Accomplishments: Department of Physics and Astronomy
Jason Steffen (Physics and Astronomy) converted data from NASA's Kepler mission, which detected thousands of planets orbiting distant stars, into music. The sounds that are generated for each system can give insight into the formation of that system. His YouTube video, and the accompanying story, was picked up by Earth and Space…
Qiang Zhu (Physics and Astronomy) is the principal investigator for a two-year grant of $160,895 recently awarded to 51ԹϺ by the National Science Foundation. He will collaborate with researchers at other institutions, including Arizona State University, New York University, University of Arkansas, Cornell University, and University of…
Ashkan Salamat (Physics and Astronomy) was one of just 46 university professors nationwide – and the first from 51ԹϺ – to earn an Early Career Award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) office of science. Each year, the DOE selects rising researchers from the nation’s national labs and universities for the …
Ashkan Salamat (Physics and Astronomy), Paul Forster, Frederic Poineau, and Keith Lawler (all Chemistry and Biochemistry) were awarded a $449,901 research grant from the National Science Foundation for "Expanding Known Binary Technetium Nitrides and Sulfides: A Computationally-Led Synthesis Program." Technetium is a radioactive element…
Jason Steffen (Physics and Astronomy), Shichun Huang (Geoscience), and Zhaohuan Zhu (Physics and Astronomy) were awarded a $550,000 research grant from the National Science Foundation for "Modeling Dust Condensation in Protoplanetary Disks". This program will combine 51ԹϺ's expertise in geochemistry and in planet formation to…
Howard Yanxon (Physics and Astronomy) was one of 70 graduate students from across the nation selected for the Department of Energy's Solicitation 2 cycle for Office of Science Graduate Student Research Program.
Yanxon's advisor is professor Qiang Zhu. He will conduct his research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the…
Linda Lister (Music), Brian Hedlund (Life Sciences), and Zhaohuan Zhu (Physics and Astronomy) have been selected by the NSHE Board of Regents to receive this year's Regents’ Awards, which honor accomplishments that increase NSHE’s stature in five areas: teaching, academic advising, creative activities, research, and early-career (or “rising”)…
Daniel Proga (Physics and Astronomy) has been awarded a three-year grant for $464,618 from NASA to study radiation-magnetohydrodynamics of clouds in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Proga and his collaborators will continue their quest to develop a comprehensive and quantitative theory for cloud formation, destruction, and acceleration based on…
Bernard Zygelman (Physics and Astronomy) has published A First Introduction to Quantum Computing and Information. This book addresses and introduces new developments in the field of quantum information and computing (QIC) for a primary audience of undergraduate students.
Developments over the past few decades have spurred the need…
Jay Nietling (Physics and Astronomy), Katelyn DiBenedetto (Graduate College), Anabel Chavva (Service Learning & Leadership), Sara Tajalli (Writing Center), Shanna Kinzel (Student Union & Event Services), and Jill Zimbelman (Research and Economic Development) are this year's recipients of the Professional Development Awards.
These $500…
Rebecca Martin and Zhaohuan Zhu (both Physics and Astronomy) are part of a multi-institute research team that was awarded a NASA Theoretical and Computational Astrophysics Networks grant. The grant, "Origin of the giant planet dichotomy: Multi-scale modeling of planetary envelope accretion," is for three years and 51ԹϺ will receive…
David Rice and Jason Steffen (both Physics and Astronomy), along with collaborator Fred Rasio, conducted a study on the dynamical instability of planetary systems. Instability is a hallmark of young planetary systems and its effects are imprinted on the orbital properties of the remaining planets in the system. For decades a number of assumptions…