” Members of the team working directly continues on page 15 4 f 2013 f RESONANCES RESONANCES f 2013 f 5

NSF gives $168 million grant to NHMFL Conferences on Undergraduate Women in Physics: Jeffery Seay SPECIAL TO RESONANCES A Student’s Perspective A note from Professor Susan Blessing: Ashley Huff wrote the following article for the CSWP & COM Gazette; it appeared in Officials from the Washington, D.C.-based the Fall 2012 issue (Vol. 3, No. 2). Ashley was then a senior physics major at FSU. She had been involved in High Energy Physics National Science Foundation visited the research for the previous two years and defended her Honors during Spring 2013. She was the President of the FSU Chap- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory ter of the Society of Physics Students for 2012 – 2013 and plans to attend graduate school in the fall. on the campus of Florida State Univer- Ashley Huff sity February 4, 2013 to formally present a sure that there was no way I would get into school classes in Miami, Florida through SPECIAL TO RESONANCES five-year renewal grant of more than$ 168 graduate school. I will say that there were Skype about my research. I hope that million to Florida State President Eric J. indeed many women there who showed alerting these kids about the cutting edge Barron and MagLab Director Greg Boe- I am a physics major at Florida State Uni- me what I could do without graduate work being done gave them the push they binger. versity and will be starting my senior year school (teaching, industry jobs, etc.), but needed to follow their scientific dreams. I During a brief ceremony at the MagLab, in the fall. I have been working with Pro- it was actually all the women there who also spent time in a fourth grade class in F. Fleming Crim, assistant director for fessor Susan Blessing for the past year and did go to graduate school who showed me Tallahassee, Florida answering questions the NSF Directorate of Mathematical and a half to measure the electron asymmetry that I could do that as well. I was stuck in like “How long would it take to get to Pluto?” Physical Sciences, expressed delight at from W boson decays using data from the this mindset that if I wanted to go far with and “Is there life on other planets?” after the chance to visit one of the NSF’s pre- DØ experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron physics that it just all needed to come to me talking with many of the women at the mier research facilities. He described it as Collider. In Summer 2011, I participated in very easily. It was the reassurance of total conference, I truly realized if I wanted the a national treasure. The NSF presented the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory with a five-year renewal the Research Experience for Undergradu- strangers that it honestly is difficult for word about science to spread, I would have “Today is a major milestone between grant of more than $168 million. FSU President Eric J. Barron (right) and NHMFL Director Greg ates (REU) program at the National High everyone that convinced me I was wrong. to get out there. Boebinger (left) received the grant from NSF Assistant Director F. Fleming Crim (center) . the NSF and Florida State University,” Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee I never understood why my research advi- The poster session was the best part of Crim said. “This renewal agreement is a “My own scientific career was launched as a mandate to each of the MagLab’s part- and decided that condensed matter phys- sor seemed to have so much faith in me, but the conference for me. I had presented my vote of confidence in the National High with a summer fellowship at an NSF- ners to continue realizing world-class, ics isn’t for me. now I realize I’m not as bad off as I thought research once before, and I’ve presented Magnetic Field Laboratory by the commu- funded laboratory, the National Center basic research opportunities for its com- The Southeastern Conference for I was. I felt quite empowered by the end of it twice since then. It gets a little bit easier nity of users and by the National Science for Atmospheric Research,” he said. “That munity of users. Undergraduate Women in Physics was the conference. Through the panel discus- every time. After about four or five groups Foundation. It reflects the quality of the and many other reasons is why NSF has “An interdisciplinary facility like the the first conference I have attended. The sions I was not only given the encourage- of people had come up to me, I realized stewardship of Dr. Barron, Dr. Boebinger become my favorite agency.” MagLab isn’t tenable without real, sus- conference ran from January 12–15, 2012, ment to continue on in the field, but I was that I really loved teaching people about and everybody involved in this