2013-2014 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Physics
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116 Cardwell Hall
785-532-6786
Fax: 785-532-6806
graduate@phys.ksu.edu
http://www.phys.ksu.edu/
Department Head:
Amit Chakrabarti
Directors of graduate studies:
Michael J. O’Shea
Graduate Faculty:
*Itzhik Ben-Itzhak, Ph.D., Technion, Israel
*Chander P. Bhalla, (Emeritus) Ph.D., Tennessee
*Timothy A. Bolton, Ph.D., MIT
*Kevin Carnes, Ph.D., Purdue
*Amitabha Chakrabarti, Ph.D., Minnesota
*C. Lewis Cocke, (Emeritus) Ph.D., Cal. Tech
*Kristan L. Corwin, Ph.D., University of Colorado at Boulder
*Brett DePaola, Ph.D., Texas at Dallas
*Brett D. Esry, Ph.D., Colorado
*Charles C. Fehrenbach, Ph.D., University of Michigan
*Bret N. Flanders, Ph.D., University of Chicago
*Nathan Folland, (Emeritus) Ph.D., Iowa State
*Thomas J. Gray, (Emeritus) Ph.D., Florida State
*Siegbert J. Hagmann, (Emeritus) Ph.D., Cologne, Germany
*Glenn Horton-Smith, Ph.D., Stanford University
*Andrew G. Ivanov, Ph.D., University of Rochester
*Hongxing Jiang, (Adjunct) Ph.D., Syracuse
*Matthias F. Kling, Dr. rer. nat., University of Goettingen, Germany
*Vinod Kumarappan, Ph.D., Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, India
*Bruce Law, Ph.D., Victoria, New Zealand
Anh-Thu Le, Ph.D., Belarussian State University
*Ronald Lee, (Adjunct) Ph.D., Iowa State University
James C. Legg, (Emeritus) Ph.D., Princeton
*Chii-Dong Lin, Ph.D., Chicago
*Jingyu Lin, (Adjunct) Ph.D., Syracuse
*Stephen Lundeen, Ph.D., Harvard University
*Yurii Maravin, Ph.D., Southern Methodist University
*Michael J. O’Shea, Ph.D., Sussex, England
*Talat S. Rahman, (Emeritus) Ph.D., Rochester
*Bharat Ratra, Ph.D., Stanford
*Neville W. Reay, (Emeritus) Ph.D., Minnesota
*N. Sanjay Rebello, Ph.D., Brown
*Patrick Richard, (Emeritus) Ph.D., Florida State
*Artem Rudenko, Ph.D., Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
Eleanor Sayre, Ph.D., University of Maine
Jeremy Schmit, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara
*Ronald A. Sidwell, (Emeritus) Ph.D., Indiana
*Christopher M. Sorensen, Ph.D., Colorado
*John D. Spangler, Adjunct, Ph.D., Duke University
*Noel R. Stanton, (Emeritus) Ph.D., Cornell
*Robert Szoszkiewicz, Ph.D., Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
*Uwe Thumm, Dr. rer. nat., Freiburg, Germany
*Carlos A. Trallero, Ph.D., Stony Brook University, New York
*Brian Washburn, Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology
*O. Laurence Weaver, Ph.D., Duke
*Gary M. Wysin, Ph.D., Cornell
*Dean A. Zollman, Ph.D., Maryland
*Theodore J. M. Zouros, Adjunct, Ph.D., Yale University
*Denotes graduate faculty that are certified to serve as the major professor for doctoral students.
Program description
The research programs of the Department of Physics are focused in the areas of atomic, molecular and optical physics, condensed matter physics, physics education, cosmology, and high energy physics. We have concentrated our major research commitments in these areas to maintain strength and balance. The Department of Physics offers graduate programs leading to the Ph.D. degree. These are described here with the research interests of the faculty. Our graduate core curriculum is an excellent foundation for work in a large variety of specialties.
Careers
Graduate study in physics provides training for many varied academic and technological careers. Graduates in physics at all levels have found attractive careers in industrial and governmental laboratories and in academic departments. Graduates from K-State are presently engaged in communications research, x-ray laser development, genetic research, university teaching and research in various areas of physics, petroleum research, and industrial electronics, and many other fields. M.S. graduates generally occupy skilled technical positions and Ph.D. graduates generally occupy positions requiring independent work in a wide range of areas.
Research and facilities
Atomic, molecular and optical physics
Our researchers in the James Macdonald Laboratory study the fundamental behavior and interactions of atoms, molecules and light using intense ultrashort laser pulses. Our facilities include three high-powered solid state lasers, which can produce pulses from the infrared to X-ray regimes, as well as an ultrafast fiber laser. The lab’s many lasers are used to both understand the basic properties of nature as well as develop applications in telecommunications.
Soft and condensed mailer physics
Our condensed matter physics group performs research in a multitude of areas, including controlled assembly of nanoparticles into 2-D and 3-D solids, the stretching of proteins, and growth of nanowires and their application to living cells. Our soft matter group works at the interface of physics, chemistry and biology.
Cosmology and particle astrophysics
K-State’s cosmology group researches issues such as how and why the universe is expanding and whether this expansion is speeding up or slowing down. It also investigates how the very large-scale properties of the universe are related to the very small-scale properties of atomic matter.
High-energy physics
This group studies physics at the smallest known scales of the universe; the indivisible particles that make up atoms and matter. The group seeks to provide answers to many fundamental questions of physics such as the existence of extra dimensions of space, dark energy and the nature of the dark matter of the universe, and the origin of mass. The group members collaborate with many groups throughout the world, including the Fermilab near Chicago, and with CERN in Switzerland, where recently they were involved in discovering the Higgs boson.
Physics education research
The physics education group conducts research related to the teaching and learning of physics, and develops learning materials based on that research and the research of others. The group continues to develop cutting-edge teaching technology, as well as improve both in-service and pre-service teacher education.
Financial support
The department is continually awarded outside support for research and teaching. The extramural research support for the department has averaged over $6.5 million during each of the last four years. This support is important for the graduate student because it is an indication that the research conducted by the department is regarded highly by the research peers who review the department’s proposals. It also indicates that a large number of graduate research assistantships are available in the department. Exceptional students can compete for university graduate fellowships and graduate fellowships offered by the Graduate School. Applications must be completed by December 16 to be considered for a fellowship. The schedule for teaching assistants is about 8 to 10 hours per week in laboratory sections in the introductory physics courses. Summer appointments as research assistants are generally available. The stipend is sufficient for a comfortable life in Manhattan.
Doctor of Philosophy
Master of Science
Physics
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