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Physics Theses, Dissertations, and Masters Projects

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Ab Initio Computations Of Structural Properties In Solids By Auxiliary Field Quantum Monte Carlo , Siyuan Chen

Constraining Of The Minerνa Medium Energy Neutrino Flux Using Neutrino-Electron Scattering , Luis Zazueta

Experimental Studies Of Neutral Particles And The Isotope Effect In The Edge Of Tokamak Plasmas , Ryan Chaban

From The Hubbard Model To Coulomb Interactions: Quantum Monte Carlo Computations In Strongly Correlated Systems , Zhi-Yu Xiao

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Broadband Infrared Microspectroscopy and Nanospectroscopy of Local Material Properties: Experiment and Modeling , Patrick McArdle

Edge Fueling And Neutral Density Studies Of The Alcator C-Mod Tokamak Using The Solps-Iter Code , Richard M. Reksoatmodjo

Electronic Transport In Topological Superconducting Heterostructures , Joseph Jude Cuozzo

Inclusive and Inelastic Scattering in Neutrino-Nucleus Interactions , Amy Filkins

Investigation Of Stripes, Spin Density Waves And Superconductivity In The Ground State Of The Two-Dimensional Hubbard Model , Hao Xu

Partial Wave Analysis Of Strange Mesons Decaying To K + Π − Π + In The Reaction Γp → K + Π + Π − Λ(1520) And The Commissioning Of The Gluex Dirc Detector , Andrew Hurley

Partial Wave Analysis of the ωπ− Final State Photoproduced at GlueX , Amy Schertz

Quantum Sensing For Low-Light Imaging , Savannah Cuozzo

Radiative Width of K*(892) from Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics , Archana Radhakrishnan

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

AC & DC Zeeman Interferometric Sensing With Ultracold Trapped Atoms On A Chip , Shuangli Du

Calculation Of Gluon Pdf In The Nucleon Using Pseudo-Pdf Formalism With Wilson Flow Technique In LQCD , Md Tanjib Atique Khan

Dihadron Beam Spin Asymmetries On An Unpolarized Hydrogen Target With Clas12 , Timothy Barton Hayward

Excited J-- Resonances In Meson-Meson Scattering From Lattice Qcd , Christopher Johnson

Forward & Off-Forward Parton Distributions From Lattice Qcd , Colin Paul Egerer

Light-Matter Interactions In Quasi-Two-Dimensional Geometries , David James Lahneman

Proton Spin Structure from Simultaneous Monte Carlo Global QCD Analysis , Yiyu Zhou

Radiofrequency Ac Zeeman Trapping For Neutral Atoms , Andrew Peter Rotunno

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

A First-Principles Study of the Nature of the Insulating Gap in VO2 , Christopher Hendriks

Competing And Cooperating Orders In The Three-Band Hubbard Model: A Comprehensive Quantum Monte Carlo And Generalized Hartree-Fock Study , Adam Chiciak

Development Of Quantum Information Tools Based On Multi-Photon Raman Processes In Rb Vapor , Nikunjkumar Prajapati

Experiments And Theory On Dynamical Hamiltononian Monodromy , Matthew Perry Nerem

Growth Engineering And Characterization Of Vanadium Dioxide Films For Ultraviolet Detection , Jason Andrew Creeden

Insulator To Metal Transition Dynamics Of Vanadium Dioxide Thin Films , Scott Madaras

Quantitative Analysis Of EKG And Blood Pressure Waveforms , Denise Erin McKaig

Study Of Scalar Extensions For Physics Beyond The Standard Model , Marco Antonio Merchand Medina

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Beyond the Standard Model: Flavor Symmetry, Nonperturbative Unification, Quantum Gravity, and Dark Matter , Shikha Chaurasia

Electronic Properties of Two-Dimensional Van Der Waals Systems , Yohanes Satrio Gani

Extraction and Parametrization of Isobaric Trinucleon Elastic Cross Sections and Form Factors , Scott Kevin Barcus

Interfacial Forces of 2D Materials at the Oil–Water Interface , William Winsor Dickinson

Scattering a Bose-Einstein Condensate Off a Modulated Barrier , Andrew James Pyle

Topics in Proton Structure: BSM Answers to its Radius Puzzle and Lattice Subtleties within its Momentum Distribution , Michael Chaim Freid

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

A Measurement of Nuclear Effects in Deep Inelastic Scattering in Neutrino-Nucleus Interactions , Anne Norrick

Applications of Lattice Qcd to Hadronic Cp Violation , David Brantley

Charge Dynamics in the Metallic and Superconducting States of the Electron-Doped 122-Type Iron Arsenides , Zhen Xing

Dynamics of Systems With Hamiltonian Monodromy , Daniel Salmon

Exotic Phases in Attractive Fermions: Charge Order, Pairing, and Topological Signatures , Peter Rosenberg

Extensions of the Standard Model Higgs Sector , Richard Keith Thrasher

First Measurements of the Parity-Violating and Beam-Normal Single-Spin Asymmetries in Elastic Electron-Aluminum Scattering , Kurtis David Bartlett

Lattice Qcd for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay: Short Range Operator Contributions , Henry Jose Monge Camacho

Probe of Electroweak Interference Effects in Non-Resonant Inelastic Electron-Proton Scattering , James Franklyn Dowd

Proton Spin Structure from Monte Carlo Global Qcd Analyses , Jacob Ethier

Searching for A Dark Photon in the Hps Experiment , Sebouh Jacob Paul

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

A global normal form for two-dimensional mode conversion , David Gregory Johnston

Computational Methods of Lattice Boltzmann Mhd , Christopher Robert Flint

Computational Studies of Strongly Correlated Quantum Matter , Hao Shi

Determination of the Kinematics of the Qweak Experiment and Investigation of an Atomic Hydrogen Møller Polarimeter , Valerie Marie Gray

Disconnected Diagrams in Lattice Qcd , Arjun Singh Gambhir

Formulating Schwinger-Dyson Equations for Qed Propagators in Minkowski Space , Shaoyang Jia

Highly-Correlated Electron Behavior in Niobium and Niobium Compound Thin Films , Melissa R. Beebe

Infrared Spectroscopy and Nano-Imaging of La0.67Sr0.33Mno3 Films , Peng Xu

Investigation of Local Structures in Cation-Ordered Microwave Dielectric a Solid-State Nmr and First Principle Calculation Study , Rony Gustam Kalfarisi

Measurement of the Elastic Ep Cross Section at Q2 = 0.66, 1.10, 1.51 and 1.65 Gev2 , YANG WANG

Modeling The Gross-Pitaevskii Equation using The Quantum Lattice Gas Method , Armen M. Oganesov

Optical Control of Multi-Photon Coherent Interactions in Rubidium Atoms , Gleb Vladimirovich Romanov

Plasmonic Approaches and Photoemission: Ag-Based Photocathodes , Zhaozhu Li

Quantum and Classical Manifestation of Hamiltonian Monodromy , Chen Chen

Shining Light on The Phase Transitions of Vanadium Dioxide , Tyler J. Huffman

Superconducting Thin Films for The Enhancement of Superconducting Radio Frequency Accelerator Cavities , Matthew Burton

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Ac Zeeman Force with Ultracold Atoms , Charles Fancher

A Measurement of the Parity-Violating Asymmetry in Aluminum and its Contribution to A Measurement of the Proton's Weak Charge , Joshua Allen Magee

An improved measurement of the Muon Neutrino charged current Quasi-Elastic cross-section on Hydrocarbon at Minerva , Dun Zhang

Applications of High Energy Theory to Superconductivity and Cosmic Inflation , Zhen Wang

A Precision Measurement of the Weak Charge of Proton at Low Q^2: Kinematics and Tracking , Siyuan Yang

Compton Scattering Polarimetry for The Determination of the Proton’S Weak Charge Through Measurements of the Parity-Violating Asymmetry of 1H(E,e')P , Juan Carlos Cornejo

Disorder Effects in Dirac Heterostructures , Martin Alexander Rodriguez-Vega

Electron Neutrino Appearance in the Nova Experiment , Ji Liu

Experimental Apparatus for Quantum Pumping with a Bose-Einstein Condensate. , Megan K. Ivory

Investigating Proton Spin Structure: A Measurement of G_2^p at Low Q^2 , Melissa Ann Cummings

Neutrino Flux Prediction for The Numi Beamline , Leonidas Aliaga Soplin

Quantitative Analysis of Periodic Breathing and Very Long Apnea in Preterm Infants. , Mary A. Mohr

Resolution Limits of Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry with Pulsed Source , Guangzhi Qu

Solving Problems of the Standard Model through Scale Invariance, Dark Matter, Inflation and Flavor Symmetry , Raymundo Alberto Ramos

Study of Spatial Structure of Squeezed Vacuum Field , Mi Zhang

Study of Variations of the Dynamics of the Metal-Insulator Transition of Thin Films of Vanadium Dioxide with An Ultra-Fast Laser , Elizabeth Lee Radue

Thin Film Approaches to The Srf Cavity Problem: Fabrication and Characterization of Superconducting Thin Films , Douglas Beringer

Turbulent Particle Transport in H-Mode Plasmas on Diii-D , Xin Wang

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Ballistic atom pumps , Tommy Byrd

Determination of the Proton's Weak Charge via Parity Violating e-p Scattering. , Joshua Russell Hoskins

Electronic properties of chiral two-dimensional materials , Christopher Lawrence Charles Triola

Heavy flavor interactions and spectroscopy from lattice quantum chromodynamics , Zachary S. Brown

Some properties of meson excited states from lattice QCD , Ekaterina V. Mastropas

Sterile Neutrino Search with MINOS. , Alena V. Devan

Ultracold rubidium and potassium system for atom chip-based microwave and RF potentials , Austin R. Ziltz

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Enhancement of MS Signal Processing for Improved Cancer Biomarker Discovery , Qian Si

Whispering-gallery mode resonators for nonlinear and quantum optical applications , Matthew Thomas Simons

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Applications of Holographic Dualities , Dylan Judd Albrecht

A search for a new gauge boson , Eric Lyle Jensen

Experimental Generation and Manipulation of Quantum Squeezed Vacuum via Polarization Self-Rotation in Rb Vapor , Travis Scott Horrom

Low Energy Tests of the Standard Model , Benjamin Carl Rislow

Magnetic Order and Dimensional Crossover in Optical Lattices with Repulsive Interaction , Jie Xu

Multi-meson systems from Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics , Zhifeng Shi

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Dark matter in the heavens and at colliders: Models and constraints , Reinard Primulando

Measurement of Single and Double Spin Asymmetries in p(e, e' pi(+/-,0))X Semi-Inclusive Deep-Inelastic Scattering , Sucheta Shrikant Jawalkar

NMR study of paramagnetic nano-checkerboard superlattices , Christopher andrew Maher

Parity-violating asymmetry in the nucleon to delta transition: A Study of Inelastic Electron Scattering in the G0 Experiment , Carissa Lee Capuano

Studies of polarized and unpolarized helium -3 in the presence of alkali vapor , Kelly Anita Kluttz

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Home > Sciences and Arts > Dept. of Physics > Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Department of Physics

Dept. of Physics Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Explore our collection of dissertations, master's theses and master's reports from the Department of Physics below.