enterprise.” Barron described the NSF as always tained investment from both academia and included lab tours, student talks, and also told about many tools and techniques what I’ve discovered. I had been question- Crim praised not only the competing to be the very best and repre- and government,” Boebinger said. “It’s panel discussions with various groups that would help me get through graduate ing whether high energy physics (HEP) is people — administrators and research- senting discovery that has impact and a wonderful to step back today and cele- of women in the field of physics. I left the school. really the right path for me but that is the ers — of Florida State University, but also purpose. brate what’s been a long and tremendously conference with a whole new outlook on The questions my fellow physicists moment I realized it is. During the poster those at the University of Florida and “This is what I love about the magnet successful partnership among so many my role in the physics community. I had asked during the panel discussions were session, Dr. Ayana Arce from Duke Univer- Los Alamos National Laboratory in New lab,” Barron said. “It is always compet- institutions.” been a physics major for two-and-a-half the most interesting part of the panel dis- sity stopped by my poster. She let me pres- Mexico. ing to be the very best — and succeeding. The MagLab is the only national labo- years by that point and had been conduct- cussions. The women at this conference ent my work and asked me a few questions “They are the critical component that It truly represents discovery with impact ratory in Florida. It employs approximately ing my own research for a year, but it wasn’t were all from different universities, but we at the end. Then she explained to me that allows the magnet lab to serve the nation,” and a purpose.” 350 scientists and support staff. Scientists until I spent those four days with a really weren’t all that different, and many of the she was a high energy physicist and told me Crim said. “They enable the science that Barron assured Crim that Florida State from around the world use its high-pow- great group of women that I truly felt like women had the same questions as I did. about the REU program at Duke. The stu- happens here.” would continue to stay true to the path of ered magnets for scientific research and I belonged in the world of physics. The During the panel discussions we learned dents who were accepted to the HEP part of At a special ceremony Monday, Febru- discovery for the sake of the many scien- academic study. Southeastern section of the conference got how to apply for graduate school and how the program would get to spend five weeks ary 4, 2013, the National Science Founda- tists and students who conduct research The National Science Foundation a special treat in that we had the chance to to survive it. We also got a clearer picture working at CERN. I had a list of about ten tion announces the renewal of its 5-year at the National High Magnetic Field Lab- approved a $156.7 million grant for the visit Oak Ridge N ational Laboratory. I must of what we could do in industry with a REUs that I wanted to apply for and some- grant for the National High Magnetic Field oratory. MagLab for 2008 through 2012. The new have sent a picture of the Jaguar supercom- physics degree. But mostly, we all had the how I never even looked at Duke’s program. Laboratory at Florida State University. The “We will take this truly unique part- five-year grant represents a substantial puter to ten of my friends because I was so same desire to spread awareness of sci- Working at CERN has been my ultimate new grant increases the Mag Lab’s fund- nership between institutions and the increase in support for the facility, which excited about how cool it is. ence to a younger generation of girls. The dream from the get-go, so I added it to the ing to $168 million. National Science Foundation and con- attracts scientists from around the world I really decided to go to this conference various outreach programs that are being list. In my application I wrote about this Barron underscored the significance of tinue to make you feel very proud of what and has a substantial economic impact because I was going to have to figure out conducted in the Southeast gave me some conference and how the experiences I had funding from the National Science Foun- we accomplish,” Barron said. on the region. The MagLab also receives what do with my life with just an under- great ideas for my own outreach. Since the changed my perspective entirely, and now dation. Boebinger characterized the NSF grant funding from the state of Florida. graduate degree in physics. I was quite conference, I have spoken to three high I am at CERN this summer! 6 f 2013 f RESONANCES RESONANCES f 2013 f 7

