Faculty & Staff
Administration
Department Head: Dr. Leigh Smith
Undergraduate Director: Prof. Philip Argyres
Graduate Director: Prof. Rostislav Serota
Full-Time Faculty
Philip C. Argyres
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Physics
404 Geology-Physics Building
For his publications, see his website http://homepages.uc.edu/~argyrepc/ .
For his cv, contact him directly at philip.argyres@uc.edu .
Hulya Atmacan
Asst Professor - Educator (F2), Physics
Geology-Physics Building
Adam J Aurisano
Associate Professor, Physics
Geology-Physics Building
As a graduate student at Texas A&M University, Dr. Aurisano worked on the collider experiments CDF at Fermilab and CMS at CERN. His thesis, supervised by Dr. David Toback, detailed a search for new physics at CDF using the exclusive delayed photon + missing energy final state.
Matthew Bronson Bayliss
Assoc Professor, Physics
412 Geology-Physics Building
Research Webpage
I work on problems in observational astrophysics and cosmology. I am an observer by trade and enjoy working with instrumentation and data at all wavelengths, though I am especially proficient with data in the optical and infrared. My scientific expertise is in observational cosmology and extragalactic astrophysics, with both galaxy clusters and high-redshifts galaxies. The broad goal of my research is to describe the way in which structure on the largest observable scales developed into its current form, starting from the Big Bang.
Colin A Bischoff
Assoc Professor, Physics
421 Geology-Physics Building
Dr. Colin Bischoff studies the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) to learn about the origin of the universe. The CMB is a relic radiation field that was emitted shortly after the Big Bang. By studying CMB polarization, he hopes to detect a signal of primordial gravitational waves that are predicted by inflation, the leading theory to explain the initial conditions of our universe. Dr. Bischoff’s research activities include instrumentation, telescope operations, and data analysis. Two telescopes at the South Pole, BICEP3 and BICEP Array, are currently producing the most sensitive CMB polarization data for this purpose. RIP CMB-S4.
C. J. Bolech
Professor, Physics
427 Geology-Physics Building
Strongly Correlated Quantum Systems (SCQS): This includes many-body and quantum-field theories, quantum fluids, integrable systems, quantum information and tensor networks, non-equilibrium transport, mesoscopic systems, ultracold atomic gases and optical lattices, unconventional superconductivity, strongly correlated electrons (e.g., quantum impurities and heavy fermions).
Main interests
Prof. Bolech is an applied mathematical physicist working mainly on the domains of theoretical Atomic-Molecular-Optical and Condensed-Matter&Materials physics (TAMOP and CMMT, respectively). From a technical perspective, his present TAMOP focus is on the use of generalized coherent states, tensor networks and non-linear optimization; while on the CMMT side he is currently focused on bosonization, renormalization and entanglement. His main interest is on SCQS. Strong correlations are one of the main theoretical (viz. computational and mathematical) challenges of current frontier problems in many areas of physics; ranging from condensed-matter to atomic, nuclear and particle physics. For example, strong nonlinear behaviours can be found in numerous systems such as heavy fermions, high-temperature superconductors, organic conductors, or quantum wires and dots (to the study of all of which he has contributed). Bolech's work combines the use and development of different computational and analytic non-perturbative approaches. These are applied to problems like the realization of exotic superconducting states of matter in optical lattices, the interplay of mixed valence and multi-channel Kondo physics in heavy fermions and quantum dots, the quantum tunneling of particles in correlated mesoscopic systems, the dynamics of vortices in quantum condensates, or the sudden expansion of interacting atomic gases.
Joachim Brod
Assoc Professor, Physics
420 Geology-Physics Building
Conor Henderson
Associate Professor, Physics
441 Geology-Physics Building
Paul Derek Justice
Assoc Professor - Educator (F2), Physics
427 Geology-Physics Building
I have developed and make use of instructional tools and practices that not only give my students the greatest chance to master physics concepts in the classroom, but also promote that learning with methods that are equitable and inclusive. This includes my being trained in belonging interventions, participating in departmental efforts as a part of APS-IDEA, and leading departmental workshops on these topics.