Theses/Dissertations/Reports from 2024 2024

APPLICATIONS OF INDEPENDENT AND IDENTICALLY DISTRIBUTED (IID) RANDOM PROCESSES IN POLARIMETRY AND CLIMATOLOGY , Dan Kestner

DEPENDENCE OF ENERGY TRANSFER ON CURVATURE SIMILARITY IN COLLISIONS INVOLVING CURVED SHOCK FRONTS , Justin Cassell

Study of Particle Accelerators in the Universe with the HAWC Observatory , Rishi Babu

Theses/Dissertations/Reports from 2023 2023

An exploration of cloud droplet growth by condensation and collision-coalescence in a convection-cloud chamber , Jacob T. Kuntzleman

A Search for Compact Object Dark Matter in the Universe Utilizing Gravitational Millilensing of Gamma-ray Bursts , Oindabi Mukherjee

Fabrication and Optical Properties of Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides , Manpreet Boora

Large cloud droplets and the initiation of ice by pressure fluctuations: Molecular simulations and airborne in-situ observations , Elise Rosky

On Examining Solvation and Dielectric Constants of Polar and Ionic Liquids using the Stockmayer Fluid Model , Cameron J. Shock

PHYSICAL, OPTICAL, AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF LIGHT ABSORBING AEROSOLS AND THEIR CLIMATIC IMPACTS , Susan Mathai

STUDY OF ELECTRONIC AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF BILAYER GRAPHENE NANOFLAKES AND BIMETALLIC CHALCOGENIDES USING FIRST-PRINCIPLES DENSITY FUNCTIONAL THEORY AND MACHINE LEARNING , Dharmendra Pant

SURFACE RECONSTRUCTION IN IRON GARNETS , Sushree Dash

Tracing the Most Powerful Galactic Cosmic-ray Accelerators with the HAWC Observatory , Dezhi Huang

Theses/Dissertations/Reports from 2022 2022

A Combined Spectral and Energy Morphology Analysis of Gamma Ray Source HAWC J2031+415 in the Cygnus Constellation , Ian Herzog

APPLICATION OF ARGON PRESSURE BROADENED RUBIDIUM VAPOR CELLS AS ULTRA-NARROW NOTCH FILTERS , Sam Groetsch

A SURROGATE MODEL OF MOLECULAR DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS FOR POLAR FLUIDS: SUPERVISED LEARNING METHODS FOR MOLECULAR POLARIZATION AND UNSUPERVISED METHODS FOR PHASE CLASSIFICATION , Zackerie W. Hjorth

BORON NITRIDE NANOSTRUCTURES: SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND APPLICATION IN PHOTOVOLTAICS AND BIOMEDICINE , Sambhawana Sharma

Machine Learning-Driven Surrogate Models for Electrolytes , Tong Gao

OPTICAL AND SINGLE PARTICLE PROPERTIES OF NORTH ATLANTIC FREE TROPOSPHERIC AEROSOLS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR AEROSOL DIRECT RADIATIVE FORCING , Megan Morgenstern

PRELIMINARY STUDIES OF BACKGROUND REJECTION CAPABILITIES FOR THE SOUTHERN WIDE−FIELD GAMMA−RAY OBSERVATORY , Sonali Mohan

SEARCHING FOR ANOMALOUS EXTENSIVE AIR SHOWERS USING THE PIERRE AUGER OBSERVATORY FLUORESCENCE DETECTOR , Andrew Puyleart

THEORETICAL INVESTIGATION ON OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF 2D MATERIALS AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF POLYMER COMPOSITES AT MOLECULAR LEVEL , Geeta Sachdeva

THE VARIABILITY OF THE SATURATION RATIO IN CLOUDS , Jesse C. Anderson

TOWARD DEEP LEARNING EMULATORS FOR MODELING THE LARGE-SCALE STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSE , Neerav Kaushal

Theses/Dissertations/Reports from 2021 2021

A COMPUTATIONAL STUDY OF PROPERTIES OF CORE-SHELL NANOWIRE HETEROSTRUCTURES USING DENSITY FUNCTIONAL THEORY , Sandip Aryal

ACTIVATION SCAVENGING OF AEROSOL : EFFECT OF TURBULENCE AND AEROSOL-COMPOSITION , Abu Sayeed Md Shawon

APPLICATION OF GRAPHENE-BASED 2D MATERIALS AND EXPLORATION OF LITHIUM POLYSULFIDES SOLID PHASES – FIRST-PRINCIPLES STUDY BASED ON DENSITY FUNCTIONAL THEORY , Qing Guo

Control of spontaneous emission dynamics in microcavities with chiral exceptional surfaces , Amin Hashemi

Investigating ice nucleation at negative pressures using molecular dynamics: A first order approximation of the dependence of ice nucleation rate on pressure , Elise Rosky

Modeling and Numerical Simulations Of The Michigan Tech Convection Cloud Chamber , Subin Thomas

PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOLS AND THEIR EFFECT ON ICE CLOUD FORMATION , Nurun Nahar Lata

RADIAL BASIS FUNCTION METHOD FOR COMPUTATIONAL PHOTONICS , Seyed Mostafa Rezaei

UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTS OF WATER VAPOR AND TEMPERATURE ON AEROSOL USING NOVEL MEASUREMENT METHODS , Tyler Jacob Capek

Van der Waals Quantum Dots: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications , Amit Acharya

Theses/Dissertations/Reports from 2020 2020

Cosmic-Ray Acceleration in the Cygnus OB2 Stellar Association , Binita Hona

OPTICAL DISPERSION RELATIONS FROM THREE-DIMENSIONAL CHIRAL GOLD NANOCUBES IN PERIODIC ARRAYS , Manpreet Boora

Phase Resolved Analysis of Pulsar PSR J2032.2+4126 , Aishwarya Satyawan Dahiwale

Theses/Dissertations/Reports from 2019 2019

Aerosol-Cloud Interactions in Turbulent Clouds: A Combined Cloud Chamber and Theoretical Study , Kamal Kant Chandrakar

Energy Transfer Between Eu2+ and Mn2+ for Na(Sr,Ba)PO4 and Ba2Mg(BO3)2 , Kevin Bertschinger

INVESTIGATION OF LIGHT TRANSPORT AND SCATTERING IN TURBULENT CLOUDS: SIMULATIONS AND LABORATORY MEASUREMENTS , Corey D. Packard

Laser Induced Phase Transformations and Fluorescence Measurements from Nanodiamond Particles , Nick Videtich

Light-matter interactions in plasmonic arrays, two dimensional materials and their hybrid nanostructures , Jinlin Zhang

LIGHT PROPAGATION THROUGH A TURBULENT CLOUD: COMPARISON OF MEASURED AND COMPUTED EXTINCTION , Eduardo Rodriguez-feo Bermudez

LOCATION, ORBIT AND ENERGY OF A METEOROID IMPACTING THE MOON DURING THE LUNAR ECLIPSE OF JANUARY 21, 2019 & TESTING THE WEAK EQUIVALENCE PRINCIPLE WITH COSMOLOGICAL GAMMA RAY BURSTS , Matipon Tangmatitham

Physics and applications of exceptional points , Qi Zhong

Synthetic Saturable Absorber , Armin Kalita

The Solvation Energy of Ions in a Stockmayer Fluid , Cameron John Shock

UNDERSTANDING THE VERY HIGH ENERGY γ-RAY EMISSION FROM A FAST SPINNING NEUTRON STAR ENVIRONMENT , Chad A. Brisbois

Theses/Dissertations/Reports from 2018 2018

ANGLE-RESOLVED OPTICAL SPECTROSCOPY OF PLASMONIC RESONANCES , Aeshah Khudaysh M Muqri

Effects of Ionic Liquid on Lithium Dendrite Growth , Ziwei Qian

EFFECTS OF MASS AND DISTANCE UNCERTAINTIES ON CALCULATIONS OF FLUX FROM GIANT MOLECULAR CLOUDS , Matt Coel

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Current Atmospheric Refraction Models in Predicting Sunrise and Sunset Times , Teresa Wilson

FIRST-PRINCIPLES INVESTIGATION OF THE INTERFACIAL PROPERTIES OF BORON NITRIDE , Kevin Waters

Investigation of microphysical properties of laboratory and atmospheric clouds using digital in-line holography , Neel Desai

MAGNETLESS AND TOPOLOGICAL EDGE MODE-BASED ON-CHIP ISOLATORS AND SPIN-ORBIT COUPLING IN MAGNETO-OPTIC MEDIA , Dolendra Karki

MORPHOLOGY AND MIXING STATE OF SOOT AND TAR BALLS: IMPLICATIONS FOR OPTICAL PROPERTIES AND CLIMATE , Janarjan Bhandari

Novel Faraday Rotation Effects Observed In Ultra-Thin Iron Garnet Films , Brandon Blasiola

PROBING QUANTUM TRANSPORT IN THREE-TERMINAL NANOJUNCTIONS , Meghnath Jaishi

STUDY OF THE CYGNUS REGION WITH FERMI AND HAWC , Andrew Robare

Synthesis and Applications of One and Two-Dimensional Boron Nitride Based Nanomaterials , Shiva Bhandari

SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND APPLICATION OF 2D TRANSITION METAL DICHALCOGENIDES , Mingxiao Ye

Theses/Dissertations/Reports from 2017 2017

CVD SYNTHESIS, PROCESSING, QUANTIFICATION, AND APPLICATIONS OF BORON NITRIDE NANOTUBES , Bishnu Tiwari

Gamma/Hadron Separation for the HAWC Observatory , Michael J. Gerhardt

LABORATORY, COMPUTATIONAL AND THEORETICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF ICE NUCLEATION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR MIXED PHASE CLOUDS , Fan Yang

LABORATORY STUDIES OF THE INTERSTITIAL AEROSOL REMOVAL MECHANISMS IN A CLOUD CHAMBER , Sarita Karki

QUANTUM INSPIRED SYMMETRIES IN LASER ENGINEERING , Mohammad Hosain Teimourpour

Search for High-Energy Gamma Rays in the Northern Fermi Bubble Region with the HAWC Observatory , Hugo Alberto Ayala Solares

Synthetic Saturable Absorber Using Non-Uniform Jx Waveguide Array , Ashfiqur Rahman

