Ali Hanks

Particle Physics, which is the study of the way particles interact and what happens when they collide.

"I got into physics because I always loved science in school and decided that physics was the most interesting."

Amanda Weltman

Theoretical physics

She conducts research in the area of Cosmology, trying to understand the origins and evolution of the universe and its structure as well as understanding what we are made from fundamentally.

She got into science with her curiosity about the world around her, combined with a brilliant father with a spectacular library at home. "That, and I am good at math!"

Amy Petros is a bioinorganic chemist. The BIO is for biological, the INORGANIC means (in this case) metals. In the lab, she designs models (mini versions) of enzymes (proteins that speed up a reaction) that have metals. "What got me into science was the problem-solving: everything had an answer, and it made sense. I love using my brain to solve the mysteries in the laboratory."

Britt Reichborn-Kjennerud
Second Year Physics
The first thing i remember that got me excited about science was that the universe doesn't have an edge.  This has intrigued me since I was very small (although I still don't fully grasp what it means, and I have now learned that some physicists think the universe may have an edge).

I am an experimental physicist, which means that I help design and build experiments that we use to test the scientific theories we have, or to learn about the universe to make new theories.  I study the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), which is microwave light that comes to us from just after the Big Bang, the origin of the universe.  This light tells us about what the universe was like in the very first seconds of its existence, and also how the universe came to be as it is now.

Gordana Dukovic
Physical Chemistry

I study very very small wires called carbon nanotubes. More precisely, I am interested in how electrons in these wires behave when we shine laser light on them.
I first became interested in chemistry in middle school when we started learning about small, abstract things (like atoms and molecules) that we can't see with our eyes. One of the reasons why physical chemistry is fun is because we get to work with complicated instruments (lots of knobs!!) and powerful lasers.

Heidi Perry

I am a theoretical physical chemist; my field is in the intersection of math, physics and chemistry.  I was drawn into
chemistry because I was fascinated by the idea that math can be used to describe the behavior of atoms and subatomic particles, such as electrons.  We cannot see or interact with this underlying structure of our universe (and ourselves!), but using mathematical models, we can get a picture of what is happening, and use it to make predictions that are useful to experimentalists.   I work to develop these mathematical models of physical systems at the atomic/molecular level, sometimes testing the models by writing computer simulations.

Joanna Atkin

Laser physics.

I use a laser to look at very small regions- millionths of a millimeter.
I got into physics because I liked to take things apart when I was younger and figure out how they worked.

Laura Newburgh

Studies Cosmology, the origins of the universe

"I was a Star Trek nerd and read The Physics of Star Trek , it got me interested in black holes and cosmology. And, there is always the fame, glory, and money that comes with a physics career.... Right...."

Marilena Loverde

She studies cosmology, the study of the large-scale structure of the universe. What are the constituents (parts) of the universe? What is this weird thing called "dark energy" that is accelerating the expansion of the universe?

"I always liked solving puzzles and finding patterns in things. I also liked thinking about space, and wondering about the origin of the universe."

Mary Froemming

Bioorganic chemistry

She makes molecules that glow when they undergo a chemical change. We constantly have reactions taking place in our bodies. We use isolated cells to test our molecules for chemical reactions in the cell. If the cells glow, we know a specific chemical reaction is taking place in the cell.

"It is fun to do something that no one else has ever done. Every week I make a new molecule that has never been made."

Millie Smith

Physical Chemistry

I study Barium Titanate Nanoparticles. Nanoparticles are on the order of 0.000000001 meters large. I use an instrument called an Electrostatic Force Microscope to look at the nanoparticles and measure their charge.
I enjoy being a chemist because it gives me a chance to be creative and to do something that might benefit society.

Sarah Cummings

Sarah studies organometallic chemistry which is at the intersection of organic chemistry (study of molecules with carbon atoms) and inorganic chemistry (study of metal compounds). In the lab, she makes organometallic molecules and studies them to find out how they react.
I love being able to be creative. Every day I have the chance to make molecules and then find ways to understand how they interact and react with one another.

Tijana Jovanovic

The main area of my research is solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (SS NMR) characterization of paramagnetic proteins.

My research focuses on cytochrome P450s, which are one of the most important classes of enzymes in drug metabolism. They catalyze most of the drugs in use today, and development of new ones greatly depends on understanding of their function and structure. I study the orientation and motion of substrates in an enzyme pocket of cytochrome P450 BM-3. I also investigate the substrate binding and changes in the enzyme structure during the catalytic cycle using NMR methods.

In addition to protein work, I implement SS NMR to study magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agents, and better understand their relaxation properties and function.