CCoommmmuunniiqquuFalléé 2005 University of Missouri-Columbia Department of PHysics & Astronomy New Hires Enlarge Department

The Department of Physics & Astronomy has hired seven new faculty members since 2003, which brings the fall 2005 faculty roster to 27 members. The following segments provide infor- mation about each of these new members.

NSF CAREER grant honors Carsten Ullrich torate in 1995 from Wurzburg University, Ullrich spent The arrival of Assistant Professor Carsten Ullrich to the postdoctoral years in France, at MU from 1997 to 1999 department was quickly followed by the announcement of and then with Nobel Prize winner Walter Kohn in Santa his receipt of a National Science Foundation CAREER Barbara, Calif. After a three-year stint on the faculty at the grant award. Only 300 of the prestigious awards are University of Missouri-Rolla, Ullrich seized the opportu- bestowed nationally on young investigators in fields of nity to return to MU, where he had friends and knew the science and engineering. In the past five years, nine MU department. “It was almost like coming home,” he says. faculty members have received CAREER awards. The $400,000 Infrared astronomer Angela award will support Ullrich’s Speck does stellar work research in theoretical and com- Angela Speck joined the depart- putational solid-state physics, ment in 2002 as a visiting assistant especially time-dependent density- professor and became a tenure- functional theory (TDDFT) for track assistant professor in 2004. ultra-fast excitations in semi- Born and raised in Bradford, conductors. This theory, Ullrich England, Speck graduated from says, is the generalization of the Queen Mary College, University widely used ground-state density- of London in 1992 with a bach- Carsten Ullrich functional theory and allows elor’s degree with honors in Angela Speck one to describe the dynamics of astrophysics. She spent a year in interacting many-electron systems. Ullrich’s interest is industry working on research and development of air-con- in the formal aspects of TDDFT, such as non-adiabatic ditioning products, then returned to higher education at behavior and memory effects, as well as in various appli- the Open University, researching oxygen isotopes in mete- cations in the linear-response regime and for nonlinear, orites. After transferring to the University College London strongly driven systems. Most of these applications deal (UCL) in 1995, she completed a doctorate in 1998. with electron dynamics in semiconductor nanostructures. After one year of postdoctoral research at UCL, Speck Recent work includes the study of nonlinear intersubband accepted a postdoctoral research associate position with the terahertz dynamics, collective excitations of quantum dots astronomy department at University of Illinois–Urbana/ in magnetic fields, and optical and transport properties of Champaign, where she continued research on the nature disordered transition-metal doped semiconductors. and distribution of stardust around evolved stars. An infra- Ullrich, who is from southern Germany, was inter- red (IR) astronomer, Speck has conducted research on ested in science from an early age and decided to focus stellar evolution, astromineralogy and dust around evolved on physics when he saw Maxwell’s equations for the first stars, galactic chemical evolution, meteoritics and the time. He was fascinated, he says, by all the “weird sym- optical properties of materials. Speck’s primary research bols,” and wanted to study them, clarifying “pretty early focus is on how circumstellar dust pertains to basic ques- that he would become a theorist.” After earning a doc- (Continues on Page 2) (New Hires, continued from Page 1) interactive control of an operator. Using frequency domain tions of galactic processes, and the origin of interstellar diffuse photon imaging, Yu is developing an optical tomo- dust. She says that as a vital ingredient in understanding graphic technique to image small animals using MRI, PET, Chair’s Note many astrophysical environments, dust is an essential part SPECT and CT scanners and so acquire multi-modal By H.R. Chandrasekhar, Department Chair of star formation processes as it is related to discoveries images simultaneously. In addition to biomedical imaging, This year has been declared as the World Year of of planet-forming disks. Speck believes that researchers current projects in Yu’s laboratory include studies of non- My first goal when I became the Physics by the United Nations to celebrate a century of sem- must understand stardust to understand its contribution to linear optics of new materials, semiconductor quantum dots chair was to communicate with our inal contributions that physics has made to humankind. As a astrophysics. and optoacoustic imaging. In his leisure time, Yu enjoys alumni and friends through a news- part of this worldwide celebration, we have organized a series Currently Speck is designing an emphasis program classical music and 19th Century European paintings. letter. It has taken longer than a of seminars, conferences and colloquia throughout the year. in astronomy for physics students that could expand to year to do it. Much has happened in Professor Sashi Satpathy was a co-organizer of the workshop an astronomy major program in the future. As an adviser Suchi Guha turns organic this period. This newsletter will not on