 Undergraduate Jonathan Echt, working on the development of X-ray mirrors for use in X-ray astronomy. |
Want to get involved in research? Wondering how to go about it?
First, you need to get an advisor. If you already know what kind of research you want to be involved with, check the research page or the faculty page to find a possible advisor in the area you like. If you don't know what research you might be interested in, schedule an appointment with our Director of Undergraduate Studies, Prof. Vicky Kalogera, or with Prof. Dave Meyer. They can help facilitate your search for an advisor.
Next, contact the potential advisor! Whether in person, or by e-mail, or by telephone, there is no reason to be shy about talking to the faculty. (Most faculty are delighted to talk about their research!)
For examples of research that other undergraduates have undertaken, check these links: Honors Research in Physics & Astronomy, or Undergraduate Research in High-Energy Physics, or the Northwestern NASA Summer Research Program.
Researchers Wanted!
Here are projects just waiting for the right student. Contact the faculty for more information.
Venkat Chandrasekhar
Nanomagnetics
This project involves two aspects: numerical simulation of the high-frequency magnetization dynamics of small ferromagnetic particles, and experimental investigation of the magnetization dynamics using high-frequency techniques. The numerical work involves working with parallelized micromagnetic code on a Linux cluster. The experimental work involves fabrication of small ferromagnetic particles by electron-beam lithography and their characterization using radio-frequency and microwave measurements.
Venkat Chandrasekhar
Design and construction of control electronics for a scanning probe microscope
This project will involve design and construction of electronics to run a home-made scanning probe microscope. The microscope itself works and has been used at cryogenic temperatures, but we would like to enhance the electronics and interface to the control software. For those students with an interest in programming and computer interfacing to instruments, the control software is also being upgraded.
Don Ellis
Undergraduate position in simulations of the properties of new materials
The Materials Theory Group uses atomistic simulations and Density Functional Theory to study the structure and properties of new materials. Current projects include bioceramics, catalytically active oxide surfaces, multilayer and nanoparticle composites, and macromolecules. Undergraduates with some background in computation, or LINUX, or computer graphics are welcome to join one of the on-going projects.
Bill Halperin
Development of Heat Exchangers for Achieving Ultra-Low Temperatures
This project involves laboratory work in the development of heat exchangers that will be used for achieving ultra-low temperatures (below one millikelvin). It will involve "hands-on" experimental work.
Vicky Kalogera
Models of X-Ray Binary Stars
This project is investigating populations of X-ray binary stars in old, elliptical galaxies. In the coming months, NASA's X-ray space observatory (Chandra) will be collecting observational data on point sources in two nearby elliptical galaxies. Our group is developing theoretical models of X-ray binaries (i.e., stellar systems involving neutron stars or black holes accreting matter from their binary companion) for the purpose of interpreting the anticipated observations and investigating the origin and evolutionary history of these cosmic X-ray sources.
David Meyer
Interstellar Spectroscopy with the Hubble Space Telescope
This project involves the analysis of Hubble Space Telescope (HST) spectroscopic observations of interstellar atoms and molecules. These observations are designed to probe the composition, chemistry, structure, and physical conditions of gas clouds in the Milky Way Galaxy. Beginning this Fall (2009), we will be working with new data from the recently refurbished HST to investigate the nearest cold interstellar cloud and to search for interstellar elemental abundance variations in the solar neighborhood. We have several openings for physics majors or potential physics majors (freshmen included) to work on this project.
Brian Odom
Molecular Ion Trapping
Our group is one of the first in the world to work with trapped sub-Kelvin molecular ions. Laser cooling of atoms has made sub-Kelvin atomic samples commonplace in the laboratory, but technology to bring molecules to these low temperatures is very new. There are many exciting experiments which can now for the first time be performed, ranging from cold chemistry to non-accelerator probes for physics beyond the Standard Model. Undergraduates are needed to set up new radio-frequency traps and to develop technology to load new molecular ions in our laboratory.
Tamar Seideman
Theoretical Research in Molecular Physics and Nanochemistry
Our group carries out theoretical research at the broad (and exciting!) interface between physics, chemistry and materials science. One area of interest is coherent control of matter by light and of light by matter, where we use laser pulses to control systems ranging from isolated diatomic molecules to complex solutions to plasmonic waveguides. Another area is B-field manipulation of external molecular modes, where we use lasers to align molecules in space and control their translational motions. A third area of active interest is current-driven dynamics in molecular-scale junctions, an emerging sub-discipline of molecular electronics with potential applications in fields such as molecular machines, surface nano-chemistry and materials nano-processing. Another active research area is the observation of ultrafast phenomena.
Farhad Y. Zadeh
Analysis of star formation in the Galactic center
This project involves the use of sophisticated image processing techniques to extract information from data taken by radio telescopes and/or the Spitzer Infrared Space Telescope. We hope to shed light on how it is that newborn stars can exist in the innermost region of the Milky Way, where there is a giant black hole whose massive gravity should inhibit star formation. Students should have an interest in computers, but programming experience is not necessary.