My teaching at UC has been recognized by the Darwin T. Turner Scholars Breakfast of Champions on multiple occasions, as well as a nomination for the Mrs. A.B. “Dolly” Cohen Award for Excellence in Teaching.
I earned my PhD in physics from the University of Pittsburgh, where I received the Myron P. Garfunkel Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching Award and was nominated for the Elizabeth Baranger Teaching Award.
Kay Kinoshita
Professor (F2), Physics
413 Geology-Physics Building
Web Page
Kathleen M Koenig
Professor, Physics
417 Geology-Physics Building
Her NSF-funded research focuses on improving student success and retention in introductory STEM courses through innovative teaching strategies and curriculum design. Examples of externally funded projects include developing online interactive video-enhanced tutorials that support conceptual understanding (link) as well as problem solving (link) in physics. She is also the lead developer of SR-Labs, a research-based physics lab curriculum designed to strengthen scientific reasoning. More recently, her funded research has turned toward psychological interventions,such as fostering belonging, self-efficacy, and growth mindset, and how these can be delivered through online platforms (link) to transform student experiences in challenging STEM courses. Last, she has secured internal university funding to create an AI agent to support students in the introductory physics classroom.
Since 2006, her research has been awarded over $8.1 million in NSF and NIH funding. She has published in leading journals, including Science and Physical Review: Physics Education Research, and contributed to practioner journals, including The Physics Teacher, Journal of College Science Teaching and Science Scope, and has three book chapters. She has also secured more than $750,000 to support K-12 STEM teacher training. She has presented over 50 invited talks worldwide and presented more than 250 conference papers.
Teaching and research awards include: Fellow of the American Association of Physics Teachers (2021), UC's Academy of Teaching Fellows (2016), Ohio Magazine Excellence in Education Honoree (2013), three time Darwin T. Turner Breakfast of Champions Awardee (2012, 2015, 2026), Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Technology at the International Conference on College Teaching and Learning (2011), and the Presidential Early Career Achievement Award (2009, Wright State University).
Yashar Komijani
Asst Professor (F2), Physics
Geology-Physics Building
Sylvia Klare Lewin
Asst Professor (F2), Physics
Alexandru Maries
Assistant Professor - Educator, Physics
442 Geology-Physics Building
Evgeny Mikheev
Asst Professor (F2), Physics
422 Geology-Physics Building
Condensed matter experiment: quantum devices with oxide superconductors, nanofabrication, cryogenic experiments.
Jessie Muir
Asst Professor (F2), Physics
419 Geology-Physics Building
Alan J. Schwartz
Professor, Physics
419 Geology-Physics Building
Rostislav A. Serota
Graduate Director, Physics
429 Geology-Physics Building
Leigh Morris Smith
Professor and Department Head, Physics
424 Geology-Physics Building
Rebekah Kimberly Smith
Asst Professor - Educator (F2), Physics
Geology-Physics Building
Alexandre B. Sousa
Associate Professor, Physics
418 Geology-Physics Building
Alex Sousa is an Associate Professor in the Physics Department with primary research interests on Experimental High-Energy Physics. Prior to coming to the University of Cincinnati in 2012, he earned his Ph.D. from Tufts University, Medford, MA, under the supervision of Jacob Schneps in 2006. He went on to hold positions as post-doctoral Research Assistant at the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, working with Alfons Weber, and Research Associate at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, working with Gary Feldman. His research work focuses in understanding and measuring the properties of neutrinos, being a member of three US-based long-baseline neutrino experiments, NOvA, DUNE, and MINOS+, that have made and will continue to make the most precise measurements of several neutrino oscillation parameters. Furthermore, they will address fundamental questions about neutrinos that have profound implications in our understanding of Universe evolution, such as whether neutrino interactions violate CP conservation, or how is the ordering of the three neutrino masses structured. Alex Sousa’s research has received major funding support through grants from DOE's HEP program and the SciDAC-4 Computational Science program. He is the recipient of a ORAU Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award (2014), and of a UC College of Arts & Sciences Risisng Star award (2017). He has been awarded three Fermilab Intensity Frontier Fellowships (2013-2014, 2018, 2019) supporting neutrino research at Fermilab and more recently the overall coordination of the installation, commissioning, and operations of the NOvA Test Beam detector and beamline. In teaching, Alex Sousa has championed the use of active learning methods in the Department and served as departmental Teaching & Learning Liaison from 2016 through 2018. He is a 2018 Darwin T. Turner Breakfast of Champions Awardee, and an active member of the Department's Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Hans-Peter Peter Wagner
Professor (F2), Physics
447 Geology-Physics Building
Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and organic molecular beam deposition (OMBD); Semiconductor nanostructures, organic thin films and metal-organic-semiconductor nanostructures including 2D semiconductors; Exciton transition and coherent relaxation dynamics of exitons in hybrid systems using time resolved spectroscopic techniques.
