Penn Smith physics research presentation

Physics Student-Faculty Research

Student-Faculty Research

At LVC, students have the opportunity to engage in research with our faculty. Professors in Physics and Mathematical Sciences are experts in quantum information science (Dr. David Lyons, Dr. Cristina Mullican, and Dr. Scott Walck), theoretical/computational nuclear physics (Dr. Dan Pitonyak), and laser modifications of glass (Dr. Keith Veenhuizen). Students can work alongside faculty as paid research assistants during the summer and/or during the academic year for credit as an independent study or senior capstone project. This work has culminated in presentations at national conferences and co-authored papers in peer-reviewed journals. These high-level research experiences are unique for students at a small college and help distinguish LVC physics majors when they embark on their career paths after graduation.

Quantum Information Science

Students and faculty study the “quantum advantage” of entangled particles that can outperform the most powerful existing supercomputers.

Participating Faculty Members: Dr. David Lyons, Dr. Cristina Mullican, and Dr. Scott Walck

LVC students and faculty study the "quantum advantage" of entangled particles.

 

Computational Nuclear Physics

The goal of this research is to map out a 3D image of the internal structure of visible matter. Students write code in Python to compute high-energy particle collisions and analyze how models fit experimental data. This allows us to extract information on the elementary particles that make up objects like the proton.

Participating Faculty Member: Dr. Dan Pitonyak

Graphic showing laser modifications of glass research

 

Laser Modifications of Glass

The goal of this research is to fabricate crystals in glass using a laser as a heat source. Light can be guided through the crystals, making them potentially useful as optical interconnects in photonic integrated circuits. In addition, the crystals are characterized by various means (Raman spectroscopy, piezoresponse for microscopy, etc.) to gather information for practical applications and more fundamental studies.

Participating Faculty Member: Dr. Keith Veenhuizen

LVC students write code in Python to computer high-energy particle collisions and analyze how models fit experimental data.