Novel Oxides in Telluride, Colo., in August 2005. On to several undergraduate and graduate students, she has molecules into devices cover all the accomplishments of our Oct. 8-9, 2005, we are hosting the 52nd Midwest Solid State been responsible for overseeing student research that has Suchi Guha came to her current students and faculty, but we hope to Conference. Despite its apparent reference to Midwest, this resulted in eight conference presentations by five students department position as assistant catch up in the next newsletter. is a national conference; scientists from California to New in 2005 alone. Speck says she would like to be remembered professor in September 2003, I heartily welcome our new H.R. Chandrasekhar York will take part. Under the O.M. Stewart Colloquia, spe- by her students the way that she remembers her favorite but she was not new to Mizzou. group of students, graduate and cial talks are being arranged on gravity and astrophysics in teachers. She makes herself memorable to her students in As a postdoctoral fellow from undergraduate, who come with honor of the three papers written by Einstein a century ago many ways. In addition to a British accent, she sports four 1996 to 1998, Guha worked impressive credentials from Missouri and beyond. They that changed our view of space and time. tattoos (none in weird places, says she), and frequently with Meera Chandrasekhar and have won many coveted awards and fellowships, thus alle- I conclude with a note of grateful thanks to Henry dyes her hair “silly colors.” She dresses as a witch for her returned to Columbia after work- viating the budget shortfall in student support. We also White, who has served our department as chair for many class lectures every Halloween. In December 2004, to raise Suchi Guha ing at Marquette University have a record number of postdoctoral fellows at this time. years. We admire and appreciate his service. I am equally money for the Melvin Y. Mora Scholarship Fund, Speck and Southwest Missouri State These young men and women have contributed to the grateful to our Leaders, a select group of alumni, who have accepted monetary pledges in exchange for shaving her University because she “saw great opportunities for collab- intellectual atmosphere of the department. Of course, all been with us through thick and thin. I look forward to a head. She raised $1,200 for the fund. orations with faculty members both within and outside our of this is made possible by the research and creative activ- bright future for the department. department.” Prior to her first stint at MU Guha earned a ity of our faculty and their ability to garner extramural Science and Physics Today publish doctorate from Arizona State University, a master’s degree funding to support them. Ping Yu’s work from Indian Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s Assistant Professor Ping Yu joined the Mizzou physics degree with honors from the University of New Delhi. and astronomy faculty in 2003. Born in Shanghai, the Guha’s research explores the structure and electronic largest city in China, and raised properties of organic and inorganic semiconductors and Faculty Awards Honor Exceptional Achievements in Tianjin, a harbor city in north fullerene systems using optical spectroscopy. She currently China, Yu received bachelor’s investigates the photophysics of blue-emitting organic Dorina Kosztin, resident instruction assistant profes- recommendation of the chancellor and approved by and master’s degrees in phys- polymers and is developing novel optical techniques to sor and director of undergraduate studies, received the the MU Board of Curators, is a prestigious tribute to ics from Nankai University and study the vibrational spectra of organic layers in real Provost’s Outstanding Junior Faculty Teaching Award exceptional educators. Meera Chandrasekhar, who a doctorate in 1998 from Hong devices. A related area is the study of endohedral fullerenes in 2005 in recognition of superior teaching and advising received the impressive honor in September 2004, Kong University of Science and — promising device materials whose optical and electronic at MU. The award carries a stipend of $1,000. Kosztin is one of only seven recipients since the award was Technology. After two years properties can be tuned by changing the metal cluster teaches a calculus-based introductory physics course to established in 1992. Recipients are expected to func- at the Technical University of inside the fullerene cage. about 400 students each year and a seminar for phys- tion as an educational resource to other faculty by Denmark and Niels Bohr Institute (Continues on Page 11) ics majors. She serves as adviser to about 80 students. giving lectures, assisting in improving the quality of in Denmark, he moved to Purdue Kosztin has received accolades from an impressive teaching campuswide and engaging in teaching across University in 2000 as a postdoc- Ping Yu number of students who take her courses. They say divisional lines. The award carries an annual stipend of toral associate, where he worked Editorial Office she teaches her students to think like a physicist and $10,000, with no limit to chancellor-given extensions. on biomedical imaging and optoelectronics. Yu’s research Department of Physics & Astronomy problem-solver. The students appreciate her wisdom Wouter Montfrooij, assistant