L. C. R. Wijewardhana
Professor, Physics
426 Geology-Physics Building
Graduate Students
Collin Forrest Dowhan
Graduate Assistant, Physics
I am a PhD student hoping to work with Professor Alex Sousa on the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). My interests include experimental particle physics with a focus on neutrino interactions and the investigation into neutrino oscillations. Currently, my work is focused on the testing and calibration of front end motherboards (FEMBs), in warm and cold environments which will be implemented at the far detector complex at Sanford National Lab. In the past, I have worked on projects for the Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory by utilizing both scintillation and Cherenkov detectors to construct a muon telescope for noise analysis along with cable manufacturing and photomultiplier tube fine-tuning.
For prospective students, please feel free to reach out to hear more about my research endevors and life as a graduate student at the University of Cincinnati.
Aleena Ebey
Graduate Assistant, Physics
MD. Samiul Ehsan
Graduate Assistant, Physics
Mohamed RAMADAN Elashri
Graduate Assistant, Physics
Maedeh Farhoush
Graduate Assistant, Physics
Her research also encompasses detector performance and calibration studies, including the tracking and Central Drift Chamber. Maedeh’s research involves event reconstruction, statistical analysis, detector calibration, and precision measurement in high energy physics.
Mufang Gao
Graduate Assistant, Physics
I like Italo Calvino.
Othello D Gomes
Graduate Assistant, Physics
Personal Website.
Sakshi Gupta
Graduate Assistant, Physics
We are studying the Lyman-α forest, which is a series of absorption dips in a quasar's spectrum, where each dip in flux is a Ly-α transition of neutral hydrogen. The Ly-α forest is a high redshift (z ~ 2–5) tracer of multi-scale matter clustering, bridging the gap between CMB and galaxy surveys. Using Quijote, an N-body simulation suite that spans across a range of cosmologies, we can study how the 1D power spectra respond to various parameters, including neutrino mass and dark energy. Next steps include training ML algorithms with the statistical data from these simulations, and performing higher-order statistical analysis for non-Gaussian information.
Christine R Ketchem
IT Manager, Physics
7005A Medical Sciences Building
Murla Thomas Larson
Graduate Assistant, Physics
305 Geology-Physics Building
David D Mendez
Graduate Assistant, Physics
Currently, AI centers provide a new challenge to the energy infrastructure of the world. One of the largest energy sinks at these centers is the transfer of data from the computational results of CPUs/GPUs to other CPUs/GPUs and for both intermediate and final data transfer to memory. This is due to the inherent resistance of electronic circuits.
The long-term big-picture goal of the research I am pursuing is to have data transfer conducted by photonic circuits instead of electronic ones. Per bit, light is significantly more energy efficient at transfering data than electrons. However, to realize this goal a better understanding of the opitcal properties of materials is necessary to guide engineers in producing robust and efficient photonic devices.
InP is a semiconductor with a direct bandgap in the near infrared region which has established its use in modern optical fiber connections. InP fabricated into nanowire arrays has the added benefit of having tuneable properties such as the diameter of individual nanowires and the spacing between naowires which can control the effective index of refraction. Due to the periodic nature of the nanowire arrays, the arrays effectively act as photonic crystals which have a tuneable photonic band structure due to the tuneability of the nanowire arrays themselves.