FSU physics students spend spring break at CERN Three members of Physics Department recognized by FSU

Kathleen Laufenberg Each year Florida State University recognizes outstanding research accomplishments by professors and research scientists. The Depart-

SPECIAL TO RESONANCES ment of Physics is proud to announce that three members of the department have been selected for this year’s awards. Professor Bernd Berd has received the Distinguished Research Professor Award, Professor Alexander Volya has received the Developing Scholar Award, and Pro- On March 3, 2012, seven FSU physics stu- fessor Ingo Wiedenhover has received the Honors Thesis Mentoring Award. dents flew to Geneva, Switzerland for spring break. It was not your typical spring break. All seven were enrolled in PHZ4390, Par- ticle and Nuclear Physics, for the spring 2012 term. They travelled to Geneva as part of an optional component to the course that included a week at CERN, the Euro- pean Center for . Prof. Todd Adams and FSU International Programs arranged the trip and all of its activities. The group stayed at the CERN Hostel (i.e. on-site dorms) and ate many meals at the CERN restaurants. We had a group dinner in the Hostel kitchen on the day we arrived as well as a feast at local Italian restaurant later in Bernd Berg Alexander Volya Ingo Wiedenhover the week. During the week, the group experienced Dr. Bernd Berg State University, received the Leibniz Profes- Dr. Ingo Wiedenhover FSU students at CERN Recipient of one of the world’s premier particle physics sorship of Leipzig University, is a Fellow of the Honors Thesis Mentor Award Distinguished Research Professor Award laboratories in many different ways. One of American Physical Society and a recipient of The Honors Thesis Mentor Award was the highlights of the visit was a tour of the of the detector), the CERN computing international travel and organization. The Distinguished Research Professor the senior Research Prize of the German Hum- presented to Associate Professor Dr. I. Wie- CMS experiment. Physicists from the FSU center (home of the original web server), The trip was not science all the time. (DRP) award has been designed to recognize boldt Foundation. denhoever for the year 2011-2012. The award High Energy group have been involved in the LINAC (the initial source of the beam We started the week with both a mini- outstanding research and/or creative activity Dr. Alexander Volya recognizes a faculty member who has been the CMS collaboration since 1994. CMS is for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)), and train tour and a walking “treasure hunt” of eligible Florida State University faculty. It is Recipient of outstanding in his service to the students in located at Point5 in the French countryside, the magnet test facility where all of the through downtown Geneva. On Tuesday open to full-professors who have completed at Developing Scholar Award the Honors Program. Since 2002, Dr. Wie- about 10 miles from the primary CERN site LHC magnets are commissioned. There afternoon we toured the United Nations least five years in the rank of Professor atFSU . Developing Scholars are mid-career associ- denhoever has supervised seventeen under- (CERN is divided into a number of smaller was also time to explore the CERN visi- headquarters. Thursday was a day trip to Berg has been honored with this award ate professors who have been singled out by their graduate research projects , six of which were/ parcels in both Switzerland and France). tor center and the Globe, a public exhibi- Bern, the capital of Switzerland. There we for his outstanding contributions to compu- peers for recognition. The Developing Scholar are being performed as Honors in the Major CERN provided a bus to shuttle the group tion recently opened to celebrate particle saw the apartment where Einstein lived tational physics, which has become an essen- Award is based on evidence of a clearly estab- theses. to Point5. Unfortunately, due to the re-start physics. We also met with Prof. John Huth, in 1905 (outside only due to renovations) tial component to modern physics research. lished program of teaching, research and cre- Ingo Wiedenhoever is an Associate Pro- of accelerator operations for 2012, we were a faculty member from Harvard Univer- and spent several hours exploring the Among a number of pioneering contributions ativity lasting over a number of years. fessor at the Florida State University Physics not able to see the detector itself. At the sur- sity who discussed his work, and several Einstein exhibit at one of the museums. to lattice (a branch of par- Associate Professor Alexander Volya received Department and serves as Associate Direc- face we were able to explore the CMS con- current and former members of the FSU There was also some free time to spend in ticle physics), Berg’s multicanonical simulation the FSU 2012 Developing Scholar Award. Dr. tor for Operations at the John D. Fox accel- trol room and see the building where the high energy group who were at CERN that the evenings, including shopping, dining, method has been most influential. Originally Volya received his Ph.D. from Michigan State erator laboratory. His research interests are detector was assembled. We were also able week. and fun in Geneva and St. Genis, a near- developed in particle physics, this approach University and carried out postdoctoral work at in Experimental Nuclear Physics, in partic- to go one hundred meters underground into “Studying abroad and visiting CERN by French village. Some of the group also has found its way over statistical physics into the Argonne National Laboratory prior to joining ular the physics of exotic nuclei and nuclear the USC cavern that holds much of the elec- was the pinnacle of my undergraduate ex- went to the Geneva auto show, Europe’s biophysics and biochemistry as documented FSU in 2003. His research work focuses on novel astrophysics. He performs experiments at the tronics related to data readout as well as perience. The science, organization, and largest car show. in about 1,500 citations of the two original aspects of nuclear physics and its connections to National Superconducting Cyclotron Labora- detector monitoring and control. The tour people of this trip were all astounding, This is a first of its kind program of- papers. Berg has also written a well received astrophysics, mesoscopic physics, fundamental tory (NSCL) and established a new research was led by FSU Professor Emeritus Vasken and this is a memory that I will hold with fered between the College of Arts and Sci- textbook on Markov chain Monte Carlo simu- science, quantum chaos, and many-body phys- program with the RESOLUT facility at FSU’s Hagopian who was just about to start an me forever,” says Sandon Simmons, se- ences and FSU International Programs to lations. Originally from Germany, Berg studied ics in general. He co-authored over 70 publica- John D. Fox accelerator laboratory. He was eight-hour shift as Shift Captain, leading a nior physics major. The group spent most combine a science course taught on cam- at the Freie Universität Berlin, was a Fellow at tions in peer-reviewed journals, he was invited elected as chair of the User Executive Com- team of physicists monitoring the detector of the week together and got to know each pus with a trip to a foreign site during CERN and an Assistant Professor at Hamburg to give series of lectures at national and interna- mittee of the NSCL in 2007 and elected to for that period. other very well. Jill Adams from Interna- spring break. According to the students, University before joining the Florida State Uni- tional schools on nuclear physics, and he serves the FRIB User Committee in 2009. Ingo Wie- The week also included guided tours tional Programs also participated in the the trip was a huge success and a truly versity in 1985 as an Associate Professor. Berg as a panel member in review committees for denhoever was the 2010 recipient of the FSU of the Atlas experiment (with a 3D movie visit, lending her 25 years of expertise in unique experience. is the Dirac Professor of Physics at the Florida Federal Funding Agencies. Developing Scholar Award. 8 f 2013 f RESONANCES RESONANCES f 2013 f 9

