EDUCATION:

Ph.D. 1987, Harvard University

RESEARCH:

My primary interests include phase transitions, critical phenomena, & the renormalization group; secondary concerns: kinetic roughening, reaction-diffusion systems, nonlinear dynamics, Nature's pattern formation. In recent years, I have concentrated my efforts on understanding the statistical mechanics of directed polymers in random media (DPRM), a baby version of the spin-glass and one of the few tractable problems in ill-condensed matter. Because of a mapping via the stochastic Burgers equation, the DPRM pays off handsomely, with important implications for vortex-line wandering in disordered superconductors, the propagation of flame fronts, domain-wall roughening in impurity-stricken magnets, as well as the dynamic scaling properties of Eden clusters. Tools of the trade are tied to the renormalization group in modern form, including both numerical and analytical approaches. Listed below are a number of papers that I take particular pride in. They give a good sense of the statistical mechanical problems I like to work on.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

"The Dynamics of Multidimensional Secession: Fixed Points & Ideological Condensation," Arne Soulier, THH, Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 258103 (2003). "Directed Polymers vs. Directed Percolation", T. Halpin-Healy, Phys. Rev. E58, 4096RC (1998). "Chemical Wave Refraction Phenomena", Sin-Chun Hwang , T. Halpin-Healy, Phys. Rev. E54, 3009 (1996). "Kinetic Roughening, Stochastic Growth, Directed Polymers & all that",Tim Halpin-Healy & Y-C Zhang, Phys. Rep. 254, 215-415 (1995). "Disturbing the Random Energy Landscape", Tim Halpin-Healy & D. Herbert, Phys. Rev. E48, 1617RC (1993). "Depinning by Quenched Randomness", M. Zapotocky & Tim Halpin-Healy, Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 3463C (1991). "Diverse Manifolds in Random Media", Tim Halpin-Healy, Phys. Rev. Lett. 62, 442 (1989).

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