professor, shared an interests include biomedical imaging, optoelectronics, 223 Physics Building that reaches beyond the physics lecture hall and into all Excellence in Education award from the MU Division semiconductor optics and nonlinear optics. Columbia, MO 65211 aspects of their educational experience. Yu’s work on a holographic optical coherence imag- Phone: (573) 882-7997 of Student Affairs in April 2005, with co-organizer ing (OCI) technique based on AlGaAs/GaAs devices E-mail: [email protected] Shi-Jie Chen, associate professor, received the Bruce McClure in biochemistry, for his part in the appeared in Physics Today in September 2003 and in Science 2004 Provost’s Outstanding Junior Faculty Research Saturday Morning Science lecture series. Modeling Editorial Board and Creativity Award. Chen was one of the depart- the series after a similar activity at the University of in August 2003. He is currently working on two technolo- Sarah Hill ment’s first hires in biological physics, arriving in fall Michigan in Ann Arbor, Montfrooij created the series gies that use near infrared light to image through tissue: Meera Chandrasekhar 2000, and has been funded by the American Heart as a way to present exciting scientific information frequency-domain photon diffusion and coherence-domain Nancy Moen imaging. Coherence techniques can be used to get depth- Dan Glover Association and the National Institutes of Health. His to the public and for scientists to learn about one resolved optical sections inside small tumors. This novel Communiqué is published annually by the Department of active group of postdocs and students is pursuing another’s work. Other goals of the creators are to non-invasive and real-time spectroscopic optical biomedi- Physics & Astronomy at the University of Missouri-Columbia. work on the thermodynamics and kinetics of protein recruit future scientists by highlighting the importance cal imaging technique uses a holographic film and a low RNA folding. This award carries a stipend of $1,000. of science in everyday lives and to generate enthusi- The department appreciates hearing from alumni and asm for scientific research in middle and high school coherence interferometer that can record full-frame depth- The Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professorship, friends. Send announcements or milestones to the address students. resolved images through tumor tissue, without computed listed above. Website at www.physics.missouri.edu. awarded to outstanding faculty members on the tomography, allowing real-time video fly-through under

2 3 Association, Missouri Department of Natural $5 million grant by the National organization will serve as the basis Resources and the City of Columbia Municipal Science Foundation for a project titled for the construction of functional Faculty Kudos Landfill. FIBR: Understanding Multicellular Self- modules by “bioprinting”: the bio- Assembly. This proposal addresses logically compatible delivery of living Sergei Kopeikin and his collaborators at the Sashi Satpathy co-organized, with David Singh of the most fundamental mechanisms cells or their aggregates as “bioink” National Radio Astronomical Observatory continue Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a one-week work- in the evolution of biological systems particles into the “scaffold-biopa- to work on gravity waves using large radiotele- shop, Telluride Workshop on Physics of Novel Oxides, and the development of any particular per.” The principles of self-assembly scopes. They plan a new experiment using the Very in Telluride, Colo. in August. Thirty experts from the organism. This cross-disciplinary proj- illuminated through this project Long Baseline Array to measure whether gravity United States, Japan, India and Germany attended. ect is aimed at discovering the prin- will provide a foundation on which experiences aberrations in the same way as light ciples of self-assembly at the multicel- other research can be conducted In June 2004 Haskell Taub’s group received does. The experiment is planned for a week in lular level by dissecting the interplay into possibilities for future organ its most recent grant from the National Science October 2005 when the sun passes near the quasar between molecular and biophysical building and replacement. Through Foundation, which, when it expires in 2007, will 3C279 at a distance of two solar radii. complete 28 years of continuous support from the factors that drive the organization interactive exhibits, this project will NSF, a total of 14 individual awards that total $3 In a recent work published in Physical Review of cells and tissues into organs, and also help the public understand the million. In summer 2004 Taub served a visiting pro- Letters and featured in Physical Review Focus, employing the garnered knowledge to Gabor Forgacs process of science and what sci- fessorship at the Technical University of Denmark Ioan Kosztin showed that, contrary to the general direct the formation of organ modules: entists do, especially as part of an (DTU), the third time he has been so honored. He belief, passive and spatially asymmetric channel functional three-dimensional living structures of integrated multidisciplinary team trying to tackle a has had a 28-year collaboration with DTU’s Professor proteins in living cell membranes can act as active specific shape. The