The properties of photonic band structures are quite fascinating, as they allow photonic crystals to strongly control the propagation of light, leading to high reflectivity or suppressed transmission at certain wavelengths associated with photonic band gaps. Moreover, photonic crystals can enhance optical confinement and increase photon lifetime within specific modes. When combined with InP as a direct bandgap gain medium, the nanowire structure can support optical amplification. If the optical gain exceeds the losses, these confined resonant modes can lead to lasing under appropriate optical pumping conditions.It is these phenomena in particular which I am currently researching and most interested in.
Prospective graduate students, please feel free to email me about any questions you have about my research, advisor, or general information about life as a graduate student at the University of Cincinnati. Current researchers, please feel free to email me if you are interested in collaborating or have any questions about my work.
Mamun Nahid
Graduate Assistant, Physics
Asif Nawaz
Graduate Assistant, Physics
Asif received his Bachelor's degree in Physics from Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan. Subsequently, he earned his Master's degree in Physics from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan. During his graduate studies at LUMS, he worked on open quantum systems and many-body dynamics.
Cheryl A Pappenheimer
Student Associate, Physics
Geology-Physics Building
Sunny Minh Phan
Graduate Assistant, Physics
Khoa Phan | LinkedIn
Mamunur Rashid
Graduate Assistant, Physics
Sayali Santosh Sawant
Physics
Daniil Volkov
Graduate Assistant, Physics
Ryan William Walker
Graduate Assistant, Physics
Other Faculty
Sarah Elizabeth Baker
Mgr College Laboratory, Physics
345 Braunstein Hall
Ben George Kolengowski
Instructor - Adj Ann, Physics
Geology-Physics Building
Post-Doc Fellows/ Research Associates
Anindya Banerjee
Post Doc Fellow, Physics
436 Geology-Physics Building
V Edmund Thomas Hewes
Research Associate - Physical Science, Physics
Geology-Physics Building
Luiz Ricardo Prais
Post Doc Fellow, Physics
Geology-Physics Building
https://inspirehep.net/authors/2098284
Retired Faculty
Randy A Johnson
Emeritus Faculty, Physics
Graduate degree: Ph.D. in Physics, University of California at Berkeley, 1975
Professional History:
Physicist, Brookhaven National Laboratory, 1976-1984
Professor, University of Cincinnati, 1984-present
Present Courses: Undergraduate Mechanics and Relativity
Previous Courses: College and General Physics
Modern Physics for Engineers
Advanced Lab for Majors
Graduate Electrodynamics
Graduate Particle Physics
Michael D. Sokoloff
Professor, Physics
411 Geology-Physics Building
Peter Suranyi
Emeritus Faculty, Physics
EDUCATION
Physics Diploma (approximately equal to M.S.), Lorand Eotvos University, Budapest, Hungary, 1958 Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (approximately equal to Ph.D.), Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, U.S.S.R., 1964
EXPERIENCE
Junior Research Fellow, Central Research Institute for Physics, Budapest, Hungary, 1958 61 Research Fellow, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, U.S.S.R., 1961-64 Senior Research Fellow, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, U.S.S.R., 1964-65 Senior Research Fellow, Central Research Institute for Physics, Budapest, Hungary, 1965-68 Research Associate and Visiting Lecturer, Johns Hopkins University, 1969-71 Associate Professor of Physics, University of Cincinnati, 1971-74 Professor of Physics, University of Cincinnati, 1974 Department Head, Department of Physics, University of Cincinnati, 1995-1998 Professor Emeritus of Physics 2003-
HONORS
Schmidt Award of the Hungarian Physical Society, 1968
Fellow of the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati, 1977
Senior Visiting Fellow, National Research Council, Great Britain, 1978-79
Senior Visiting Fellow, National Reseach and Engineering Council, United Kingdom, 1987-88
Visiting Research Professor, University of Wales, 1994
Senior Fulbright Fellowship, 1998-99
CONFERENCES ORGANIZED
1) Symposium "Topics on Quantum Gravity and Beyond," Cincinnati, 1992
2) Meeting of the Ohio Session of the American Physical Society: "Particle Physics in the Nineties and Beyond," Cincinnati, 1992.