Andrew Wilson (left) and Darren McGlinchey (center), winners of the John D. Fox Award, with Sam Tabor.

Jeff Owens (right) presents the Dirac Fellowship Winston Roberts (right) congratulating Zachary Dirac-Hellman Award winner Wenxin Ding (left) with Bernd Berg. Mark Riley (left) with Jim Valentine, winner of one Award to Zachary McDargh. McDargh with a special award. of two Atom Awards presented in 2012.

David VanWinkle (left) presents the Schwarz Scholarship Award to Daniel Scott Davis. Susan Blessing (left) presents Alicia Gomez with the Lynn Shannon Proctor Award. Mark Riley (center) flanked by five-year service award recipients Christopher Bradley (at left) and Mark Cartagine (at right). Liuqi Yu (left), recipient of the Yung Li Wang Dr. Riley thanks Eva Crowdis for organizing yet Award, with Sam Tabor. another highly successful family awards party. 10 f 2013 f RESONANCES RESONANCES f 2013 f 11

Daniel Moerland (left), Lannutti Award Ashley Huff, Lannutti Award winner, with Dr. Simon Capstick, at right, presented the winner, presented by Joseph Owens. Owens. Novotny Award to Jennifer Misuraca.

Left to right — Jesse Raffield, Derrick Van Gennep and Ashley Huff, all Silver Medal winners in the annual Physics poster competition.

Mark Riley congratulates Paul Eugenio for winning the prestigious PAI award.

Ashley Huff and Daniel Moerland, the 2012 Mark Riley with Richard Boisseau, the At left is Eden Steven, winner of the Nelson Lannutti Award winners. Atom Award winner. The Atom Award is the Endowment Award, with Jorge Piekarewicz. department’s highest staff honor.