principles of multicellular problem of broad interest. Flemming Hansen, who has been a frequent visi- transporters by consuming energy from nonequilib- tor to this department. Taub was recently invited to rium fluctuations fueled by cell metabolism. In the case of the glycerol uptake facilitator (GlpF) channel chair the General User Proposal Panel in Condensed Brian DeFacio, who was born in Texas, joined protein from the bacterium Escherichia coli, this Retirements Matter Physics at Advanced Photon Source, Argonne the MU physics faculty in fall 1967, soon after he newly discovered transport mechanism appears to National Laboratory, a two-year position. Joseph Willett, a native of Missouri, came to received his doctorate in physics from Texas A&M fulfill a dual biological function, namely, (1) it acceler- Columbia in 1949. He received an MU doctorate in is leading a multidisciplinary, multi-insti- University. His Peter Pfeifer ates glycerol uptake by the cell under poor nutrient physics in 1956, working with Bernard Goodman in tutional project, Alliance for Collaborative Research in research focused on conditions, and (2) in the presence of harmfully high the area of quantum statistical mechanics. Willett Alternative Fuel Technology (ALL-CRAFT), in which two areas of theoret- glycerol concentration it provides protection to the held governmental and industrial research positions novel technology for low-pressure, high-capacity ical physics, inverse cell by driving glycerol molecules out from the cell, for nine years and then returned to MU in 1965 storage of natural gas (methane) is developed, using problems and statis- against their concentration gradient. Kosztin pre- to join the faculty. nano-engineered materials. Industrial targets include tical mechanics. His sented this work in an invited lecture for the New & Willet’s research a flat-panel fuel tank for next-generation clean auto- recent work includes Notable Symposium at the 49th Annual Meeting of centered on plasma mobiles, recovery of methane as a renewable energy inverse problems in the Biophysical Society in February 2005. physics and most source from landfills and large-scale shipping of natu- ultrasonic scattering, recently on solu- ral gas from Alaska and deep-sea methane hydrate Giovanni Vignale co-wrote the book Quantum neutron reflectom- tions of Maxwell’s fields. The technology is based on nanoporous car- Theory of the Electron Liquid. Published by etry and electromag- equations for elec- bon, manufactured from corncobs Cambridge University Press in netic scattering to tric and magnetic and other materials that adsorb March 2005, this book introduces determine important fields in conjunction methane in high density at low pres- the quantum theory of the elec- features such as the with either kinetic sure (500 psi) and release it readily tron liquid and the mathematical size, shape, location or fluid equations to under decompression. The project is techniques that describe it, provid- and the dynamic describe the dynam- attracting national and international ing an in-depth introduction to the motions of the scat- Brian DeFacio ics of the particles in interest, as highlighted by the fea- physics of the interacting electron tering object from a plasma or relativ- ture article in the April 2005 issue liquid in a broad variety of sys- data on the scattered wave. DeFacio was on the edi- istic electron beam. of Fleets & Fuels. ALL-CRAFT is led tems, including metals, semicon- torial boards of the Journal of Mathematical Physics His current projects by the University of Missouri (http:// ductors, artificial nano-structures, from 1979-81 and the Journal of Nondestructive relate to controlled all-craft.missouri.edu) and funded by atoms and molecules. Vignale also Testing and Evaluation. He was chosen Jubilee Joseph Willett fusion and free-elec- NSF’s Partnerships for Innovation ran in the New York Marathon in Professor by Chalmers Technological University in tron lasers. Willett program, MU and others, at $1 both 2001 and 2003. Although Sweden for 1983–84. is well known on the Columbia music scene for his million for 2004-06. Partner institu- he was a distance runner in his frequent performances with jazz instrumentalists. DeFacio retired in September 2005 and has moved tions are DBHORNE LLC of Atlanta, youth, he says it was colleague Although Willett retired in September 2004, for a to Laredo, Texas. He will be missed; the coffee Ga., and Clean Vehicle Education Gabor Forgacs who convinced him couple more years, he will continue to teach at MU room is not the same. Contact Brian and Chris Foundation of Washington, D.C., to take part in the 2001 race. — another passion that he holds dear. DeFacio at 2214 E. Frost St., Laredo, TX 78403- and several Missouri organizations: George H. Vineyard Distinguished 1613. Phone (956) 791-8550, e-mail bdefacio@stx. Midwest Research Institute, Lincoln Professor Gabor Forgacs and his rr.com or [email protected]. University, Missouri Biotechnology Giovanni Vignale collaborators recently received a

