David Garrison Faculty Chair and Associate Professor of Physics Ph.D., Gravitational Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, 2002 garrison@uhcl.edu
Research: Numerical Cosmology
The current focus of this research involves understanding the interaction between gravitational waves and plasma fields, primarily as it applies to structure formation in the early universe. This work is both theoretical and computational in nature and involves the use of supercomputers, advanced data visualization techniques and parallel code development. Also, determining the initial conditions of the gravitational and plasma fields of the early universe is a major part of this work.
Jack Lu Professor of Chemistry and Physics Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry, Northwestern University, 1993 lu@uhcl.edu
Research: Materials Science
Design and synthesis of new magnetic, porous, fire-resistant and conducting polymeric materials and novel metal-organic framework polymers. Interested in new materials applications in aerospace, fuel cell, pollution prevention, energy storage, molecular separation, magnetism and catalysis.
Alexandra J. MacDermott Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry and Physics D.Phil., Theoretical Chemistry, Oxford University, 1981 macdermott@uhcl.edu
Research: Chirality as a Signature of Life
Calculation of atomic and molecular parity-violating effects, in particular the parity-violating energy difference (PVED) between enantiomers; also the possible role of parity-violation in selecting biomolecular chirality (use of L-amino acids rather than D in biology), and the use of chiroptical methods to detect chirality as a signature of life on other planets in the solar system and beyond.
Paul Withey Associate Professor of Physics Ph.D., Physics, Texas Christian University B.Sc., Physics and Astrophysics, The University of Calgary withey@uhcl.edu
Research: Applied Nano-materials
Dr. Withey earned his PhD in Physics from TCU with his research dissertation entitled Fourier Transform Vibrational Spectroscopy of Pure Carbon and Silicon-Carbon Clusters. Since then he has been on the faculty at West Virginia Wesleyan College and Northwestern State University of LA, where he also served as Head of the Dept. of Chemistry and Physics. Recently he completed a sabbatical at Rice University performing nanotechnology research investigating the behavior of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) embedded in nanocomposites using fluorescence spectroscopy. These nanocomposites are of interest to the aerospace industry where embedded CNTs show promise to improve strength and flexibility over currently available materials. Dr. Withey also has expertise in the area of infrared spectroscopy of molecular clusters, especially carbon and silicon-carbon clusters, and has performed research on single-magnetic-domain iron nanoparticles embedded in epoxy as a Visiting Scientist at NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. Some of his experimental expertise includes low temperature cryogenics, high vacuum systems, laser evaporation, thin film deposition, FTIR spectroscopy, and near-IR fluorescence spectroscopy. He has mentored a large number of chemistry, physics and engineering physics students in research projects such as spectroscopic investigations of small molecules produced via laser evaporation, modeling molecules using ab initio calculations, infrared studies of silicate particles produced under simulated astrophysical conditions, and characterization of carbon nanotubes using fluorescence spectroscopy. Dr. Withey is excited to be joining the faculty of UHCL in the fall of 2011, looking forward to teaching physics/astronomy classes and establishing a vibrant research program.
Samina Masood Assistant Professor of Physics PhD., High Energy physics & Cosmology, Quaid-i-Azam University, 1988 Masood@uhcl.edu
Research: High Energy Astroparticle Physics and Applications of Quantum Mechanics
Properties of neutrinos in hot and dense media; Properties of neutrinos in different extensions of the standard model and in hot and dense media. CP violation in the lepton sector. Study of leptogenesis that lead to baryogenesis and inflation. Applications of thermal field theories to astroparticle physics and cosmology; Renormalization of gauge theories at finite temperatures and densities. Effects of background magnetic field on the propagating particles through the polarized and un-polarized media. Change in the properties of such media is studied in detail. This work has some applications to condensed matter physics also. Some of the special applications of quantum mechanics and statistical physics in biophysics, quantum chemistry, information theory and quantum computation are also studied.
Some of the research time is spend on the improvement in Physics Education also.
John V. Shebalin Visiting Professor Ph.D., Plasma Physics, College of William and Mary, 1982 shebalin@uhcl.edu
Research: Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence
Theoretical and numerical studies of homogeneous turbulence in magneto-fluids, including statistical mechanics and coherent structure formation. General interest in the nonlinear dynamics of particles and fields.
Alfonso Tarditi Research Assistant Professor Ph.D., electrical engineering, University of Genoa, 1990 tarditi@uhcl.edu
Research: Plasma Physics
Research in plasma physics is being carried on at the theoretical, computational and experimental level with applications to plasma-spacecraft interaction, space plasma physics, electric propulsion and magnetic fusion. Theory and computation efforts are currently focused on MHD/fluid modeling of magnetic reconnection and of the formation, transport and acceleration of magnetically confined plasmoids. Experimental research is underway to study high-pressure plasma sources and field reversed configuration plasmas with applications ranging from electric propulsion, to hypersonic flight plasma airfoil, to fusion research.
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