Powell Barber, left, being congratulated by Dr. Riley for his 20-year service award. From left — Karoline Köpp and Joseph Bochenek, Hagopian Endowment winners, with Sharon and Vasken Hagopian. 12 f 2013 f RESONANCES RESONANCES f 2013 f 13

Reina named ‘Woman Physicist of the Month’ Piekarewicz appointed to elite U.S. nuclear panel decays as a graduate student and during Susan Hellstrom Jeffery Seay her postdoctoral work. At that point, SPECIAL TO RESONANCES SPECIAL TO RESONANCES she became excited by the possibility of new results from the Large Hadron Col- In the first four months of last year, phys- Florida State University Professor Laura lider (LHC), changed research directions ics Professor Jorge Piekarewicz has received Reina has been named Woman Physi- and became a world expert on the phe- recognition from the National Science cist of the Month for February 2013 by the nomenology of the Higgs boson. Know- Foundation (NSF), the Department of American Physical Society’s Committee ing that the LHC offered the best chance Energy (DOE), and the American Physical on the Status of Women in Physics (CSWP). of detecting the Higgs, she began work- Society (APS). Piekarewicz was invited to Reina, who was elected a fellow of the ing closely with the LHC experimenters, serve a three-year term on the joint DOE/ American Physical Society in 2005 and a doing high precision calculations of the NSF Nuclear Science Advisory Committee fellow of the American Association for the expectations for Higgs searches. (NSAC). He also was named an “outstand- Advancement of Science in 2011, conducts Reina’s research will be particularly ing referee” by the APS. research into the phenomenology of ele- important in the next few years, as the NSAC, the most influential committee mentary particle physics. She is known for Higgs boson’s properties are studied. She concerned with basic nuclear science in the her work with the Large Hadron Collider specializes in the effects of perturbative United States, provides advice and guid- at CERN, the European Organization for QCD (“quantum chromodynamics”) cor- ance to the DOE and NSF on both short- Nuclear Research, to assist in the detec- rections to Higgs phenomenology, and term and long-term national scientific tion of the elusive Higgs boson particle. In these corrections are vital in determin- priorities. The combined budget for DOE Laura Reina Jorge Piekarewicz July 2012, scientists got their first glimpse ing the interactions and decays of the and NSF nuclear science is more than $500 of the particle, which helps explain how can Physical Society’s Committee on the Higgs. She has developed a number of million per year. matter attains its mass. Status of Women in Physics. analytical and numerical algorithms for Piekarewicz is the third person from “Jorge being named to NSAC is recog- explaining many aspects of nuclear matter “It is a great honor for me to be part of “Laura has excelled as a physicist for implementing these corrections, and Florida State to be appointed to this panel nition of his wide-ranging knowledge of to the community, and we here at Florida the group of women physicists that have many years and has received quite a bit of they have been part of the particle phe- since its inception in 1977. The others were nuclear physics and the important influ- State know him as an excellent teacher.” been recognized by the American Physi- attention for her accomplishments,” said nomenologist’s toolbox. Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor ence he has had on the field, especially with In being named an “outstanding ref- cal Society through the Woman Physicist Sam Huckaba, dean of Florida State’s Col- “Laura’s work has had an enormous Donald Robson (serving from 1978 to 1982), respect to neutron stars and the role that eree” by the APS, Piekarewicz was one of 149 of the Month initiative,” Reina said. “I’m lege of Arts and Sciences. “This is a fantas- impact matched by few others, and she and Raymond K. Sheline Professor of Phys- nuclear matter plays in their formation,” members out of the approximately 60,000 very grateful to the colleagues that have tic recognition to add to her portfolio. It currently has an extraordinary average ics Mark Riley (serving from 1999 to 2002). said Kirby Kemper, physicist and former currently active referees selected for 2012. taken the initiative and time to nomi- shows that she is more than just an out- of 83 citations per paper,” said Marc Sher, Robson is a past chair of the physics depart- FSU vice president for Research. “The field Piekarewicz was named an APS fellow nate me and to support and highlight the standing scientist but also a luminary role professor of physics at the College of Wil- ment, and Riley is the current chair. also knows him as an excellent speaker in in 2005. image of women physicists. I hope young model for other women working in the liam and Mary. Sher nominated Reina for talented women will read our stories and field.” the distinction of Woman Physicist of the feel more confident in approaching phys- Reina earned a doctorate in high- Month. ics in their studies.” energy from the Inter- Reina has helped educate a gener- Inductees The CSWP Woman Physicist of the national School for Advanced Studies in ation of particle theorists through her Month award is intended to highlight Trieste, Italy, in 1992. After postdoctoral well-received Theoretical Advanced named to SPS exceptional female physicists who have work at the University of Brussels and at Study Institute summer school lec- positively impacted other individuals’ Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, tures, which she has given several At the 2012 Awards Ceremony, a lives and careers. N.Y., she joined the University of Wiscon- times during the past decade. She is an new round of students were Florida State University Professor sin in Madison as assistant scientist in 1997. excellent teacher, having won teaching Laura Reina, known for her work with the When Reina joined the Department of awards at Florida State, and is a suc- honored with induction to SPS. Large Hadron Collider at CERN and the Physics at Florida State in 1998, she was cessful mentor. Her first two doctoral From left to right: Taylor Hinds, search for the elusive Higgs boson par- a recognized expert on b- physics students now have faculty positions at Kevin Blondino, Alicia Gomez, ticle, has been named Woman Physicist and CP (“charge parity”) violation, having research universities, and most of the of the Month for February by the Ameri- written numerous papers on b-quark others are continuing in the field. Daniel Moerland, Karen Bermes, Zach McDargh, Ashley Huff, Derrick VanGennep, Kyle Serniak, Spencer Rosenfeld, and Luis Barrera. 14 f 2013 f RESONANCES RESONANCES f 2013 f 15