4 5 Ernest W. Landen Undergraduate Scholarship In 1938, Landen was the seventh student to graduate Scholarship Memorializes Students Grateful for Department Scholarships from MU with a doctorate in physics. He specialized in Biophysics after receiving his master’s degree here in 1933. Student Killed in Iraq Each year the Department This fellowship is awarded to qualified students who dem- of Physics & Astronomy onstrate innovation and excellence in their research and Melvin Mora was killed in the line of offers several undergradu- scholarly activities. duty just before his graduation date ate and graduate scholar- Army Reserve Sergeant Melvin Y. Mora, a ships to students who Samuel S. Laws Scholarship Mizzou physics major killed in Iraq during an show unusual aptitude and To honor the scholar responsible for bringing an observa- ambush in the line of duty June 6, 2004, was a achievement in their stud- tory to MU, one or more annual prizes are made to an ies. These scholarships, undergraduate student who is interested in astronomy and senior at Mizzou and close to graduating with described here, honor dis- displays academic achievement and promise. his bachelor’s degree. To honor him, fellow tinguished former faculty undergraduate students organized a scholar- and alumni as well as the Packwood Undergraduate Scholarship ship fund to help students who share Mora’s students who receive them. This fund is available for undergraduate students major- love of physics achieve their academic goals To donate to any of ing in physics. The award may be renewed if the recipient in his name. The Melvin Y. Mora Scholarship these scholarship funds, maintains a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Financial please write checks to the need is not a consideration for awarding the scholarship. Fund is an endowed fund that will provide a University of Missouri, with scholarship for a deserving physics major every the name of the scholarship O. M. Stewart Scholarships year. in the memo line, and mail Oscar M. Stewart, an MU physics professor from 1901 to Department of Physics until his retirement in 1940, was a renowned teacher, Physics students worked on fund-raising proj- & Astronomy, ATTN scholar and author. This fund ects during the 2004-05 school year and plan Sherry Long, 223 Physics is used for undergraduate and to continue to solicit funds during the 2005-06 Building, Columbia, MO, graduate scholarships or fellow- academic year. The students are committed 65211. ships for students majoring or to seeing Melvin Y. Mora’s name live on in For more information Former department Chair Tom Wolfram, right, painted the portrait of Newell S. Gingrich, minoring in physics. It is also the MU physics department, and they wel- about any of these funds, who stands next to the image of himself. used for payment of honoraria please contact department for lectures held weekly and come contributions with gratitude. Chair H.R. Chandrasekhar by phone (573) 882-2619 or Lionel E. Gravel sometimes for the purchase of Contributions are needed to maintain this fund. e-mail [email protected]. Undergraduate Scholarship research apparati. Donors interested in contributing to the Melvin Established by grandson James DeGraffenried, a 1987 Paul E. Basye Undergraduate Scholarship physics department graduate, this scholarship honors a Clifford W. Tompson Y. Mora Scholarship Fund may write checks Established for worthy undergraduate students in Physics man committed to ensuring that his children enjoy the Scholarship to the University of Missouri, with “Melvin Y. and Astronomy by Dr. Paul Basye in 1985. Basye, who opportunities of higher education. Clifford Tompson joined the Mora Scholarship Fund” written in the memo formed strong and lasting ties with Mizzou while working O. M. Stewart department as assistant professor line, and mail to: Department of Physics and with professors O.M. Stewart and H.M. Reese, graduated Eli & Nola Haynes Scholarship in 1959, was promoted to pro- Astronomy, Attn: Sherry Long, 223 Physics in 1923. This fund is for students in both the Department fessor in 1970, accepted the position of director of under- Bldg., Columbia, MO 65211. of Physics & Astronomy and the Department of graduate studies in 1983 and retired in 1992 as professor Newell S. Gingrich Graduate and Mathematics. Awards are made to undergraduate or emeritus. As a tribute to his distinctive career, one or more For more information about the fund or about Undergraduate Scholarships graduate students who demonstrate a special interest in annual awards are made to full-time deserving undergradu- Melvin Mora, please e-mail Yve Solbrekken at On the anniversary of 50 years of distinguished ser- astronomy, physics or mathematics, preferably in the field ate physics majors. At the discretion of the Chair, this fund [email protected]. vice to MU, friends, colleagues and former students of of astronomy. is used in other ways to benefit students. Professor Gingrich established the Newell S. Gingrich Undergraduate Scholarship. An endowed fund to support Eugene B. Hensley Undergraduate Scholarship undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships was “Gene” Hensley, MA ‘48, PhD ‘51, physics, retired in established in 2003. Internationally known for his pioneer- 1985 as professor emeritus after more than 30 years of ing studies in x-ray and neutron diffraction, Gingrich’s teaching. He remained an active member of the depart- record of scholarly achievements in research is paralleled ment until his death in 1992. One or more annual awards by his record of excellence in teaching. are made to full-time, deserving undergraduate or graduate students who plan to pursue a major in physics.

