2023 HEAD Early-Career Prize is awarded to Prof. Mingarelli
The 2023 High Energy Astrophysics Division’s Early-Career Prize is awarded to Dr. Chiara Mingarelli for her leadership in the analysis of pulsar timing array data and her contributions to our understanding of the stochastic gravitational wave background.
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Prof. McCarron received a grant from Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Daniel McCarron, a physics professor, received a grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research for his work analyzing the quantum mechanical behavior of a simple hydrocarbon molecule: CH, or methylidyne. A highly reactive gas, methylidyne is abundant in the interstellar medium, and its simple composition promises to allow researchers to study the role […]
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UConn Physics hosts Quantum Matter Conference, Dec 19-22
Quantum matter and materials have grown to be active areas of modern condensed matter. The fascinating properties of quantum materials might lead to technological applications such as spintronics, quantum technologies, and quantum sensors. The combination of new materials discoveries and the development of new probes of quantum matter has helped shape these topics into an […]
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Seeing the gravitational wave universe
Physics Professor Chiara M. F. Mingarelli’s and graduate student J. Andrew Casey-Clyde’s “Perspective” just published in Science
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Upcoming visit by Dr. Sylvester James Gates
The University of Connecticut Department of Physics is pleased to announce the upcoming colloquium by Dr. Sylvester James Gates Jr. on November 18th in Gant West 002 from 3:30-4:45PM. Dr. Gates is a theoretical high-energy physicist who has made significant, pioneering contributions to supersymmetry, supergravity, and superstring theory. His colloquium will concern the ongoing efforts to […]
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Dr. Roy Gould, Harvard-Smithonian Center for Astrophysics, "On Life in the Universe: Recent Insights from Astrophysics and Biology", Graduate Student Seminar12:15pm
2/3
Dr. Roy Gould, Harvard-Smithonian Center for Astrophysics, "On Life in the Universe: Recent Insights from Astrophysics and Biology", Graduate Student Seminar
Friday, February 3rd, 2023
12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
Storrs Campus GS-119
Dr. Roy Gould, Harvard-Smithonian Center for Astrophysics
On Life in the Universe: Recent Insights from Astrophysics and Biology
Our Milky Way galaxy is teeming with exoplanets, but is it also teeming with life? As we wait for the James Webb Space Telescope to probe the atmospheres of other worlds for signs of life, we'd like to know what to expect. Is life on the universe's agenda, or is it merely a random epiphenomenon: not violating the laws of physics, but owing more to chance than to physics? This seminar summarizes several recent lines of evidence from astrophysics and biology that bear on the question. -
https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/j.php?MTID=mb1ceb024f5b35e4846e2bcec57da1830, Physics Education Journal Club12:00pm
2/3
https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/j.php?MTID=mb1ceb024f5b35e4846e2bcec57da1830, Physics Education Journal Club
Friday, February 3rd, 2023
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Other Online
https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/j.php?MTID=mb1ceb024f5b35e4846e2bcec57da1830
Meeting number: 2623 259 2310
Password: UConnPER -
Professor Osama Bilal, University of Connecticut, "Programmable metamaterials: Teaching old materials new tricks", Condensed Matter Physics Seminar2:00pm
2/1
Professor Osama Bilal, University of Connecticut, "Programmable metamaterials: Teaching old materials new tricks", Condensed Matter Physics Seminar
Wednesday, February 1st, 2023
02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Storrs Campus GS-117
Professor Osama Bilal, University of Connecticut
Programmable metamaterials: Teaching old materials new tricks
Mechanical metamaterials are materials with tailored, architected geometry, designed to retain properties that do not exist or are rare in nature. Most of these mechanical properties are inscribed in the material's frequency dispersion spectrum, ranging from its stiffness at zero frequency to its wave attenuation capacity at finite frequencies. This class of materials usually features a structural pattern that repeats spatially (i.e., unit cell). A major challenge in metamaterials design is to engineer unit cells that have the ability to change their mechanical properties in a predetermined manner, within practical time frames. As a demonstration of the principle, we harness geometric and magnetic nonlinearities to tune the metamaterials' dispersion characteristics. We program our nonlinear metamaterial to redirect waves, in real-time, in an element-wise fashion. Moreover, we use it to realize the unique acoustic devices to guide and cascade waves.
Speaker's bio: Osama R. Bilal is an assistant professor in the department of mechanical engineering at the University of Connecticut. He received his PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. Before joining UCONN, he held a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the institute of theoretical physics at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. His research interest spans the realization of acoustic metamaterials, soft robotic materials, topology optimization and fluid-structure interaction. Osama is the recipient of several awards, including the ARL postdoctoral fellowship (Army), ETH postdoctoral fellowship (ETH), the Graduate Student Service Award (CU-Boulder), among others. More info at http://www.orbilal.com/ -
Prof. Niloy Dutta, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, "Optical correlation and optical logic", Graduate Student Seminar12:15pm
1/27
Prof. Niloy Dutta, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, "Optical correlation and optical logic", Graduate Student Seminar
Friday, January 27th, 2023
12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
Storrs Campus GS-119
Prof. Niloy Dutta, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut
Optical correlation and optical logic
The talk will describe the research in our group in the areas of optical correlation and optical logic. The associated optical device technologies will also be discussed.