3) 3rd International Symposium on Quantum Theory and Symmetries, Cincinnati, 2003
GRANTS
Continuously funded by the U.S. Department of Eenergy or its from 1975-2003.
PHD DISSERTATIONS SUPERVISED IN THE LAST 5 YEARS
Andras Pap, Athula Heart, Ricardo Rademacher, Tsegaye Takele
INVITED LECTURES, COLLOQUIA AND SEMINARS IN THE LAST 5 YEARS
“Simulation of gauge theories in the world line representation,”Physics Department, Universidad Autonoma di Barcelona, Spain, January 1999
“Field theories with an energy current,” Institute of Physics, Technical University of Budapest, Hungary, April 1999.
“Models for confinement in QCD” Toronto University, Canada, April 2000.
“Topology, Classical solutions, lattices, and quark confinement,” Series of lectures at the Spring School of Particle Physics, Taiwan, 2001
“ Small black holes in compact spaces” University of Kentucky, 2004
PUBLICATIONS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS
"Lattice field theories with an energy current," with John Cardy, cond-mat/9907112., Nucl. Phys. B565, 487 (2000).
"Vortex solutions in SU(N) adjoint Higgs theories," hep-lat/9912023.Physics Letters , Phys.Lett.B481:136-142,2000
"New vortex solution in SU(3) gauge-Higgs theory," with F.A. Schaposnik, hep-th/0005109, Phys.Rev.D62:125002,2000
”Monopoles and vortices in pure gauge theories and in Higgs theories.” By P. Suranyi (Cincinnati U.). ICTP-102-01, Feb 2001. 12pp.
“Curved extended classical solutions. 1. The undulating kink.” By A. Herat, R. Rademacher, P. Suranyi (Cincinnati U.). Published in Phys.Rev.D63:027702,2001
“Black holes in brane worlds” with L.C.R. Wijewardhana, 2002, hep-th/0207084
SMALL BLACK HOLES IN RANDALL-SUNDRUM I SCENARIO.?By D. Karasik, C. Sahabandu, P. Suranyi, L.C.R. Wijewardhana (Cincinnati U.),. Phys.Rev.D69:064022,2004?e-Print Archive: gr-qc/0309076
CLASSICAL SOLUTIONS OF FIELD EQUATIONS IN RANDALL-SUNDRUM BRANE WORLDS.?By D. Karasik, C. Sahabandu, P. Suranyi, L.C.R. Wijewardhana (Cincinnati U.),. ?Prepared for 2002 International Workshop on Strong Coupling Gauge Theories and Effective Field Theories (SCGT 02), Nagoya, Japan, 10-13 Dec 2002.
?Published in *Nagoya 2002, Strong coupling gauge theories and effective field theories* 333-339 SMALL BLACK HOLES ON BRANES: IS THE HORIZON REGULAR OR SINGULAR??By D. Karasik, C. Sahabandu, P. Suranyi, L.C.R. Wijewardhana (Cincinnati U.),. Phys.Rev.D70:064007,2004
?e-Print Archive: gr-qc/0404015 ANALYTIC APPROXIMATION TO 5 DIMENSIONAL BLACK HOLES WITH ONE COMPACT DIMENSION. By D. Karasik, C. Sahabandu, P. Suranyi, L.C.R. Wijewardhana (Cincinnati U.),. Phys.Rev.D71:024024,2005 e-Print Archive: hep-th/0410078
Staff
Sarah Elizabeth Baker
Mgr College Laboratory, Physics
345 Braunstein Hall
Diane M Bolden
Financial Administrator, Physics
400 Old Chemistry Building
Jay D Ellington
Computer & Info Analyst 2, Physics
301B Geology-Physics Building
Jaylon Draco Gassett
Custodial Worker-U, Physics
Langsam Library
John S. Markus
Technical Professional II, Physics
206 Geology-Physics Building
Dara L Miller
Program Director, Physics
400 Geology-Physics Building
