Loyola University Maryland

Department of Physics

Student Research

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The Loyola physics department strongly encourages students to explore research and science employment opportunities in the summer. This can be done through the Loyola Hauber fellowship program, NSF sponsored programs at other universities, and internships. Upper division physics majors can continue their research during the school year for academic credit. These experiences add an additional dimension to the physics training at the undergraduate level, help students build a stronger résumé, and give students a better sense of careers in the sciences. Loyola physics faculty have a long history of involving students in their research. The following is a partial list of recent research projects conducted by students with Loyola faculty.

Student Mentor Year Project (Quotes surround titles of presentations and student papers) Journal publications
and awards
RK REU: George Mason U. Summer 2010 Varying the initial conditions of polycrystalline grain growth simulations  Talk at conference
PLP REU: Harvard-Smithsonian Summer 2010 “Using GPUs for Next-Generation Radio Telescopes" Article in Parallel Computing (in review)
AZ Derry Summer 2010 Designing a retarding potential electron lens for use in an energy dispersive spectrometer
AO Ganem Summer 2010 Synthesis and characterization of infrared optical materials
RJ Derry Summer 2010 Improving the reliability and accuracy of work function difference measurements using a vibrating capacitor device
MD Lowe Summer 2010 “Experiments and Computations of Horizontal Soap Films”
AZ Derry and Bozzolo Spring 2010 Use of a quantum approximate calculational tool to study alloy nanowires
LOB Derry Spring 2010 Relationships between the technological advances and business economics of photovoltaics (solar cells)
MP Derry Spring 2010 Nonlinear dynamics and chaos in the human menstrual cycle
DG Lowe and
Schleif (JHU)		 Summer 2009, Spring 2010  “A Computational Study to Determine the Structural Differences Between the Wild Type and a Mutant of the Protein AraC” First place in the 12th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Group I Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UMBC Oct. 2009
PLP Christian (Albrechts U.) Summer 2009 Simulations of dusty plasmas Poster, APS Plasma Physics, Nov. 2009
JD Jones  Summer 2009 Search for kinetic energy density functionals  
LB Lowe and Bailey Summer 2009 “A Soap Film Apparatus to Study Two-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Phenomena”  
MM Bailey (ES)
and Lowe		 Summer 2008 Soap film tunnel  
KR Bailey (ES)
and Lowe		 Summer 2008 Biodiesel production  
PL Lowe and
Schleif (JHU)		 Summer 2008 The use of CHARMM in analyzing tetracycline repressor (TetR) First place, UMBC 11th Undergrad. Res. Symp., Poster Sess. II, Grp O, Oct. 2008
JD internship Summer 2007, 2008 NSTec, Associate Scientist  
CE Derry Summer 2007, 2008 Studying the surface of a AgAu Alloy and a NiPd Overlayer system, experimental and computational  
DH Ganem Summer 2006, 2007 Crystal growth and IR optical spectroscopy  
RH Space Telescope Science Institute Summer 2006  
CG Space Telescope Science Institute Summer 2006  
ET internship 2005-2006 Verizon Federal Network Systems National Security Agency Scholarship
RH Lowe and
Livas (LEOS)		 Summer 2005 “Gaussian beam optics”
CG Lowe and Erdas Summer and Fall 2005  “Calculating the solar neutrino flux using the Tsallis distribution for a non-ideal plasma” First place talks, CSAAPT mtg, paper in J. Wash. Acad Sciences

RW
(grad student)

 Derry 2003 and earlier Structure/composition of silver/gold alloy surfaces studied with LEED
ML Ganem Summer 2003, 2004 Low-phonon energy laser material research
QP Jones Summer 2003 "Computational Simulation of Metal Surfaces"
EF Lowe and
Rivers (biology)		 Summer and Fall 2004 for credit "Application of a Multiplexed, Bead-Based Method to the Identification of Parasitic Wasps" Second place UMBC Undergrad Res Symp; First place Loyola Research
MM Lowe and
Peyrot (sociology)		 Summer and Fall 2003 for credit "Fluorescence Detection of Solid Phase PCR on Microspheres;" "Risk and Acceptability of Bioremediation Options" First place in UMBC 6th Ann. Undergrad. Res. Symp., Poster Sess. 2, Grp G
EK Derry 2001 Structure/composition of silver/gold alloy surfaces studied with LEED
LG Lowe 2001 Molecular biology work for bead-based, flow cytometric detection method
JC Ganem Summer 2000  Low-phonon energy laser material research Phys. Rev. B
JW Derry and Jones Summer 2000 "Computational Physics: From Surface Structure to Surface Waves; from Atoms to Ocean"
EvdS Lowe and
Din (biology)		 1999-2000 Molecular biology work for bead-based, flow cytometric detection method
SE Lowe and Delcher
(computer science)		 1999-2003 for credit Various experimental and computational projects involving determination of oligonucleotide probes FEMS, Nucleic Acids Research
CS Lowe AY 1999-2000
for credit		 Molecular biology work for bead-based, flow cytometric detection method FEMS
BM Ganem Summer 1999 Low-phonon energy laser material research
JR Ganem Summer 1999 Low-phonon energy laser material research
SW Derry 1999 Structure/composition of silver/gold alloy surfaces studied with LEED
KS Lowe and
Robb (UMBI)		 AY 1998-1999 for credit Molecular biology work for bead-based, flow cytometric detection method FEMS
PS Ganem Summer 1997, 1998 Low-phonon energy laser material research Phys. Rev. B

 

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