‘APS Fellows’ ‘New particle’ — continued from page 3 — continued from page 2 tion advancements in the understanding of understanding of particle interactions along Dragana Popovic, a MagLab scholar/sci- “A growing number of new materials behave at the nanoscale level and when expected around the end of July. While it is the rest of the — are scien- with exploring models of new physics. entist, “for experimental studies of glassy exhibit superconductivity, which is a state they are put together is not only interesting clear that a new particle has been discov- tists approaching the moment of knowing When protons collide in the Large behavior in strongly correlated systems observed in metallic systems that allows at the fundamental level but also relevant ered, scientists at ATLAS and CMS will need whether the Higgs was the right solution to Hadron Collider, their energy can convert near the metal-insulator transition.” electrical currents to flow through them for a broad range of practical applications,” to collect more data and run further anal- this problem. into mass, often creating short-lived parti- Peng Xiong, a professor of physics, “for without the loss of energy,” Balicas said. “It Xiong said. ysis to determine its properties, including On Tuesday, July 17, 2012, the HEP group cles. These particles quickly decay into pairs contributions to tructured superconduc- has enormous potential for technologi- While most of the new APS fellows study whether it is the Higgs boson. and the Physics Department sponsored of lighter, more stable particles that scien- tors, ferromagnets, and their hybrids.” cal applications, but in these materials the matter at its most basic level, another one The Higgs mechanism is a very simple a public event to discuss the exciting dis- tists can record with their detectors. “This year’s APS bounty is a remarkable properties of the superconducting state are looks at the bigger — much bigger — picture. and far-reaching idea, which for particle covery. Approximately 200 to 250 people Theoretical physicists have predicted achievement and one that the entire insti- quite different from our ‘standard theory’ Hoeflich, an astrophysicist, seeks to under- physicists can explain the origin of one of came out to Moore Auditorium to hear the rate at which the Higgs boson will be tution can celebrate,” said Sam Huckaba, for superconductivity. My research focuses stand one of the great mysteries of the uni- the fundamental properties of truly ele- directly from Prof. Prosper, who explained produced in high-energy, proton-pro- dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “It on unveiling these properties with the hope verse — the presence of so-called “dark mentary particles: mass. In 1964 six scien- the importance of the Higgs boson and the ton collisions at the LHC and also how is representative of FSU’s breadth and excel- of increasing our current understanding of energy.” tists working in three independent groups evidence of discovery. Audience members it decays into certain combinations of lence in the physical sciences.” this phenomenon.” “One of the most stunning discoveries (Robert Brout, Francois Englert; Peter asked questions throughout the evening, observable particles. MagLab Director Greg Boebinger agreed. Balicas’ group also works to identify of the past decade was the realization that Higgs; and Gerald Guralnik, C. R. Hagen, which lasted nearly two hours. “In the last two years I’ve been part of a “The single most important hallmark of new materials with unique magnetic and the universe is undergoing an accelerated Tom Kibble) proposed a new theory with Other members of the FSU HEP group group of theorists and experimentalists that an excellent research institution is the col- electronic properties that can be used to expansion and that a new form of energy a mechanism to dynamically generate working on the CMS experiment include provided an updated set of predictions for lective of its talent, the community of its create powerful magnets. Magnets of wide that comprises 70 percent of the energy the mass properties of existing particles, Associate Professor Todd Adams, Assistant Higgs boson searches to be used by ATLAS researchers,” Boebinger said. “This award technological use are usually composed of budget of the universe — — is through the interaction with a new parti- Professor Andrew Askew, Emeritus Scien- and CMS, using start-of-the-art theoretical recognizes individual expertise and accom- rare-earth elements such as neodymium pushing the universe apart,” Hoeflich said. cle, namely the Higgs particle. Experiments tist Sharon Hagopian, Emeritus Professor calculations,” Reina said. “I’m