6 7 goal of his research is to investigate the energetics and Mentorship award and worked with Peter Pfeifer the underlying physical mechanism of sugar molecule on model calculations of the efficiency of molecular Student Accomplishments transport through the bacterial maltoporin channel motors in biological systems. In 2003, Gustafson won protein by employing large-scale molecular dynamics a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for his research and Graduate Students Theory Applied to Laser Interferometric Gravitational simulations and statistical physical analysis methods. other achievements. As a summer research intern at Wave Antennas.” Flenner took a postdoctoral position Sunita Thulasi received a doctorate in 2005 with Sashi Forney’s results were presented as a poster at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, he worked in at the Naval Air Warfare Center in China Lake, Calif. Satpathy as adviser and joined Intel Corporation in 2005 Summer Undergraduate Research and Creative the area of plasma physics and co-wrote a paper titled Achievements Forum and will be presented as a poster “Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations of Shock-Cloud Portland, Ore., as a resolution enhancement techniques Undergraduate Students design engineer. She will work on optical proximity at the 52nd Midwest Solid State Conference. Interactions,” which he presented at the annual meet- Senior Matthew Simpson has many accolades, includ- ing of the American Astronomical Society in January corrections, which become increasingly significant as Christopher Volz received an Arts and Science ing a 2005 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. He received 2004. That research was also the topic of a talk given feature sizes on chips grow smaller. Her thesis was Undergraduate Research Mentorship award in sum- the scholarship for academic merit in competition at the November 2003 annual meeting of the Physics “Theory of the Two-Dimensional Airy Electron Gas: mer 2004 and was named an Undergraduate Research with more than 1,000 applicants. Established in 1986, Leaders and garnered the Physics Leaders’ Prize for Hartree-Fock and Density-Functional Studies.” Scholar for 2004-05. Volz, a senior, worked with Ioan the Goldwater Foundation operates an educational Outstanding Undergraduate Research. Gustafson also Kosztin in the study of water transport in asymmetric Hakim Meskine obtained a doctorate in 2005 with scholarship program designed to provide opportuni- received a prestigious Hertz Foundation Fellowship single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) by using both Sashi Satpathy as adviser and joined the Fritz-Haber ties for American undergraduate students with excel- Award for the current academic year, a merit-based equilibrium and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics Institute in Berlin, Germany, as a postdoctoral lent academic records and outstanding potential, and award consisting of a cost-of-education allowance. simulations, in particular, nonequilibrium pressure fluc- research associate. Meskine also received two other will cover cost of tuition, fees, books and room and He is enrolled in the physics graduate program at the tuations known as the ratchet effect. prestigious awards: the Graduate Student Association board. Simpson is also a recipient of a 2004-05 MU University of Maryland. Superior Graduate Achievement Award (SGAA), given Undergraduate Research Scholarship and was select- Kyle Gustafson graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2004 in recognition of excellence in teaching, research ed in 2003 for the Undergraduate Research Mentor and earned many other impressive awards. In 2002-03, or other department and community achievements, Program in the College of Arts and Science. His adviser Gustafson received an A&S Undergraduate Research and Graduate School Superior Graduate Student and mentor in that program, physics Professor Haskell Excellence Award, given by the Graduate School to Taub articulates only the highest praises for Simpson, the top three SGAA graduate students at Mizzou. His citing “Matt’s combination of superb academic achieve- thesis was on “Electron-Phonon Coupling Effects on ment, insight into research and personal interaction Magnetism in Solids.” skills.” Simpson’s career goals include working toward Outreach a master’s or doctorate in biophysics, conducting Chen Hou, PhD ‘05, advised by Peter Pfeifer, wrote a Saturday Morning Science research and teaching at a major university. thesis on “Scaling Laws for Oxygen Transport Across Saturday Morning Science presents a series of free, one-hour lectures by MU scientists at 10:30 a.m. most Saturdays in the Space-Filling System of Respiratory Membranes in Michael Gramlich won a New Focus Travel Grant the Monsanto Auditorium of the Life Sciences Center. The lectures are co-sponsored by the Department of Physics & the Human Lung.” Hou is a postdoctoral fellow at Santa to attend the Lasers and Electro-Optics/Quantum Astronomy, Department of Biochemistry, MU Office of Research and MU Life Sciences Center. For more information, visit http://www.physics.missouri.edu/satscience.html. Fe Institute, Santa Fe, N.M. Electronics and Laser Science Conference (CLEO/ Brian Kirby, PhD ‘04, advised by Jim Rhyne, wrote a QELS) in May 2005. Gramlich was one of only 10 students selected worldwide, and the only undergradu- thesis on “Annealing-Dependent Phenomena in Ga1-x Date Topic Speaker ate chosen this year. His oral presentation was titled MnxAs.” Kirby took a postdoctoral position with the Los Sept. 10 Linking Genes and Proteins Bruce McClure Alamos National Laboratory. “Optimizing two-wave mixing efficiency in photore- fractive quantum wells by selective angle tuning.” Shari Freyermuth Keary Schoen, PhD ‘04, with Samuel Werner as Gramlich earned his undergraduate degree in May Sept. 17 The ‘Truth’ About Global Warming Steve Keller adviser, wrote a thesis on “Neutron Interferometry 2005 and currently works as a research assistant with Sept. 24 Carbon Cycling in Soils Peter Motavalli Experiments at NIST: A Study of New Body Forces.” Paul Miceli on x-ray diffraction from thin film crystals. Oct. 1 Can Plants Move? Manni Liscum Schoen works at the MU Research Reactor Center as a Future plans include finishing a doctorate and finding a postdoctoral fellow. faculty position “within the decade.” Oct. 8 Fuel Cells and the Future of Energy Galen Suppes

