The Physics Department strongly encourages all majors to do some physics-related research, and the summer is an especially good time to do so. The following lists opportunities for summer of 2012 that were available as of December 2011. Since this list is not complete, please feel free to contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Physics faculty or affiliates of the Physics Department and ask them directly whether there are opportunities to work on some area of physics that interests you. These faculty might also have opportunities for research during the academic year through an independent study.
| Professor | Research Topic | Student Qualifications |
| Chandrasekharan, Shailesh | A few computational projects. It involves studying interesting lattice field theories with novel Monte Carlo methods. (Posted in December 2011) | N/A |
| Charbonneau, Patrick | Why are certain liquids good glass formers? And why do these substances become so viscous? Glass formation is an age-old problem over which many brilliant minds have poured. Yet many microscopic aspects of the problem have yet to be understood. The Charbonneau group has developed a new way to look at these questions: changing the dimensionality of space. It not only makes the crystallization of simple fluids more difficult, it also allows to assess the various (contradictory) mean-field descriptions of the problem. (Posted in December 2011) | This research project is particularly well suited for an undergraduate student who has completed a statistical mechanics course and has an interest in theory and simulations. |
| Everitt, Henry | Fundamental physics experimental research in the government facility. Available research projects involve innovative spectroscopic investigations in one of the following: ultraviolet nano-plasmonics, nano-structured semiconductors, or molecular gases. Location: Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL (Posted on 1/3/2012) | US citizenship is required. Applicants should have completed at least the first two years of the physics major sequence, be proficient in MatLab, and must undergo a laser safety eye exam. Applicants will be interviewed following submission of a resume to Prof. Henry Everitt (everitt@phy.duke.edu), and successful applicants will be hired through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Engineering (http://orise.orau.gov/). |
| Goshaw, Alfred | High energy physics in LHC research program. In January, Prof. Goshaw will offer a series of lectures about research at the CERN LHC for students who might be interested in working in this group in summer 2012.(Posted in December 2011) | Some background Quantum Mechanics I, basic computing using C++ or Fortran. |
| Guenther, Bob | Research on Compartment Syndrome.(Posted in December 2011) | Junior or senior is preferred since the impact of this work on emergency care is rather important. |
| Kotwal, Ashutosh | Analysis of LHC data and simulations for the upgrade of the ATLAS detector.(Posted in December 2011) | Software and programming skills. Quantum Mechanics is useful, but not a requirement. |
| Scholberg, Kate | Variety of research projects available in the HEP neutrino group: http://neutrino.phy.duke.edu/(Posted in December 2011) | Quantum mechanics at the level of Physics 211 is not needed, but understanding at the level of Physics 143 is highly desirable. Computer programming knowledge is desirable, experience with at least one programming language will be preferred (C++ or C). |
| Socolar, Joshua | Investigate the properties of a statistical mechanics model that has an unusual, nonperiodic ground state. The project would involve a combination of computational and analytic work.(Posted in December 2011). | Physics 363 is a prerequisite, along with a willingness to learn some number theory and geometry. |
| Springer, Roxanne | (Posted in December 2011) | Quantum mechanics, ability to learn field theory and group theory quickly. |