The Intrinsic Variability of the Water Vapor Saturation Ratio Due to Mixing , Jesse Anderson

Theses/Dissertations/Reports from 2016 2016

FIRST-PRINCIPLES STUDIES OF GROUP IV AND GROUP V RELATED TWO DIMENSIONAL MATERIALS , Gaoxue Wang

INVESTIGATION OF THE RESISTANCE TO DEMAGNETIZATION IN BULK RARE-EARTH MAGNETS COMPRISED OF CRYSTALLOGRAPHICALLY-ALIGNED, SINGLE-DOMAIN CRYSTALLITES WITH MODIFIED INTERGRANULAR PHASE , Jie Li

LABORATORY MEASUREMENTS OF CONTACT NUCLEATION BY MINERAL DUSTS, BACTERIA, AND SOLUBLE SALTS , Joseph Niehaus

Studies of invisibility cloak based on structured dielectric artificial materials , Ran Duan

Testing Lidar-Radar Derived Drop Sizes Against In Situ Measurements , Mary Amanda Shaw

Reports/Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

A METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE MASS COMPOSITION OF ULTRA-HIGH ENERGY COSMIC RAYS BY PREDICTING THE DEPTH OF FIRST INTERACTION OF INDIVIDUAL EXTENSIVE AIR SHOWERS , Tolga Yapici

BARIUM CONCENTRATIONS IN ROCK SALT BY LASER INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY , Kiley J. Spirito

FUNCTIONALIZED BORON NITRIDE NANOTUBES FOR ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS , Boyi Hao

GEOMETRY INDUCED MAGNETO-OPTIC EFFECTS IN LPE GROWN MAGNETIC GARNET FILMS , Ashim Chakravarty

LABORATORY AND FIELD INVESTIGATION OF MIXING, MORPHOLOGY AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF SOOT AND SECONDARY ORGANIC AEROSOLS , Noopur Sharma

MULTISCALE EXAMINATION AND MODELING OF ELECTRON TRANSPORT IN NANOSCALE MATERIALS AND DEVICES , Douglas R. Banyai

RELATIVISTIC CONFIGURATION INTERACTION CALCULATIONS OF THE ATOMIC PROPERTIES OF SELECTED TRANSITION METAL POSITIVE IONS; NI II, V II AND W II , Marwa Hefny Abdalmoneam

SEARCH FOR LONG-LIVED WEAKLY INTERACTING PARTICLES USING THE PIERRE AUGER OBSERVATORY , Niraj Dhital

Search for TeV Gamma-Ray Sources in the Galactic Plane with the HAWC Observatory , Hao Zhou

STUDY OF NON-RECIPROCAL DICHROISM IN PHOTONIC STRUCTURES , Anindya Majumdar

UNDERSTANDING ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT PROPERTIES IN NANOSCALE JUNCTIONS , Kamal B. Dhungana

Reports/Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

A THEORETICAL STUDY OF INTERACTION OF NANOPARTICLES WITH BIOMOLECULE , Chunhui Liu

INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF THE CONTACT LINE IN HETEROGENEOUS NUCLEATION WITH HIGH SPEED IMAGING , Colin Gurganus

MORPHOLOGY AND MIXING STATE OF ATMOSPHERIC PARTICLES: LINKS TO OPTICAL PROPERTIES AND CLOUD PROCESSING , Swarup China

QUANTUM CORRELATIONS OF LIGHTS IN MACROSCOPIC ENVIRONMENTS , Yong Meng Sua

THE THREE DIMENSIONAL SHAPE AND ROUGHNESS OF MINERAL DUST , Xinxin Woodward

Reports/Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

ADVENTURES IN FRIEDMANN COSMOLOGIES---INTERACTION OF POSITIVE ENERGY DENSITIES WITH NEGATIVE ENERGY DENSITIES AND CURVATURE OF THE UNIVERSE , Ravi Joshi

ELECTRON TRANSPORT IN LOW-DIMENSIONAL NANOSTRUCTURES - THEORETICAL STUDY WITH APPLICATION , Xiaoliang Zhong

Investigations of Cloud Microphysical Response to Mixing Using Digital Holography , Matthew Jacob Beals

MAGNETO-PHOTONIC CRYSTALS FOR OPTICAL SENSING APPLICATIONS , Neluka Dissanayake

NONLINEAR EFFECTS IN MAGNETIC GARNET FILMS AND NONRECIPROCAL OPTICAL BLOCH OSCILLATIONS IN WAVEGUIDE ARRAYS , Pradeep Kumar

OPTIMAL SHAPE IN ELECTROMAGNETIC SCATTERING BY SMALL ASPHERICAL PARTICLES , Ajaree Mongkolsittisilp

QUADRUPOLE LEVITATION OF PARTICLES IN A THERMODYNAMICALLY REALISTIC CLOUD ENVIRONMENT , Nicholas A. Black

STOCHASTIC CHARGE TRANSPORT IN MULTI-ISLAND SINGLE-ELECTRON TUNNELING DEVICES , Madhusudan A. Savaikar

Reports/Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Calibration of the HAWC Gamma-Ray Observatory , Nathan C. Kelley-Hoskins

Charge and spin transport in nanoscale junction from first principles , Subhasish Mandal

Measurements of ice nucleation by mineral dusts in the contact mode , Kristopher W. Bunker

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416 Physics Topics & Ideas to Research

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  • Icon Calendar 18 May 2024
  • Icon Page 3368 words
  • Icon Clock 15 min read

Physics topics may include the complex systems of the universe, from the smallest particles to colossal galaxies. This field of study examines fundamental concepts, such as force, energy, and matter, extrapolating them into areas like quantum or relative mechanics. It also explores thermodynamics, revealing the intriguing principles behind heat, work, and energy conversions. Some themes may vary from the mysteries of dark matter and energy in cosmology to the resonating string theories in theoretical physics. Moreover, the world of semiconductors in solid-state physics presents a spectrum of interconnected topics. In turn, the essential laws of physics provide the basis for almost all scientific research, offering profound insights into the natural world and shaping human understanding of how everything in the universe behaves and interacts.

Cool Physics Topics

  • Quantum Entanglement and Its Potential Applications
  • Harnessing Solar Energy: Next-Generation Photovoltaic Cells
  • Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion Energy
  • The Role of Physics in Climate Change Models
  • Dark Matter and Dark Energy: Unveiling the Universe’s Mysteries
  • Astrophysics: Formation and Evolution of Black Holes
  • Implications of Superconductivity in Modern Technology
  • Roles of Biophysics in Understanding Cellular Mechanisms
  • Theoretical Physics: The Quest for Quantum Gravity
  • Nanotechnology: Manipulating Matter at the Atomic Scale
  • Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation and the Big Bang Theory
  • The Uncertainty Principle and Its Philosophical Consequences
  • Exploring Exoplanets: Physics Beyond Our Solar System
  • Advances in Optics: From Microscopy to Telecommunications
  • Gravitational Waves: Probing the Fabric of Spacetime
  • Neutrino Physics: Studying the Universe’s Ghost Particles
  • Entropy and Time’s Arrow: Understanding Thermodynamics
  • Applications of Particle Physics in Medicine
  • Physics of Semiconductors and the Evolution of Computing
  • Exploring String Theory and Multidimensional Realities
  • Relativity Theory: Spacetime Curvature and Gravitational Lenses
  • Quantum Computing: Bridging Physics and Information Technology

Physics Topics & Ideas to Research

Easy Physics Topics

  • Antimatter: Understanding its Properties and Possible Uses
  • Physics of Chaos and Nonlinear Dynamical Systems
  • Condensed Matter Physics: Unveiling the Behavior of Phases of Matter
  • Science of Acoustics: Understanding Sound Phenomena
  • Roles of Physics in Developing Advanced Materials
  • Synchrotron Radiation: Tools and Techniques in Research
  • Particle Accelerators: Probing the Quantum World
  • Theoretical Predictions and Experimental Tests in Quantum Mechanics
  • Nuclear Fusion: The Physics of a Star’s Energy Production
  • The Holographic Principle: A Revolution in Quantum Physics?
  • Biomechanics: Understanding the Physics of Life Movements
  • Exploring the Physics of Supermassive Black Holes
  • Magnetism: From Quantum Spin to Industrial Applications
  • Laser Physics: Principles and Cutting-Edge Applications
  • Advances in Cryogenics and Low-Temperature Physics
  • The Physics of Flight: From Birds to Airplanes
  • Quantum Field Theory and the Nature of Reality
  • Modern Cosmology: Inflation and the Cosmic Structure
  • Probing Subatomic Particles in High-Energy Physics
  • Physics of Fluid Dynamics: From Blood Flow to Weather Systems
  • The Grand Unified Theory: Bridging Fundamental Forces
  • Quantum Cryptography: Ensuring Information Security
  • Photonic Crystals and Their Applications in Telecommunication

Physics Research Paper Topics for High School

  • Exploring the Mysteries of Dark Matter and Dark Energy
  • Quantum Entanglement: Unraveling the Enigma
  • Nanotechnology: The Physics of the Incredibly Small
  • Black Holes: Understanding Gravity’s Ultimate Victory
  • Time Travel: Exploring its Possibility in Physics
  • Particle Physics: A Closer Look at the Higgs Boson
  • Waves and Resonance: The Science Behind Vibrations
  • Antimatter: The Mirror Image of Normal Matter
  • Superconductivity: Exploring the Role of Temperature
  • Effects of Nuclear Physics on Medical Imaging Technology
  • The Theory of Everything: Unifying the Fundamental Forces
  • Superstring Theory: The Quest for Unification
  • Chaos Theory: A Journey Through Nonlinear Dynamics
  • Radioactivity: The Science Behind Nuclear Decay
  • Examining the Physical Properties of Non-Newtonian Fluids
  • Magnetic Monopoles: A Missing Piece in Electromagnetism?
  • Quantum Field Theory: The World of Subatomic Particles
  • Physics of Climate Change: Understanding Global Warming
  • Thermodynamics: The Science of Heat and Energy Transfers