Haiding Mo, PhD ‘04, with Haskell Taub as adviser, Mike Forney received a Life Sciences Undergraduate Oct. 15, 22 The Origin of Mind, part 1 and 2 David Geary wrote a thesis on “Neutron and X-Ray Scattering Research Scholarship (in the Life Sciences Oct. 29, Nov. 5 Ernst Mayr:The Species King, part 1 and 2 Jim Carrel Study of Intermediate-length Alkane films adsorbed Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program) and was Nov. 12, 19 Why Are Plants So Picky About Their Mates? Tim Holtsford on Solid Surfaces.” Mo is in a postdoctoral position at accepted in the Undergraduate Research Mentorship Dec. 3 Bioremediation by Bacteria Judy Wall Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill. Program. As an LS UROP fellow in summer 2005 and Arjuna Flenner, PhD ‘03, advised by Brian DeFacio, the current academic year, Forney, a junior, works with Dec. 10 Muscle Regeneration Dawn Cornelison wrote a thesis on “Wavelet Analysis with Information Ioan Kosztin on a biomolecular modeling project. The

8 9 (New Hires, continued from Page 2) We Trust: An Overview of Observations and Guha’s research has been supported by the Theories of Interstellar Dust,” published in Alumni Corner Research Corporation, the American Chemical Solid State Astrochemistry in 2003. Society Petroleum Research Fund and the National Science Foundation. A growth/fab- Deborah Hanuscin studies teaching David Rainwater, BS ‘93, graduated from the rication (organic optoelectronics) facility was and learning in physics University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1999 with a doc- funded by one of two large awards captured by Assistant Professor Deborah Hanuscin torate in particle theory. He spent three years as a Guha from the National Science Foundation. began her career as an elementary teacher in research associate at Fermilab in the Chicago sub- The system consists of a glove box integrated Tallahassee, Fla., and completed a doctorate urbs and two years as a research fellow at DESY, the with a spincoater and a thermal evaporator that in curriculum and instruction from Indiana German equivalent of Fermilab, in Hamburg, Germany. are connected by an antechamber. The interior Aigen Li University in 2004. As a jointly appointed He is the first Marshak Fellow in high-energy physics area of this system functions as a clean room faculty member in both physics and educa- at the University of Rochester. His focus is on the phe- [class (10-100)] with a laminar gas flow. Guha tion, her work and research are related to the nomenology of the fundamental interactions of nature, is the co-recipient of another NSF grant set to teaching and learning of physics, with special as studied at particle colliders. He spends most of his launch September 2005, titled “Light-scattering regard to scientific literacy and K-12 teacher time studying how the Large Hadron Collider, being studies of organic semiconductor based devic- preparation. A primarily qualitative research- built at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, will be able to es.” In addition to the scientific impact of this er, Hanuscin conducts naturalistic inquiry of observe new physics beyond the standard model and grant, Guha, along with co-principal investiga- classrooms using questionnaires, interviews, how it might go about disentangling competing claims tor Shubhra Gangopadhyay, professor in phys- participant observations and case studies to of new models to fit the data. This includes supersym- ics and electrical engineering, aims to establish develop a robust understanding of learners’ metry and various recent new models of electroweak a collaboration between the physics and elec- conceptions of scientific epistemology and the symmetry breaking. Rainwater continues his hobbies trical engineering departments in the field of implications for education. In addition, she of playing cello and flying airplanes, which sometimes Robert Cunningham of St. Louis prepares to unload the depart- nanoscale optoelectronics. supports both practitioners — K-12 teachers proves to be difficult in upstate New York weather. He Deborah Hanuscin ment’s first computer transported from Boston to MU in 1970. Born and raised in New Delhi, India, Guha — and faculty members in conducting action has continually played with amateur orchestras since The six-foot computer had 4K of memory. says she loved mathematics and technology research, a form of scholarship of teaching leaving Mizzou but may return to the smaller ensemble early on and spent long hours playing with and learning. To support the start-up of her format, like the quartets of his college days. This sum- diffractometers, and for use in teaching labs. In fall household appliances, sometimes to the point research program, Hanuscin has received mer Rainwater was a co-convener at the Snowmass 1970 he brought the department’s first computer back of no repair. Although she rarely indulges, three internal grants; the Richard Wallace HEP conference, held