at the same plishment, of course, but having so many or samarium. By developing synthetic ver- “This is unlike ordinary matter as we know at the Large Electron-Positron (LEP) Col- Vasken Hagopian, post-docs Jie Chen and time amazed and humbled by the fact that awardees in a single year is an extra recog- sions of these elements, future magnets it, which tends to ‘clump’ due to gravita- lider at CERN and the Tevatron collider at Marc Weinberg, and nine graduate stu- this incredible effort has indeed contributed nition of Florida State University’s growing can be more powerful and cheaper to build. tional attraction. This discovery has trig- the Department of Energy’s Fermilab have dents. Professors Susan Blessing and Horst to the discovery of a particle that could be stature as a research institution.” He is also undertaking a program in nano- gered a new quest to understand the searched for the Higgs boson, but it has Wahl, post-doc Dmitry Bandurin, and two the Higgs boson. It is one of the most excit- While the six researchers all received the technology based on single atomic layers of enigmatic nature of dark energy, which may eluded discovery. graduate students currently work on the ing moments in my scientific career, and I same recognition as fellows, the nature of “exfoliable,” or fire-resistant, materials that be probed by measuring how it evolves with Fermilab’s experiments recently pre- DØ experiment at Fermilab. Theoretical feel so lucky to have been part of it.” their research is actually quite varied. could revolutionize the future of electronics. time or, equivalently, by observing objects sented final results on the search for the HEP physicists at FSU are Professor Bernd “This new particle is a big piece of the Alamo, for example, works with “poly- Another MagLab researcher, Popo- so remote that it takes light billions of years Higgs that showed hints of a new particle, Berg, Professor Jeff Owens, Professor Laura grand puzzle,” Askew said. “But it is still olefins,” large plastic molecules that are vic, studies how various types of compos- to reach the Earth.” but the data was insufficient to be a dis- Reina, Assistant Professor Takemichi Okui, only one piece, the very beginning of the able to assume a wide variety of shapes. ite materials possessing unique properties Cottle has conducted groundbreak- covery. Only now, after decades of devel- post-docs Alejandro Jenkins and Thomas LHC program. We expect to learn a lot Polyofelins are used almost everywhere, conduct electricity — knowledge that is cru- ing scientific research on exotic nuclei for opments in accelerator and detector Schutzmeier, and six graduate students. The more of the bigger picture as the program with two specific types — polyethylene and cial for the development of future technol- more than a quarter-century. However, technology and computing — not to men- theorists investigate deepening our current continues.” polypropylene — accounting for about 80 ogies. his APS recognition comes for his efforts percent of the total worldwide production “The electrical transport properties of to promote the increasing importance of of plastics. Because they are so easy to fab- many ‘novel’ materials can be changed dra- STEM (science, technology, engineering ricate into a wide variety of useful products, matically by adding even a small number of and mathematics) subjects in K-12 and such as film wraps, greenhouses, automo- electrons,” Popovic said. “Understanding college curricula. bile parts, hospital gowns and even carpet- and control of the electron motion may help “Science and engineering careers offer ing, polyolefins have an ever-increasing list us to develop materials with such applica- some of the best opportunities for eco- of potential uses. Alamo studies how these tions as more efficient energy transmission nomic security our kids have now,” Cottle molecules “fold” to understand the perfor- and faster computer speeds.” said. “And physics courses at both the mance of polyolefin materials — research In Florida State’s Department of Physics, high school and college levels are the gate- that could lead to new and innovative appli- Xiong conducts research on superconduc- ways into these fields. We owe it to our stu- cations. tors and ferromagnets — what he calls “two dents to give them great opportunities to At the MagLab, Balicas studies novel of the most venerable classes of materials in learn and understand physics so that they materials with special properties — in his solid-state physics. have the best possible chances to succeed case, superconductivity and magnetism. “Understanding how these materials in this new economy.” 16 f 2013 f RESONANCES