Physics Research Paper Topics for College Students

  • Unveiling the Mysteries of Quantum Entanglement
  • Implications of Zero-Point Energy: A Look Into Vacuum Fluctuations
  • Examining the Principles and Potential of Nuclear Fusion
  • Harnessing Antimatter: Theoretical Approaches and Practical Limitations
  • Tracing Cosmic Rays: Sources, Propagation, and Interaction with Matter
  • Advanced Gravitational Waves: Detection and Significance
  • Rethinking Dark Matter: Contemporary Views and Hypotheses
  • Probing Planetary Physics: Dynamics in Our Solar System
  • Exploring the Physics of Black Holes: Beyond the Event Horizon
  • Thermodynamics in Nanoscale Systems: Deviations From Classical Rules
  • Computational Physics: The Impact of Machine Learning on Physical Research
  • Spintronics: Revolutionizing Information Technology
  • Accelerators in Medicine: Using Particle Physics for Cancer Treatment
  • The Influence of Physics on Climate Change Modeling
  • Neutrino Oscillations: Exploring the Ghost Particles
  • Quantum Computing: Bridging the Gap Between Physics and Information Technology
  • Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe: Current Understanding
  • Gauge Theories in Particle Physics: A Deep Dive
  • The Holographic Principle: The Universe as a Hologram
  • The Role of Physics in Renewable Energy Technologies
  • Time Travel Theories: Fact or Fiction?
  • Implications of String Theory in Modern Physics

Physics Research Paper Topics for University

  • Metamaterials: Creating the Impossible in Optics and Acoustics
  • Fluid Dynamics in Astrophysics: Stars, Galaxies, and Beyond
  • Tackling Turbulence: The Last Great Problem in Classical Physics
  • The Casimir Effect: Unearthing Quantum Force in the Vacuum
  • Superconductivity: New Frontiers and Applications
  • Advances in Biophysics: Cellular Mechanisms to Organismal Systems
  • The Physics of Spacecraft Propulsion: Ion Drives and Beyond
  • Supersymmetry: The Unfulfilled Promise of the Universe
  • Relativity and GPS: The Unseen Influence of Physics in Everyday Life
  • Topological Insulators: Quantum Phenomena in Solid State Physics
  • The Future of Photonics: Powering the Next Generation of Technology
  • Atomic Clocks: The Intersection of Quantum Mechanics and Relativity
  • Quantum Field Theory: A Modern Understanding
  • Electromagnetism in Biological Systems: Understanding Bioelectricity
  • The Kardashev Scale: A Framework for Advanced Civilizations
  • Harnessing the Sun: The Physics of Solar Energy
  • M-Theory: The Unifying Theory of Everything
  • Bell’s Theorem: Debunking Local Realism
  • Quantum Cryptography: Security in the Age of Quantum Computers
  • Geophysics: Understanding the Earth’s Core and Plate Tectonics

Physics Research Paper Topics for Master’s & Ph.D.

  • Quantum Entanglement: Unraveling the Spooky Action at a Distance
  • Harnessing Fusion Power: Prospects for Unlimited Clean Energy
  • Gravitational Waves: Detecting Ripples in Spacetime
  • The Nature of Black Holes and Singularities
  • Time Dilation and Its Applications in Modern Physics
  • Investigating the Particle-Wave Duality: A Deeper Look Into Quantum Mechanics
  • The Physics of Superconductors: Transitioning From Theory to Practical Applications
  • Hawking Radiation: From Theory to Possible Observations
  • Evolution of the Universe: A Closer Look at the Big Bang Theory
  • Exploring the Higgs Field: Implications for Particle Physics
  • Nanotechnology in Physics: The Promising Path Toward the Future
  • String Theory and the Quest for a Theory of Everything
  • The Role of Physics in Climate Change Modelling
  • Understanding Neutrinos: Ghost Particles of the Universe
  • The Fundamentals of Chaos Theory: Applications in Modern Physics
  • Quantum Computing: Breaking Down the Physics Behind the Future of Computation
  • Exploring The Fourth Dimension: A Journey Beyond Time
  • Astrophysics and the Study of Exoplanets: Seeking Alien Life
  • Quantum Field Theory: Bridging Quantum Mechanics and Special Relativity
  • Understanding Quantum Tunneling: Applications and Implications
  • Study of Quarks: Subatomic Particles and the Strong Force
  • Biophysics and the Mechanics of Cellular Structures
  • Magnetic Monopoles: Hunting for the Missing Entities in Quantum Theory

Physics Research Topics on Classical Mechanics

  • Understanding Kepler’s Laws and Their Practical Applications
  • The Role of Energy Conservation in Mechanical Systems
  • Implications of Newton’s Third Law on Engineering Designs
  • Exploring Oscillatory Motion: Springs and Pendulums
  • Effects of Friction Forces on Everyday Objects
  • Stability of Rotational Systems in Aerospace Engineering
  • Interpreting Physical Phenomena Using Vector Mechanics
  • Influence of Classical Mechanics on Modern Architecture
  • Application of Momentum Conservation in Collision Analysis
  • Kinematics of Complex Systems: An In-Depth Study
  • Elasticity and Its Impact on Material Science
  • Newtonian Physics in Contemporary Game Design
  • The Art of Fluid Dynamics: Concepts and Applications
  • Gyroscopes and Their Applications in Modern Technologies
  • Applications of Torque in Mechanical Engineering
  • Relevance of Angular Momentum in Astrophysics
  • The Science Behind Musical Instruments: A Mechanical Perspective
  • Diving Into the Parallels Between Classical and Quantum Mechanics
  • Exploring Parabolic Trajectories in Projectile Motion
  • Dynamics of Multi-Body Systems in Space Exploration

Research Topics for Physics of Materials

  • Analysis of Quantum Behavior in Superconductors
  • Predictive Modelling of Phase Transitions in Crystalline Structures
  • Examination of Electron Mobility in Semi-Conductive Materials
  • Study of High-Temperature Superconductivity Phenomena
  • Mechanical Properties of Novel Metallic Alloys
  • Graphene: Exploring its Remarkable Electronic Properties
  • Optimization of Energy Storage in Advanced Battery Materials
  • Ferroelectric Materials: Unraveling their Unique Electrical Properties
  • Assessing Durability of Construction Materials Under Environmental Stressors
  • Properties and Potential Applications of Topological Insulators
  • Investigation into Multiferroic Materials: Challenges and Opportunities
  • Dynamic Response of Materials under High-Strain Rates
  • Nanomaterials: Understanding Size-Dependent Physical Properties
  • Harnessing Thermoelectric Materials for Energy Conversion
  • Photonic Crystals: Manipulation of Light Propagation
  • Exploring Amorphous Solids: From Metallic Glasses to Plastics
  • Investigations into Magnetocaloric Materials for Eco-Friendly Refrigeration
  • Neutron Scattering in the Study of Magnetic Materials
  • Probing the Anisotropic Nature of Composite Materials
  • Characterization of Disordered Materials Using Spectroscopic Techniques
  • Roles of Surface Physics in Material Science

Physics Research Topics on Electrical Engineering

  • Influence of Artificial Intelligence on Modern Power Systems
  • Radio Frequency Identification (RFID): Advancements and Challenges
  • Improving Transmission Efficiency Through Smart Grids
  • Developments in Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
  • Optical Fiber Technology: The Future of Communication
  • Interplay between Solar Power Engineering and Material Science
  • Harnessing the Potential of Superconductors in Electrical Engineering
  • Li-Fi Technology: Lighting the Way for Data Communication
  • Innovations in Energy Storage: Beyond Lithium-Ion Batteries
  • Designing Efficient Power Electronics for Aerospace Applications
  • Exploring the Boundaries of Microelectronics With Quantum Dots
  • Robotic Automation: Electrical Engineering Perspectives
  • Power System Stability in the Era of Distributed Generation
  • Photovoltaic Cells: Advances in Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness
  • Investigating the Feasibility of Wireless Power Transfer
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs): Power Management and Energy Efficiency
  • Quantum Entanglement: Implications for Information Transmission
  • Fuel Cells: Exploring New Frontiers in Electrical Power Generation
  • Machine Learning Applications in Predictive Maintenance of Electrical Systems
  • Neural Networks and their Role in Electrical Circuit Analysis

Optical Physics Research Topics

  • Exploring Quantum Optics: Unveiling the Peculiarities of Light-Particle Interactions
  • Harnessing the Power of Nonlinear Optics: Potential Applications and Challenges
  • Fiber Optic Technology: Influencing Data Transmission and Telecommunication
  • The Role of Optics in Modern Telescopic Innovations: An Analytical Study
  • Polarization of Light: Understanding the Physical and Biological Applications
  • Unfolding the Mystery of Optical Tweezers: Manipulation and Measurement at the Microscale
  • Lasing Mechanisms: Insights Into the Evolution and Operation of Lasers
  • Waveguides and Their Crucial Role in Integrated Optics: A Comprehensive Study
  • Optical Illusions: Revealing the Underlying Physics and Perception Aspects
  • Biophotonics: The Intersection of Optics and Biomedicine
  • Exploiting Optical Metamaterials: The Pathway to Invisible Cloaking Devices
  • Optical Holography: Unearthing the Potential for 3D Visualization and Display Systems
  • Investigation of Optical Solitons: Nonlinear Pulses in Fiber Optic Communications
  • Plasmonics: Harnessing Light With Nanostructures for Enhanced Optical Phenomena
  • Advances in Spectroscopy: Optical Techniques for Material Analysis
  • The Physics behind Optical Coherence Tomography in Medical Imaging
  • Optical Vortices and Their Role in High-Capacity Data Transmission
  • Ultrafast Optics: Time-Resolved Studies and Femtosecond Laser Applications
  • In-Depth Review of Optical Trapping and Its Potential in Nanotechnology
  • Optical Parametric Oscillators: Applications in Spectroscopy and Laser Technology
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Photonic Crystals and Band Gap Engineering

Physics Research Topics on Acoustics

  • Exploration of Ultrasonic Waves in Medical Imaging and Diagnostics
  • Propagation of Sound in Various Atmospheric Conditions
  • Impacts of Acoustics on Architectural Design Principles
  • Innovative Approaches to Noise Cancellation Technologies
  • The Role of Acoustics in Underwater Communication Systems
  • Sonic Boom Phenomena: Causes and Effects
  • Effects of Acoustic Resonance in Musical Instruments
  • Influence of Material Properties on Sound Absorption
  • Harnessing the Power of Sound: Acoustic Levitation Research
  • Relationship Between Acoustic Ecology and Urban Development
  • Evaluating the Principles of Acoustic Metamaterials
  • Acoustic Thermometry: Precision in Temperature Measurement
  • Potential Applications of Phononic Crystals in Acoustics
  • Deciphering Dolphin Communication: Bioacoustics in Marine Life
  • Development and Improvement of Acoustic Emission Techniques
  • Thermoacoustic Engines and Refrigeration: An Emerging Technology
  • Investigating the Psychoacoustic Properties of Sound
  • Impacts of Acoustic Treatment in Home Theatres and Studios
  • Evaluating the Effectiveness of Sonar Systems in Submarine Detection
  • Ultrasound Applications in Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation

Physics Research Topics on Thermodynamics

  • Investigating the Role of Thermodynamics in Nanotechnology Development
  • Entropy Production: A Deep Dive into Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics
  • Impacts of Thermodynamics on Energy Conservation Practices
  • Quantum Thermodynamics: Bridging Quantum Mechanics and Traditional Thermodynamics
  • Advanced Materials in Heat Engines: A Thermodynamic Perspective
  • Applications of Thermodynamics in Renewable Energy Technology
  • Exploring Thermodynamic Limits of Computation: Theoretical and Practical Aspects
  • Unveiling the Mysteries of Black Hole Thermodynamics
  • Influence of Thermodynamics in Climate Change Modelling
  • Exploiting Thermodynamics for Efficient Spacecraft Heat Management
  • Understanding Biological Systems Through the Lens of Thermodynamics
  • Applying Thermodynamics to Predict Geophysical Phenomena
  • Thermodynamics in Food Processing: Effects on Nutrient Preservation
  • Biogeochemical Cycles: An Insight From Thermodynamics
  • Roles of Thermodynamics in Understanding Supernova Explosions
  • Thermodynamics in Modern Architecture: Energy-Efficient Building Designs
  • Thermoelectric Materials: Harnessing Thermodynamics for Power Generation
  • Roles of Thermodynamics in Efficient Resource Recovery From Waste
  • Thermodynamics and Its Implications in the Formation of Stars
  • Exploring Thermodynamics in Quantum Information Theory

Particle Physics Research Topics

  • Unraveling the Mysteries of Quark Structures in Baryonic Matter
  • The Enigma of Neutrino Oscillations: New Discoveries
  • String Theory Applications in Particle Physics: A New Horizon
  • Dark Matter Particles: Unseen Influences on Cosmic Structures
  • The Higgs Field and Its Implications for the Standard Model
  • Lepton Family: A Comprehensive Study of Their Unique Properties
  • Quantum Chromodynamics: Decoding the Strong Force
  • The Role of W and Z Bosons in Electroweak Interactions
  • Antiparticle Behavior and Its Ramifications for Symmetry
  • Detecting Supersymmetry: A Paradigm Shift in Particle Physics?
  • Insights Into Graviton: Hunting the Quantum of Gravity
  • Probing the Exotic: Search for Hypothetical Particles
  • Flavor Changing Processes in the Quark Sector: An Analytical Approach
  • Precision Measurements of the Top Quark: A Key to New Physics
  • Pentaquark Particles: A Fresh Perspective on Hadronic Matter
  • Examining the Asymmetry Between Matter and Antimatter
  • Gluons and Confinement: Probing the Fabric of Quantum Chromodynamics
  • Proton Decay: GUTs, Supersymmetry, and Beyond
  • Unveiling the Secrets of Cosmic Ray Particles
  • Meson Spectroscopy: Understanding Hadrons Better
  • Scalar Fields and Inflation: A Quantum Field Theory Perspective

Statistical Physics Research Topics

  • Exploring the Second Law of Thermodynamics in Cosmic Evolution
  • Investigating the Role of Entropy in the Black Hole Information Paradox
  • Understanding Statistical Mechanics in Biophysical Systems
  • Analyzing Temperature’s Impact on Quantum Spin Chains
  • Diving Into Phase Transitions in Quantum Fields
  • Quantum Fluctuations and Their Statistical Significance
  • Applications of Statistical Physics in Neural Networks
  • Investigating the Universality Classes in Critical Phenomena
  • Revealing the Role of Statistical Physics in Ecosystem Dynamics
  • Fluctuation Theorems: A Study of Non-Equilibrium Systems
  • Statistical Physics’ Approach to Understanding Traffic Flow Dynamics
  • Non-Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics in Living Systems
  • Deciphering the Puzzle of Quantum Entanglement Using Statistical Methods
  • Research on Spin Glasses and Disorder in Statistical Physics
  • Thermodynamics in Small Systems: A Statistical Physics Approach
  • Fractal Analysis: Its Impact on Statistical Physics
  • Harnessing the Power of Statistical Physics for Climate Modeling
  • Introducing Quantum Field Theory to Statistical Physics Studies
  • Investigating Energy Landscapes in Protein Folding
  • Simulating Turbulence Using Concepts of Statistical Physics

Atomic Physics Research Topics

  • Quantum Entanglement and Its Impact on Information Transfer
  • Exploring the Properties of Exotic Atoms
  • Manipulating Matter: The Potential of Cold Atoms
  • Unveiling the Secrets of Quantum Decoherence
  • Probing Quantum Tunneling: From Theory to Practical Applications
  • Atomic Collisions and Their Consequences in Astrophysics
  • Advancements in Atomic Clock Technology and Precision Timekeeping
  • Harnessing the Power of Quantum Computing With Atomic Physics
  • Advancements in Atom Interferometry and Precision Measurements
  • Evaluating the Influence of Atomic Physics on Biological Systems
  • Atomic Physics Applications in Emerging Technologies
  • Unlocking the Mysteries of Atomic Spectroscopy
  • Delving into the World of Ultracold Atoms and Bose-Einstein Condensates
  • The Role of Atomic Physics in Climate Change Studies
  • Shedding Light on Dark Matter: Atomic Physics Approaches
  • Innovations in Controlled Nuclear Fusion Through Atomic Physics
  • Electron Capture and Beta Decay: The Intricacies of Weak Force
  • Quantum Magnetism and Its Influence on Atomic Structures
  • Theoretical Frameworks for Describing Atomic Structure and Behavior
  • The Future of Nanotechnology: Role of Atomic Physics
  • Understanding Atomic Physics Role in Quantum Cryptography
  • Fundamental Symmetries: Atomic Physics Perspectives and Tests

Physics Research Topics on Quantum Mechanics

  • Investigating the Quantum Behavior of Superconducting Circuits
  • Exploring the Applications of Quantum Entanglement in Communication Systems
  • Analyzing the Role of Quantum Mechanics in Biological Systems
  • Developing Quantum Algorithms for Solving Complex Optimization Problems
  • Understanding Quantum Tunneling in Nanostructures
  • Investigating Quantum Coherence in Macroscopic Systems
  • Exploring the Role of Quantum Mechanics in Quantum Computing
  • Analyzing the Quantum Properties of Photons in Quantum Information Processing
  • Developing Quantum Sensors for High-Precision Measurements
  • Investigating the Quantum Mechanics of Quantum Dots in Optoelectronic Devices
  • Analyzing the Quantum Mechanics of Spintronics for Information Storage and Processing
  • Exploring the Role of Quantum Mechanics in Quantum Cryptography
  • Investigating the Quantum Properties of Bose-Einstein Condensates
  • Developing Quantum Simulators for Studying Complex Quantum Systems
  • Analyzing the Quantum Mechanics of Topological Insulators
  • Exploring Quantum Chaos and its Applications in Quantum Mechanics
  • Investigating the Quantum Mechanics of the Quantum Hall Effect
  • Analyzing the Quantum Properties of Quantum Gravity
  • Exploring the Role of Quantum Mechanics in Quantum Sensing and Metrology
  • Investigating the Quantum Mechanics of Quantum Optics

Nuclear Physics Research Topics

  • Quantum Tunneling in Nuclear Reactions
  • Neutron Stars: Structure and Properties
  • Nuclear Fusion as a Clean Energy Source
  • Investigating the Role of Mesons in Nuclear Forces
  • Nuclear Shell Model: Understanding Nucleus Stability
  • Proton-Proton Collisions in High-Energy Physics
  • Nuclear Fission: Mechanisms and Applications
  • Theoretical Analysis of Nuclear Decay Processes
  • Particle Accelerators for Nuclear Physics Research
  • The Quark-Gluon Plasma: Experimental Studies
  • Superheavy Elements and Their Synthesis
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Materials Science
  • Neutrino Oscillations and Mass Hierarchy
  • Isotope Separation Techniques for Medical and Industrial Applications
  • Exotic Nuclear Shapes: Triaxial and Hyperdeformed Nuclei
  • Nuclear Data Evaluation and Uncertainty Analysis
  • Studying Nuclear Reactions in Supernovae
  • Exploring Nuclear Isomerism for Quantum Computing
  • Nuclear Waste Management and Disposal Strategies
  • Giant Resonances in Nuclear Physics

Physical Geography Topics to Write About

  • Solar Radiation’s Impact on Geographical Landform Evolution
  • Oceanic Currents and Their Role in Coastal Erosion
  • Atmospheric Pressure Interactions and Mountain Formation
  • Tectonic Plate Movements’ Influence on Geographical Features
  • Gravity’s Contribution to Geographical Landscape Formation
  • Climate Change Effects on Glacial Retreat and Polar Geography
  • Wind Patterns and Dune Formation in Deserts
  • River Networks’ Dynamics and Fluvial Geomorphology
  • Volcanic Activity and Island Formation
  • Magnetic Fields and Geomagnetic Reversals in Paleomagnetism
  • Earthquakes’ Impact on Geographical Landforms and Seismic Hazards
  • Rainfall Patterns and Soil Erosion in Agricultural Landscapes
  • Geothermal Energy’s Role in Hydrothermal Features
  • Tsunamis’ Effects on Coastal Landforms and Human Settlements
  • Earth’s Magnetic Field and the Auroras
  • Eolian Processes and Desertification in Arid Landscapes
  • Gravity Waves’ Influence on Atmospheric Circulation and Climate Patterns
  • River Diversions and Delta Formation
  • Climate Change and Coral Reef Degradation
  • Ice Sheets’ Dynamics and Sea Level Rise
  • Karst Processes and Cave Formation

Astrophysics Topics for a Research Paper

  • Quantum Effects in Stellar Evolution
  • Gravitational Waves From Binary Neutron Star Mergers
  • Cosmic Microwave Background Anisotropy Analysis
  • Supernova Nucleosynthesis and Element Formation
  • Dark Matter Distribution in Galaxy Clusters
  • Magnetic Fields in Protostellar Disks
  • Exoplanet Atmospheres and Habitability
  • Black Hole Dynamics in Galactic Centers
  • High-Energy Particle Acceleration in Active Galactic Nuclei
  • Gamma-Ray Burst Progenitor Identification
  • Interstellar Medium Turbulence and Star Formation
  • Neutrino Oscillations in Supernova Explosions
  • Cosmic Ray Propagation in the Galactic Magnetic Field
  • Stellar Populations and Galactic Archaeology
  • Stellar Pulsations and Variable Stars in Globular Clusters
  • Dusty Torus Structure in Active Galactic Nuclei
  • Planetary Formation in Binary Star Systems
  • Primordial Magnetic Fields and Early Universe Magnetogenesis
  • Neutron Star Equation of State Constraints from Pulsar Timing
  • Galactic Chemical Evolution and Metal Enrichment

Theoretical Physics Topics to Research

  • Quantum Entanglement in Multi-Particle Systems
  • Gravitational Waves and Black Hole Mergers
  • Emergent Phenomena in Condensed Matter Physics
  • Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos in Physical Systems
  • Symmetry Breaking and Phase Transitions
  • Topological Insulators and Their Applications
  • Quantum Computing and Information Theory
  • Cosmological Inflation and the Early Universe
  • Quantum Field Theory and Particle Interactions
  • Time Reversal Symmetry in Quantum Mechanics
  • Black Hole Thermodynamics and Hawking Radiation
  • Quantum Simulation and Quantum Many-Body Systems
  • Dark Matter and Its Detectability
  • Superconductivity and Superfluidity
  • Information-Theoretic Approaches to Quantum Gravity
  • Magnetic Monopoles and Their Role in Particle Physics
  • High-Energy Physics and Collider Experiments
  • Quantum Hall Effect and Topological Order
  • Quantum Optics and Quantum Information Processing
  • Neutrino Physics and Neutrino Oscillations
  • Fractals and Self-Similarity in Physical Systems

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This collection contains some of the theses and dissertations produced by students in the University of Oregon Physics Graduate Program. Paper copies of these and other dissertations and theses are available through the UO Libraries .