approximately every four years, from Boston on a wooden palette bolted to the bed of she enjoys reading, listening to jazz and blues Faculty Research Incentive Grant, a Research and spent a month at a collider workshop at the Aspen the department’s pickup truck. The computer was a music, hiking and playing the guitar. Council Grant and a Research Council Small Center for Physics. Digital Equipment Company PDP/20 that stood about Grant. William G. Brinkman, BS ‘60, PhD ‘65, reports he is six feet tall and had 4K of memory, a teletype console, Aigen Li works with the Spitzer Hanuscin’s interest in physics evolved having fun teaching and doing research at Princeton. no disk, a paper tape reader/punch, and an analog to Space Telescope project while teaching the subject, and she hopes He recently wrote a paper with P.W. Anderson and D. digital converter. Assistant Professor Aigen Li came to Mizzou to instill that same wonder in the prospec- in fall 2004. After completing undergradu- tive teachers she educates. In her spare time, Huse on the properties of solid helium. After an illustri- In 1973 Cunningham joined McDonnell Douglas, now ate studies at Beijing Normal University and Yun Zhang Hanuscin says she runs, paints murals and is ous career as a researcher and administrator, Brinkman Boeing, in St. Louis and quickly moved into manage- the Chinese Academy of Sciences, he earned an avid swing dancer. retired in 2001 as vice president of research at Bell ment. He is currently responsible for information tech- a doctorate in astrophysics from Leiden Laboratories and Lucent Technologies. He is a past nology in Boeing’s Phantom Works research division. president of the American Physical Society, winner of University in 1998. He was a postdoctoral research Yun Zhang connects labs with lectures the 1994 George E. Pake Prize and a member of the Robert Kost, MA ‘67, PhD ‘71, accepted a faculty associate at Princeton University from 1999-2002 and a As the newest addition to the department in fall 2005, prestigious National Academy of Sciences. He will chair position at Missouri Western State College, where he Theoretical Astrophysics Prize Fellow at the University of Yun Zhang comes to MU from Le Moyne College in the plenary session at the 52nd Midwest Solid State taught for three years before transferring to a small Arizona from 2002-2004. His chief research interests are Syracuse, N.Y. Zhang was born and raised in Kaifeng, Conference to be hosted by the physics department in company in Kansas City to design and synthesize linear the theoretical studies of the interstellar medium, with a Henan Province, China. She received a bachelor’s degree Columbia on Oct. 8-9, 2005. Brinkman shows no signs passive networks; this led to working in California on focus on interstellar grains; the formation and evolution of from Tsinghua University in Beijing and a master’s of slowing down. circuits used in hard disk drives. Kost retired in 2003 stars and planetary systems, with a focus on protoplanetary degree from Peking University in Beijing, both in physics. after 17 years with Seagate Technology in Minneapolis. dust disks around young stars, debris disks around main After moving to the United States in 1993, Zhang earned William L. Kennedy, BS, MS ‘74, is employed by MU’s His area of interest was digital data recovery in a noisy sequence stars, and dust envelopes around evolved stars; a doctorate in physics from the University of California– Department of Nuclear Engineering (Medical Physics), environment. During those years in the drive industry, and comets and the infrared properties of galaxies. San Diego. After graduation in 1999, she worked at IBM Columbia Regional Hospital Radiation Therapy, and MU he wrote two articles in circuit design related to disk Li has been closely involved with the Spitzer Space in the Storage Technology Division in San Jose, Calif., Hospital and Clinics Radiation Therapy Department. His drives. Kost is now is teaching and tutoring part time in Telescope, one of the four “great observatories” recently for three years as a test engineer. Currently a resident research interests include stereotaxic radiosurgery and a local community college and building furniture. launched by NASA. He is a team member of the Spitzer instruction assistant professor, Zhang says she would like implantable radiation detectors for radiation therapy Legacy Project SINGS (Spitzer Infrared Galaxies Survey) to concentrate on teaching. She plans to help improve stu- patients. Kennedy’s accomplishments include develop- and an invited guest member of the Spitzer IRS Dust Disk dent learning by making connections between laboratories ing radiation plan simulations and treatments for more Project. NASA has funded three of his Spitzer proposals. and lectures and by building classroom demonstrations. than 8,500 cancer patients. Please send alumni news to the department He has written nearly 50 refereed papers and edited the She would also like to develop a course on the physics Robert Cunningham, PhD ‘70, joined the department at [email protected]. We want to hear book Formation and Evolution of Solids in Space with J. Mayo involved in storing and retrieving data in hard drives for in a postdoctoral position and works to integrate com- from you. Greenberg. Among his invited review articles is “In Dust engineering-oriented students. puters into the control of research equipment, initially

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As part of the World Year of Physics 2005 celebrations, the Department of Physics & Astronomy hosted an Open House on April 9, 2005. Hundreds of chil- dren and their families enjoyed the demonstrations of physics phenom- ena and hands-on activities.