I will also describe my work and research experience in corporate labs and defense contractors. -
Prof. Gerald Dunne, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, "Scientific Communication: preparing papers, proposals and talks", Graduate Student Seminar12:15pm
1/20
Prof. Gerald Dunne, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, "Scientific Communication: preparing papers, proposals and talks", Graduate Student Seminar
Friday, January 20th, 2023
12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
Storrs Campus GS-119
Prof. Gerald Dunne, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut
Scientific Communication: preparing papers, proposals and talks
An important skill to learn as a physicist is how to communicate your scientific results effectively, to a wide variety of different audiences. It is important to learn about this as early as possible in your career, and to practice as much as you can. It is also a lot of fun. In this talk I will discuss some potentially useful strategies and considerations. -
Dr. Howard Winston, Dr. Diego Valente, Gabriel Kovacs, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, "Mixed Reality in Physics Education", CETL Open House PER Demonstration3:30pm
12/9
Dr. Howard Winston, Dr. Diego Valente, Gabriel Kovacs, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, "Mixed Reality in Physics Education", CETL Open House PER Demonstration
Friday, December 9th, 2022
03:30 PM - 05:30 PM
Storrs Campus Rowe Center Atrium
Dr. Howard Winston, Dr. Diego Valente, Gabriel Kovacs, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut
Mixed Reality in Physics Education
The world is three-dimensional (3-D). Yet most STEM instruction uses two-dimensional tools, such as textbooks, whiteboards, and projection screens. As a result, it can be difficult for students to understand the behaviors of 3-D physical objects.
An ability to show these behaviors in a 3-D medium could overcome this learning barrier. Mixed reality (MR) headsets, such as Microsoft's HoloLens, can provide this capability. These devices are also inherently interactive - a key feature because active learning improves learning outcomes.
Since 2019, CETL and others have supported the development of augmented and mixed reality-based educational technology at UConn. Come learn about current learning gain investigations, view a live demonstration, or try a HoloLens headset to see what teaching with interactive 3-D holographic content is all about. -
Dr. Joris Schaltegger, Nordita , "Vortex Excitations of Dirac Bose-Einstein Condensates", Condensed Matter Physics Seminar11:00am
12/8
Dr. Joris Schaltegger, Nordita , "Vortex Excitations of Dirac Bose-Einstein Condensates", Condensed Matter Physics Seminar
Thursday, December 8th, 2022
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Other Online
Dr. Joris Schaltegger, Nordita
Vortex Excitations of Dirac Bose-Einstein Condensates
We explore vortices in non-equilibrium Dirac Bose-Einstein condensates (Dirac BEC) described by a stationary Dirac Gross-Pitaevskii equations (GPE). We find that the multi-component structure of Dirac equation enables the difference in phase winding of two condensates with respective phase winding number differing by one, . We observe three classes of vortex states distinguished by their far-field behavior: A ring soliton on either of the two components in combination with a vortex on the other component, and, in the case of strong inter-component interactions, a vortex profile on both components. The latter are multiple core vortices due to the phase winding difference between the components. We also address the role of a Haldane gap on these vortices, which has a similar effect than inter-component by making the occupation on either sublattice more costly. We employ a numerical shooting method to reliably identify vortex solutions and use it to scan large parts of the phase space. We then use a classification algorithm on the integrated wavefunctions to establish a phase diagram of the different topological sectors
arXiv:2202.07594
Zoom URL: https://kth-se.zoom.us/j/68789714367 -
Dr. Ming Yi, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, "Flat bands in geometrically frustrated lattices", Condensed Matter Physics Seminar2:00pm
12/7
Dr. Ming Yi, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, "Flat bands in geometrically frustrated lattices", Condensed Matter Physics Seminar
Wednesday, December 7th, 2022
02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Storrs Campus GW-117
Dr. Ming Yi, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University
Flat bands in geometrically frustrated lattices
Emergent phases often appear when the electronic kinetic energy is small compared to the Coulomb interactions. One approach to seeking material systems as hosts of such emergent phases is to realize the localization of electronic wavefunctions due to the geometric frustration inherent in the crystal structure, resulting in flat electronic bands. Recently, such efforts have found a wide range of exotic phases in the two-dimensional (2D) kagome lattice, including magnetic order, time-reversal symmetry breaking charge density wave (CDW), nematicity, and superconductivity. In this talk, I will present our recent efforts in experimentally exploring bulk materials hosting flat bands induced from the geometric frustration of the lattice. In particular, I will present three examples of topological flat bands including a magnetic kagome system, a pyrochlore system, and a switchable bipartite lattice that forms within a 2D van der Waals magnet.