Recent Submissions

  • The Sound of Ions: Using Trapped Atomic Ion Motion for Quantum Computation and Sensing  Metzner, Jeremy ( University of Oregon , 2024-08-07 ) Encoding qubits in the electronic states of atoms has enabled the ability toperform computations, sense the environment, and gain a deeper understanding of other physical systems through quantum simulation. In the trapped ...
  • A Search for Dark Photons with the FASER Detector at the LHC  Fellers, Deion ( University of Oregon , 2024-08-07 ) The FASER experiment at the LHC is designed to search for light, weakly-interacting particles produced in proton-proton collisions at the ATLAS interaction point that travel in the far-forward direction. FASER is sensitive ...
  • Characterization of Temporal-Mode Transformations via Spectral Interferometry  El Demery, Mostafa ( University of Oregon , 2024-08-07 ) The use of temporal-mode encoding for quantum information science has gained interest due to its robustness to environmental perturbation and suitability for integrated photonics. Temporal-mode transformations, analogous ...
  • A Tailored Approach to Engineering Solid State Single Photon Sources  Klaiss, Rachael ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) Integrated quantum information technologies such as photonic circuits, quantum transducers, and magnetic sensors require robust single-photon sources in precise locations. Solid-state single photon emitters (SPEs) hosted ...
  • Binary Black Hole Astrophysics with Gravitational Waves  Edelman, Bruce ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) Gravitational Waves (GWs) have quickly emerged as powerful, indispensabletools for studying gravity in the strong field regime and high-energy astrophysical phenomena since they were first directly detected by the Laser ...
  • Seek and Ye Shall Find: Machine Learning and Searches for New Physics  Bradshaw, Layne ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) The discovery of the Higgs boson confirmed that the Standard Model is the correct description of nature below some high energy scale. However, we know the Standard Model is incomplete and have yet to find significant ...
  • Studies of evolution in populations with long-range dispersal  Villiger, Nathan ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) Long-range dispersal of offspring is ubiquitous in nature, from seeds that disperse random distances thanks to being carried by animals, to pollen that gets carried long distances by the wind, and even viruses that spread ...
  • Building and Characterizing Graphene Nanomechanical Resonator Networks  Carter, Brittany ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) Networks of nanoelectromechanical (NEMS) resonators are useful analogs for a variety of many- body systems and enable impactful applications in sensing, phononics, and mechanical information processing. Two main challenges ...
  • Searching for Gravitational Waves Associated with Flaring Galactic Magnetars  Merfeld, Kara ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) The third observing run of Advanced LIGO and Virgo (O3) took place fromApril 1st, 2019 to September 30th, 2019, and from November 1st, 2019 to March 27th, 2020. The multi-messenger astronomy efforts during O3 included ...
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  • Principles of Traffic Organization in Ant Transportation Networks  Kittell, Justin ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) Collectively, a colony of ants can execute complex and highly organized behaviors, not least of which is the formation of ant ‘paths’ - the steady bidirectional flow of individuals and resources that provides the colony ...
  • On Local Mechanical Properties of Thin Pressurized Shells with Combined Geometric and Material Anisotropies  Sun, Wenqian ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) Thin elastic shells are ubiquitous in nature. Indentation measurements (i.e., poking) provide a useful way for probing mechanical properties of these shell structures. While spherical and cylindrical shells made of isotropic ...
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  • Two Searches for Signals of Dark Matter with the ATLAS Detector in 139 ifb of LHC $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV Proton-Proton Collision Data  Gledhill, Galen ( University of Oregon , 2023-03-24 ) This dissertation presents two searches for signals of dark matter in an integrated luminosity of 139 ifb of proton-proton collision data collected at a center of mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector ...
  • Developing a Platform for cQED Studies of Silicon Vacancy Centers in Diamond within the Good-Cavity Limit  Pauls, Abigail ( University of Oregon , 2023-03-24 ) Silicon vacancy centers (SiVs) in diamond are local defects in the diamond lattice that behave as atomic-like systems with electronic energy levels and optical transitions. The SiV's optical properties and long spin ...
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Thesis Information

Upcoming thesis defenses.

If you are defending this term and do not see your information listed, please contact Sydney Miller in the APO.

Localist Online Calendar Software

Forming a Thesis Committee

When : Doctoral Students – After completing the written and oral exams and generally by the beginning of their third Year of study. Forming their committees at this stage will allow students to consult with all members of the committee during their studies and can provide additional advice and mentorship for them.

How : Register for thesis research under subject number 8.ThG, form a thesis committee, meet with full committee, and submit a formal thesis proposal to the department.

Thesis Committee Formation

Student should consult with their Research Supervisor to discuss the Doctoral Thesis Committee Proposal Form which will name the 3 required members of the Physics Doctoral Committee and a descriptive preliminary thesis title. 

Doctoral Committee must include 3 members with MIT Physics faculty appointments:

  • Committee Chair: Research Supervisor from MIT Physics Faculty or Research Supervisor from outside MIT Physics + Co-Supervisor/Chair from MIT Physics Faculty
  • Selected Reader: from MIT Physics Faculty (in the same/similar research area, selected by student and supervisor)
  • Assigned Reader: from MIT Physics Faculty (in different research area, selected by the Department’s faculty Graduate Coordinator.)

The Form should include the names of the Student, Chair, and Selected Reader and a Thesis Title, when it is forwarded to the Academic Programs Office via email to [email protected] and Sydney will work with Faculty Graduate Coordinator Will Detmold , who will identify the Assigned Reader.

Following the consultation with their supervisor, the student should reach out to the proposed Selected Reader to secure an electronic signature or email confirmation in lieu of signature to serve on this committee. (Form should include either signature or date of email agreement.) It will take approximately 2-3 weeks before an Assigned Reader will be added and Sydney will provide an introduction to this final member of your Doctoral Committee. Please note: you may not form your committee and defend your thesis in the same semester.

Thesis Committee Meeting and Proposal

Once the Thesis Committee is established, the student should send all members a draft description of the proposed thesis topic and set up the first committee meeting with all members attending together in real time. A formal 2-page written Thesis Proposal should result from this important meeting and be sent to Sydney for the student’s academic record.  

Thesis Proposal

You should discuss your thesis research with your committee members all together in real time at your first committee meeting. Following this full discussion about your thesis topic, please write up your formal Thesis Proposal to reflect the mutually-agreed thesis plans and forward the Proposal to the graduate program at the APO using [email protected] for Sydney to document in the department’s academic records.

Thesis Research

Following the formation of the doctoral committee and submission of the thesis proposal, the student will continue to work on their thesis research in consultation with their Research Supervisor and other members of their Committee. This important communication paves the way for the thesis defense and degree completion.

When students are ready to defend, they should complete an ‘ Application for Advanced Degree ’ with the Registrar and schedule a thesis defense with all committee members attending in real time, whether in person or by video. Announcements for the defense will be coordinated by the Academic Programs Office and students should be in close contact with Sydney Miller during their final term or study.

Further details about this last stage of your studies will be available separately.

Thesis Defense

If there is even a slight possibility that you may finish this term, please complete an Application for Advanced Degree at the Registrar’s website at the beginning of the term. It is easy to remove your name if your plans change, but this timely step will avoid late fees!

Once you have scheduled your defense, please send this information to Sydney at [email protected] :

  • Thesis Title:
  • Committee Members:
  • Meeting Details: (can be sent in the final week before the defense)

She will create the email notifications for our physics community and the MIT Events and Physics Calendar listings. This information you provide her is also used to generate the defense grade sheet for your defense.

Please send your committee members a thesis draft to help them prepare for your defense and plan to spend around two weeks making thesis revisions after your successful defense. The date you submit your thesis document to the department will determine whether it is for a Fall, Spring, or Summer degree.

Thesis Formatting

Archival copies of all theses must adhere carefully to principles specified by the MIT Libraries for formatting and submission. For complete information about how to format your thesis, refer to the  Specifications for Thesis Preparation .

Graduate Program Coordinator Sydney Miller can review your title page and abstract for accuracy before you submit the thesis. You may send these to her at  [email protected].

Required Signatures and Documentation

  • Signatures:  The MIT Archives require an electronic PDF document and the Department needs a separate additional stand-alone title page with electronic/scanned signatures of   the student, research supervisor, and co-supervisor (if applicable). Theses are accepted by Associate Department Head, Professor  Lindley Winslow . Please send your documents to  [email protected]  and the APO staff will forward your thesis submitted to the MIT Library Archives.
  • Thesis defense grade sheets:  Before accepting a PhD thesis, the Academic Programs Office must have a signed thesis defense grade sheet from the research supervisor indicating a “Pass” on the thesis defense.
  • Thesis letter grade:  Before accepting an SM thesis, Academic Programs must have received a letter or email from the research supervisor, assigning a final thesis grade of A, B, or C.

Finalizing and Submitting your Thesis to MIT

Departments collect the thesis documents on behalf of the MIT Thesis Library Archives and Physics graduate students will submit their thesis to Sydney Miller.  Review overall information from MIT about  thesis specifications and format .

Please see the attached doctoral title page format for Physics and send your draft of the title/cover page and abstract to Sydney for review and any necessary edits. Once these are approved, please prepare the full document, with pagination appropriate for double-sided printing.

Theses may be completed and signed on any date of the year and the degree requirements are completed when the thesis is submitted. This is the final day of student status and payroll. (International students are eligible for Optional Practical Training starting on the following day.)

MIT awards degrees at the end of each term:

  • Fall Term degree is in February. (Theses due second Friday in January.)
  • Spring Term degree is in May. (Theses due second Friday in May.)
  • Summer Term degree is in September. (Theses due second Friday in August.)