Two FSU physics professors lead APS committees

Paul Cottle and Susan Blessing

Jeffery Seay new phenomena in proton-antiproton col- schools, conducting an award program

SPECIAL TO RESONANCES lisions, also is director of the university’s for undergraduate physics programs and Women in Math, Science and Engineering working to make graduate study in physics Two Florida State University physics living-learning center. She won the Ross more hospitable for students and more rel- professors — Susan Blessing and Paul Oglesby Award from Florida State’s Garnet evant for employment in the private sector. Cottle — have been appointed to chair and Gold Key student honor society in 2011. Cottle was named a fellow of the APS committees that make policy decisions The award is given for exemplary service to in 2012 for “his efforts to improve uni- for the American Physical Society, the the university’s students. versity physics education, especially for national organization of physicists. The Committee on the Status of Women precollege teachers, and his advocacy Blessing is chairing the Committee on in Physics addresses the issues that arise for effective precollege science educa- the Status of Women in Physics and Cottle from the significant underrepresenta- tion standards and policy in Florida and is leading the society’s Committee on Edu- tion of women in the field. As of 2006, only nationally,” according to the citation. cation. 12 percent of physics faculty members at Cottle is an experimental nuclear phys- “Susan and Paul have been active in American colleges and universities were icist who studies the behavior of exotic the physics community both locally and women. Blessing’s committee addresses isotopes. nationally for years, and the significance policy issues for physicists and physics “Susan’s and Paul’s service really helps of their contributions have been con- students at all levels from college faculty to further Florida State’s prestige on the firmed by these appointments,” said Sam down to the high school level, and con- national stage because these two com- Huckaba, dean of Florida State’s College ducts reviews of university physics depart- mittee assignments are two of the most of Arts and Sciences. “It is a bonus that the ments around the nation. important in the whole of the American committee assignments bring high visibil- Cottle’s Committee on Education Physical Society,” said Mark Riley, chair ity to both Florida State physics and Flor- addresses questions regarding physics of Florida State’s Department of Phys- ida State in general.” education at all levels, from K-12 to gradu- ics. “Their appointments to these commit- Blessing, the Nancy Marcus Profes- ate school. The committee is presently pro- tees is a well-deserved recognition of their sor and an experimental particle physicist viding advice on a proposed set of national status, leadership skills and dedication to whose research focuses on searches for science education standards for K-12 the study of physics.”