JUNE 2011
PhD Graduates (6/2010 - 6/2011)
Congratulations to everyone
for a job well done!
Dr. Sourav Chatterjee Thesis - Numeric Modeling of Dense Star Clusters Adviser - Prof. Frederic Rasio |
Dr. Anastasios (Tassos) Fragkos Formation and Evolution of X-ray Binaries |
Dr. Wei-Chih Huang Right-handed neutrinos |
Dr. Shahin Engakkattil Mani Nonlinear Optical studies on Cu2O using two-photon excitation |
Dr. Milja Medic Characterization and Utilization of Fiber-Generated Quantum Entanglement |
Dr. Sagar Sahasrabudhe Rescue Perturbations in Complex Networks of Dynamical Systems: Application to the Control of Extinction Cascades in Ecological Networks |
Dr. Avinash Vijayaraghavan Tunneling in Molecular Magnets |
Bachelor Graduates
Congratulations Class of 2011!
Daniel Case Concentration - Nanoscale Physics |
Stanley Gutiontov Biomedical Physics |
Abijith Kowligy Advanced Physics |
Christopher Lawlor Astronomy |
Ian Lizarraga |
Andrew Loveridge |
Greg McGlynn Advanced Physics |
Michael Medford Advanced Physics |
Michelle Miller |
Spencer Nelson |
Matthew Nubbe |
Scott Phelan Astronomy |
Michael Tremmel |
Xinyang Zhang Astronomy |
In memoriam, Dr. Jung-Hwan Song
On June 15th Dr. Jung-Hwan Song, a research associate in the Freeman group, passed away suddenly leaving a wife and small daughter. Dr. Song was a rising star in computational condensed matter physics and had recently accepted a faculty position at SUNY Binghamton. Dr Song's scientific research concerned the theoretical design of various materials including thermoelectric materials, transparent conducting oxides (NiO, In2O3(ZnO)k), topological insulators (Bi2Se3), and various gamma-ray detecting materials with many collaborators. He was a beloved colleague in the Freeman group and our department and his science, leadership and friendship will be sorely missed.
A memorial fund has been set up in his honor. If you wish to donate, please make checks payable to the MEMORIAL FUND FOR FAMILY OF JUNG HWAN SONG and send to
MEMORIAL FUND FOR FAMILY OF JUNG HWAN SONG
c/o Professor Arthur Freeman
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Northwestern University
2145 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208 USA
Listen to astronomer Michael Smutko's reflections on the end of the space shuttle program
Farhad Yusef-Zadeh gave a presentation to the press at the April meeting of the American Physical Society.
Here is the abstract of the presentation: "The newly-discovered black hole at the center of our galaxy, Sagittarius A* (Sagittarius A-Star), appears to be emitting flares similar to those emitted by our Sun. The black holes flares, which a...re emitted as radio, millimeter, infrared and X-ray wavelengths, are much more energetic than flares emitted by the Sun. Farhad Yusef-Zadeh, of Northwestern University, will talk about the discovery of these flares and his attempts to learn how they are produced - whether they show material growing into or being ejected from a black hole. We don't know exactly where [the flares are] being produces, but we think it is very close to the event horizon of a black hole Yusef-Zadeh said. The event horizon is the turning point at the edge of a black hole where material wandering by is sucked in with no hope of return and where space and time are distorted. The team has also noticed that there is a time delay between the observation of infrared flares and X-ray flares. They hypothesize that the X-ray flares are echoes of the infrared flares. If they are correct, it would confirm a theoretical model about black hole flaring called inverse Compton scattering."
Congratulations to Greg McGlynn,
the 2011 Outstanding Senior Thesis in Physics and Astronomy award winnter!
Greg McGlynn
Adviser: Prof. Brian Odom
Senior Thesis: "Laser frequency stabilization systems for laser cooling of trapped barium ions"
Greg is also the recipient of the Math award for Outstanding Achievement on the Putman Examination, a national math competition. He ranked between 103.5 and 188 out of about 4000 people, the highest at Northwestern. Additionally, the faculty of the Dept. of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science declared Greg the Most Outstanding Senior in Computer Science! Greg is double-majoring in Physics and Computer Science.
* The Honors Committee selects one senior thesis as the best of all submissions that year. All students submitting an honors thesis are automatically considered.
Congratulations to David Caratelli and Sascha Herrmann,
the 2011 Outstanding Juniorin Physics and Astronomy award winners!
David Caratelli Adviser: Prof. André de Gouvêa David is a triple-major in Physics, Mathematics, and the Integrated Science Program. |
Sascha Herrmann Adviser: Prof. Adilson E. Motter Sascha is also the recipient of the Math award for Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics by a Junior. He is a double-major in Physics and Mathematics. |
* The Honors Committee awards the Outstanding Junior award to the student(s) in his/her junior year with the best academic record for courses that count toward the major. Research and other physics-related activities are also taken into account. |
|
Physics and Astronomy Seniors Graduating with Honors
Ian Lizarraga Adviser: Prof. Frederic Rasio Senior Thesis: "Secular Dynamics of Three-Body Systems and the Origins of Retrograde Hot Jupiters" |
Greg McGlynn Adviser: Prof. Brian Odom Senior Thesis: "Laser frequency stabilization systems for laser cooling of trapped barium ions" |
Spencer Nelson Adviser: Prof. Dave Meyer Senior Thesis: "A Search for Solar-System-Scale Structure in the Vibrationally-Excited H2 Gas Toward HD 37903" |
Michael Tremmel Adviser: Prof. Vicky Kalogera Senior Thesis: "The Evolution of X-ray Binaries on Cosmological Timescales" |
Congratulations to our Sigma Pi Sigma Physics Honor Society Inductees!
Northwestern's Chapter of the Physics Honor Society Sigma Pi Sigma goes back to 1970 when the Chapter received its charter. Eight students were installed in the first ceremony. The chapter then became inactive until 1986. Since then it has had an Installment Ceremony every year with membership now numbering 173.
The new members for 2011 are: Marc Bourgeois, David Caratelli, Daniel Case, Rongrong Cheacharoen, Mitchell Drew, Paul Geringer, Sascha Herrmann, Matthew Nubbe, Daniel Stevens, Scott Williams.