Thesis submissions are electronic files and you will submit the following to Sydney:

  • A complete thesis document, without signatures
  • A title page with electronic signatures from yourself, your supervisor (and co-supervisor, if required). Sydney will work with the Associate Head, Lindley Winslow , whose signature is required for the department and this will be added after you submit your document to the department/Sydney.
  • A separate abstract page

Doctoral students also complete and submit the  Proquest/UMI form  (PDF), with attached title page and abstract (no signatures).

In addition to submitting your thesis to the department for the library archives, you may also  add your thesis to DSpace .

Digital Submission Guidelines

All theses are being accepted by the MIT Libraries in  digital form only . Digital theses are submitted electronically to the Physics Department, along with a separate signed title page. Students on the degree list will receive specific guidance about submission from the Academic Programs Office.

General Thesis Policies

All theses are archived in the MIT Libraries. An archival fee must be paid before a student’s final candidacy for a degree can be officially approved.

After all required materials have been submitted to the Academic Programs Office, a thesis receipt will be sent by email.

Thesis Due Dates

Check the MIT Academic Calendar for deadlines to submit your online degree application.

Thesis submission deadlines Graduating in May: Second Friday in May Graduating in September: Second Friday in August Graduating in February: Second Friday in January We strongly recommend that your defense be scheduled at least three weeks prior to the submission date. Consult with Academic Administrator Shannon Larkin to determine your thesis submission timeline.

Thesis FAQs

The information on this page is applicable for both PhD and Masters (with the exception of an Oral defense) degree candidates.

How do I submit a Thesis Proposal? When is it due?

Students register for thesis research units and assemble a thesis committee in the term following passing the Oral Exam.

The first step is for the student and research supervisor to agree on a thesis topic. An initial Graduate Thesis Proposal Cover Sheet (PDF) (Master’s Degree candidates should see process in section below) must be submitted to Academic Programs by the second week of the term.

The form requires

  • an initial thesis title
  • the name and signature of the research supervisor
  • the name of one additional reader for the thesis committee agreed upon by the student and advisor

A third reader from the MIT Physics faculty, who is not in the same research area but whose background makes him or her an appropriate departmental representative on the committee, will be assigned by the Graduate Program Faculty Coordinator. If a student has a co-supervisor (because the main supervisor is from outside the MIT Physics faculty), the thesis committee will consist of four people: research supervisor, co-supervisor, selected reader, and assigned reader.

After the student is notified of the assigned reader, he or she should convene an initial thesis committee meeting within the same term. The student should also register for 8.THG beginning in this term, and in each term thereafter. 8.THG registration should be for up to 36 units, depending on whether the student is also still taking classes and/or receiving academic credit because of a teaching assistantship. All post-qual students should routinely register for a standard total 36 units.

Master’s degree candidates should complete an SM Thesis Proposal Cover Sheet (PDF). A second reader for the Master’s degree thesis committee is assigned by the Graduate Program Faculty Coordinator. Note that there is no public defense required for an SM degree.

See the Doctoral Guidelines for additional information.

I am going to graduate soon–what do I have to do in terms of paperwork etc.?

Please reference the Registrar’s complete graduation checklist . Students should reference this list at the START of the semester prior to graduation. Your research area’s administrative office and the Physics APO will also help you manage the final stage of your degree.

How do I get on/off the Degree List?

Fill out the Degree Application through the student section of WebSIS . Petitioning to be on the degree list for a particular commencement is required. Note that it is easier to be removed from the degree list to be added, so students are encouraged to apply for the degree list if there is any reasonable chance they will complete the PhD in the coming term.

The WebSIS degree list is used to communicate information about thesis defense announcements and grade sheets, thesis formats, and completion dates, so it is important to file a degree application to be on the list in a timely way. The standard deadline for filing a degree application without being assessed a late fee is the Friday of the first week of the term in which a student anticipates graduating. Removing oneself from the degree list requires an email to Academic Programs .

When is my thesis due? Can I get an extension?

Students can defend and submit their thesis on any dates that work for their committees, but MIT confers degrees only 3 times each year: in May, September and February. Thesis submission deadlines Graduating in May: Second Friday in May Graduating in September: Second Friday in August Graduating in February: Second Friday in January We strongly recommend that your defense be scheduled at least three weeks prior to the submission date. Consult with Academic Administrator Shannon Larkin to determine your thesis submission timeline.

Note that these deadlines are already more generous that the Institute thesis deadline. Students desiring extensions should contact the Academic Administrator, Shannon Larkin .

How do I find a room for my Thesis Defense?

Many Divisions have conference and/or seminar rooms which can be used for oral exams and defenses. These locations are recommended to keep your Thesis Defense comfortable and in familiar territory. Students who cannot book a room in their research area should contact Sydney Miller in the Physics APO to check availability of a Physics departmental conference room (often difficult to schedule due to heavy demand) or to help schedule a classroom through the Registrar’s Office.

When I submit my thesis to Physics Academic Programs, what do I need to bring?

Please refer to the Graduate Thesis Submission Guidelines .

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Arts and Sciences > Physics > Theses and Dissertations

Physics Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Development and Evaluation of Novel Applications for the Ethos CBCT-Guided Online Adaptive Radiotherapy System , Nour Nasser

Interfacial Magnetism and Anisotropy in Dirac and Weyl Semimetals , Noah Schulz

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Influence of Thickness and Capping Materials on the Static and Dynamic Properties of Ferrimagnetic Thin Films , Noha Alzahrani

Evaluation of a Prototype Deep Learning-based Autosegmentation Algorithm on a High Quality Database of Head and Neck Cancer Radiotherapy Patients , Jihye Koo

Void Formation in Model Liquids, Polymer Glasses, and Granular Materials , Kai Nan

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Coarse-grained Modeling Studies of Entangled Semiflexible Polymers: Melts, Glasses, and Granular Media , Joseph Fox D. Dietz

First-principles-based Modeling of Energy Converting Properties of Conventional and Emerging Ferroelectrics , Maggie Kingsland

Ultrafast Magneto-optic Study of Exchange Interactions in Magnetic Materials , Hengzhou Liu

Exploring Magneto-Excitons in Bulk and Mono-Layer Semiconductors Using Non-Linear Spectroscopy Techniques , Varun Mapara

Light-Controlled Magnetism and Magnetic Sensing in Two-Dimensional Vanadium Dichalcogenides and Related Semiconductors , Valery Ortiz Jimenez

Magnetic and Structural Effects in Interfacial Magnetism: Molecular Magnets and Ferrimagnetic Alloys , Jenae E. Shoup

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

MBE Growth and Modifications of Early Transition Metal Tellurides , Paula Mariel Coelho

Spin Coupling in Magnetic Core - Shell Nanoparticles , Corisa Kons

Third-Order Frequency-Resolved Photon Correlations from a Single Quantum Dot's Resonance Fluorescence , Yamil A. Nieves González

Texturing in Bi 2 Te 3 Alloy Thermoelectric Materials: An Applied Physics Investigation , Oluwagbemiga P. Ojo

Probing the ground state magnetism in materials with competing magnetic interactions , Richa Pokharel Madhogaria

Crystal Structure Prediction of Materials at Extreme Conditions , Ashley S. Williams

Carbon and Other Low-Z materials Under Extreme Conditions , Jonathan T. Willman

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Laser-Induced Modifications in Two-Dimensional Materials , Tariq Afaneh

The impacts of membrane modulators on membrane material properties at microscopic and nanoscopic levels , Chinta Mani Aryal

Origins of Amyloid Oligomers and Novel Approaches for their Detection , Jeremy Barton

Van der Waals Epitaxy of Ultrathin Early Transition Metal (Ti & V) (di)Selenides: Charge and Magnetic Order in the Ultrathin Limit , Manuel Bonilla Lopez

Spontaneous Raman Scattering Enhancement with Microcavities and Multipass Resonators for Trace Gas Detection , Juan Sebastian Gomez Velez

Atomistic Simulations of Novel Materials at Ambient and High Pressures , Joseph M. Gonzalez

Controlling Properties of Light: Metamaterials Design and Methodology , Darrick Hay

Van Hiele Problem Solving Logic Levels applied to Force Concept Inventory Problems using the Resources Framework , Charles Mason Hemphill

Investigation into Reduced Thermal Conductivity for Half-Heusler Alloys and Identification of Novel Multinary Chalcogenides Possessing Intrinsically Low Thermal Conductivity , Dean Hobbis

A Novel Magnetic Respiratory Sensor for Human Healthcare , Kee Young Hwang

Study of the therapeutic effects of synchronization-modulation of the Na/K pump on muscle fatigue , Jason E. Mast

Growth and Characterization of Spatially Ordered Nanostructures of Functional Materials , Domingo J. Mateo Feliciano

Data-driven Modeling of the Causes and Effects of Interneuronal Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease and Dravet Syndrome , Carlos Perez

Thermoelectric transport control using single phase materials and metamaterial composites , Wencong Shi

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Development and Validation of Advanced Techniques for Treatment Planning and Verification in Megavoltage Radiotherapy , Saeed Ahmed

Phase Evolution and Dynamic Behavior in Materials with Noncollinear Spin Textures , Eleanor M. Clements

Modulations of Lipid Membranes Caused by Antimicrobial Agents and Helix 0 of Endophilin , Nawal Kishore Khadka

Water and Salt at the Lipid-Solvent Interface , James M. Kruczek

The modified Synchronization Modulation technique revealed mechanisms of Na,K-ATPase , Pengfei Liang

First-Principles Simulations of Materials under Extreme Conditions , Kien Nguyen Cong

Amyloid Protein Aggregation and Associated Toxicity , Chamani A. Niyangoda

Novel Macroscopic and Microscopic Concepts in Thermoelectricity , Troy Stedman

Study of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides Via Linear and Non-Linear Spectroscopy , Christopher E. Stevens

Development of a Voxel-Based Monte Carlo Radiation Dosimetry Methodology for a Targeted Alpha Particle Therapy , Christopher John Tichacek

Millimeter-wavelength characterization of the CO emission of comets 174P/Echeclus, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, and C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS) , Kacper Wierzchos

Measuring and Utilizing High-Dimensional Information of Optical Fields , Ziyi Zhu

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Surface and Interface Effects of Magnetoimpedance Materials at High Frequency , Tatiana M. Eggers

A Fundamental Investigation into Low Thermal Conductivity p -Type Chalcogenides and Skutterudites with Potential Thermoelectric Applications , Dean Hobbis

Spin Seebeck effect and related phenomena in functional magnetic oxides , Vijaysankar Kalappattil

Towards Fundamental Understanding of Thermoelectric Properties in Novel Materials Using First Principles Simulations , Artem R. Khabibullin

