Cynthia Peterson

Professor Emerita

Physics

Research Interests

My interests are varied: condensed matter physics, optical and electronic properties of semiconductors and biomaterials, vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy, thermoluminescent dating of archaeological artifacts and heat-treated minerals, and most recently three-dimensional structure determination of metalloproteins using NMR.

I also teach the astronomy courses at UConn, manage UConn’s two observatories, the UConn Planetarium and the Astronomy Virtual Classroom. In conjunction with the above, I regularly give astronomy workshops and public lectures on astronomical subjects at UConn, in libraries over the state and public school systems, and serve as astronomy consultant for several newspapers and radio stations.

Education

• Ph.D., Physics, Cornell University, 1964
• B.A., Physics, Bryn Mawr College, 1954

Experience

• 1968-present: Professor, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut
• 1966-1968: Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University

Professional Societies

• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• American Astronomical Society
• American Association of Physics Teachers