Coarse-grained Modeling Studies of Polymeric and Granular Systems , Hong Trung Nguyen

Characterization of Computed Tomography Radiomic Features using Texture Phantoms , Muhammad Shafiq ul Hassan

Computational Discovery of Energetic Polynitrogen Compounds at High Pressure , Brad A. Steele

Novel Magneto-LC resonance Sensors for Industrial and Bioengineering Applications , Ongard Thiabgoh

Analyzing the effects of Ca 2+ dynamics on mitochondrial function in health and disease , Patrick Toglia

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

18F-FDG PET/CTCT-based Radiomics for the Prediction of Radiochemotherapy Treatment Outcomes of Cervical Cancer , Badereldeen Abdulmajeed Altazi

Interference of Light in Multilayer Metasurfaces: Perfect Absorber and Antireflection Coating , Khagendra Prasad Bhattarai

Photopolymerization Synthesis of Magnetic Nanoparticle Embedded Nanogels for Targeted Biotherapeutic Delivery , Daniel Jonwal Denmark

Application of Metamaterials to RF Energy Harvesting and Infrared Photodetection , Clayton M. Fowler

Complex Electric-Field Induced Phenomena in Ferroelectric/Antiferroelectric Nanowires , Ryan Christopher Herchig

Organometal Halide Perovskite Solar Absorbers and Ferroelectric Nanocomposites for Harvesting Solar Energy , Chaminda Lakmal Hettiarachchi

Growth, characterization, and function of ferroelectric, ferromagnetic thin films and their heterostructures , Mahesh Hordagoda

Surfaces and Epitaxial Films of Corundum-Structured Mixed Metal Oxides. , Alan Richard Kramer

Two Dimensional Layered Materials and Heterostructures, a Surface Science Investigation and Characterization , Yujing Ma

Thermodynamic and Kinetic Aspects of Hen Egg White Lysozyme Amyloid Assembly , Tatiana Miti

Coherent Response of Two Dimensional Electron Gas probed by Two Dimensional Fourier Transform Spectroscopy , Jagannath Paul

Towards Violation of Classical Inequalities using Quantum Dot Resonance Fluorescence , Manoj Peiris

Manipulating Electromagnetic waves with enhanced functionalities using Nonlinear and Chiral Metamaterials , Sinhara Rishi Malinda Silva

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Reduced Dimensionality Effects in Gd-based Magnetocaloric Materials , Hillary Faith Belliveau

Preparation and Characterization of Van der Waals Heterostructures , Horacio Coy Diaz

Biophysical Characterization and Theoretical Analysis of Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Cell Interactions with Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Hydrogels , Michael C. Cross

Exciton Dynamics and Many Body Interactions in Layered Semiconducting Materials Revealed with Non-linear Coherent Spectroscopy , Prasenjit Dey

The Role of Partial Surface Charge Compensation in the Properties of Ferroelectric and Antiferroelectric Thin Films , Elena Glazkova

Surface Properties of Titanium dioxide and its Structural Modifications by Reactions with Transition Metals , Sandamali Halpegamage

Inquiry of Lipid Membranes Interacting with Functional Peptides and Polyphenol Drug Molecules , Chian Sing Ho

Resonant Light Scattering from Semiconductor Quantum Dots , Kumarasiri Konthasinghe

Structure-Interaction Effects In Novel Nanostructured Materials , Nam B. Le

Polymer Characteristics of Polyelectrolyte Polypeptides , Jorge Monreal

Biophysical Investigation of Amyloid Formation and Their Prion-like Self-replication , Mentor Mulaj

Novel Magnetic Nanostructures for Enhanced Magnetic Hyperthermia Cancer Therapy , Zohreh Nemati Porshokouh

Increasing 18F-FDG PET/CT Capabilities in Radiotherapy for Lung and Esophageal Cancer via Image Feature Analysis , Jasmine Alexandria Oliver

Microcavity Enhanced Raman Scattering , Benjamin James Petrak

Confinement Effects and Magnetic Interactions in Magnetic Nanostructures , Kristen Lee Stojak Repa

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Effects of disorder and low dimensionality on frozen dynamics in Ca3Co2-xMnxO6 , Brian Wesley Casas

Surface Science Studies of Graphene Interfaces , Arjun Dahal

Enhanced Magnetoimpedance and Microwave Absorption Responses of Soft Ferromagnetic Materials for Biodetection and Energy Sensing , Jagannath Devkota

Synthesis, Characterization and Ferroelectric Properties of LN-Type ZnSnO 3 Nanostructures , Corisa Kons

Low Dimensionality Effects in Complex Magnetic Oxides , Paula J. Lampen Kelley

Coherent Digital Holographic Adaptive Optics , Changgeng Liu

In Vacuo Fabrication and Electronic Structure Characterization of Atomic Layer Deposition Thin Films , Michael Schaefer

The Evaluation and Study of Modern Radiation Dosimetry Methods as Applied to Advanced Radiation Therapy Treatments Using Intensity Modulated Megavoltage Photon Beams , Cassandra Stambaugh

Thermal Fluctuations Tunneling in Doped Conjugated Polymers , Troy C. Stedman

Nanomechanical and Nanotribological Characterization of Sub-Micron Polymeric Spheres , Himanshu Kumar Verma

Investigation of Low Thermal Conductivity Materials with Potential for Thermoelectric Applications , Kaya Wei

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Analysis of Critical Behavior in Magnetic Materials , Dustin David Belyea

Magneto-optical Kerr Eect Study of Magnetic Anisotropy in Soft Ferromagnets , Tatiana Marie Eggers

High Dimensional Non-Linear Optimization of Molecular Models , Joseph C. Fogarty

Solvent Dependent Molecular Mechanics: A Case Study Using Type I Collagen , Heather Harper

Photophysical and Electronic Properties of Low-Bandgap Semiconducting Polymers , Evan Lafalce

First-Principles Atomistic Simulations of Energetic Materials , Aaron Christopher Landerville

Photocatalysis and Grazing-Ion Beam Surface Modifications of Planar TiO2 Model Systems , Timothy Luttrell

A Study of Fe 3 O 4 Magnetic Nanoparticle RF Heating in Gellan Gum Polymer Under Various Experimental Conditions for Potential Application in Drug Delivery , Gabriel Marcus

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Senior Theses

The senior thesis is the capstone of the physics major and an opportunity for intellectual exploration broader than courses can afford. It is an effort that spans the whole academic year. The thesis is a great opportunity to dive into research on an aspect of physics which most engages you. Whether your thesis is on biophysics, gravity and cosmology, condensed matter, or string theory, writing it is way to put to use all that you have learned in coursework so far—and to make a contribution to scientific knowledge. Even for topics outside of the mainstream of physics, for example with a focus on policy, or neuroscience, or finance, we expect you to apply your undergraduate physics education to the problem you focus on.

You can build on previous work in your senior thesis, for example summer work or a junior paper. However, it is equally acceptable to start a brand new project in the fall of your senior thesis with an adviser you have not previously worked with. In any case, in order to have a level playing field, your thesis will be evaluated based on work done during the academic year.

You must submit your choice of adviser and topic in Canvas by 3:00pm October 3. Your adviser must have a full-time faculty appointment at Princeton University. Your adviser can be one of your junior paper advisers, but need not be. If your adviser does not have their primary appointment in the Physics Department, you must communicate your choice of second reader in Canvas by October 3, and this second reader must have a full-time faculty appointment at Princeton University with their primary appointment in the Physics Department.

You must turn in a draft of content for your senior thesis by 3:00pm January 16, as explained in the section entitled Fall term draft .

The final version of your senior thesis is due by 3:00pm of the University's deadline for submitting the senior thesis, April 29. The requirements for formatting and submitting your final senior thesis are somewhat detailed;  please consult the section entitled Thesis Formatting and Submission . The page on important dates gives a complete listing of dates and deadlines relevant to the senior thesis. In case of any confusion about dates and deadlines, the page on important dates should be regarded as authoritative.

An oral examination conducted by the the Senior Committee at the end of the senior year serves as the senior departmental examination. This exam is described in more detail below in the section entitled Oral Examination .

Department of Physics Independent Work Guide

Senior committee.

A committee of several faculty in Physics oversees all the senior theses. In AY 2024-2025, the committee members are Professor(s) William Jones (chair), Lyman Page, Shinsei Ryu and Jason Puchalla. The senior committee is assisted by Karen Olsen, the Undergraduate Administrator. The committee meets with the seniors at the beginning of the academic year to outline what is expected and to help them get started on choosing advisers and topics. The committee may establish milestones during the year (e.g. a due date for a thesis outline and/or an oral progress report) in addition to the ones indicated on this webpage; any such additional milestones will be announced to all seniors via e-mail and clearly indicated on the important dates  page. You are encouraged at any time to approach members of the senior committee with questions or concerns about the progress of your thesis work.

Getting Started

The best advice in finding an advisor is to go to several faculty members in areas of research that you are interested in, and see what topics they propose. If you have a topic to propose yourself, great: shop it around to faculty and see what they think. Most topics come from faculty as part of the work their research groups are conducting. When you have a tentative topic in mind, start by reading some of the literature, ideally at the Scientific American level, in order to understand the highlights and context of the work you'll embark on. If you're undecided between topics, this first stage of reading should help you choose. Make sure to circle back to your prospective adviser with questions, and confirm with them before the deadline that they are in fact prepared to advise you on a topic that you have both agreed on. It's important to start this process at the very beginning of term, because false starts are possible.

The most important advice we can give is to make a fast start on your senior thesis, and focus on it particularly at the start of the fall term. Adjust your courses accordingly; for instance, senior fall is not the right time to shop five courses. Experience suggests that distractions and delays occur from time to time, both expected (e.g. grad school applications) and unexpected (e.g. your adviser disappears to a conference just when you need help). If you have a good start on your thesis you can put it aside briefly when such a delay occurs. If you don't, it becomes harder and harder to catch up. Regardless of where you are in the term—and especially early on—the best advice is to set your senior thesis at top priority.

Students considering thesis topics mostly or entirely outside of physics should consider the application procedure outlined in the section below entitled Alternative grading rubric .  Please note that time is of the essence in applying for an alternative grading rubric.

Fall Term Draft

A draft of content to be included in your senior thesis must be turned in to Canvas by 3:00pm on January 16. The second reader must be identified in Canvas at the time you turn in this draft of content. (Even if you have previously identified your second reader, e.g. because you are working with a primary advisor outside the department, please confirm this choice at the time of turning in your draft of content.) This draft of content will be assigned a P/D/F grade by your advisor and second reader, and the grade will be reported to the senior committee; however, it will not appear on your Princeton transcript. The draft of content is intended to serve as a status check and a way to start the conversation with your advisor and second reader about the spring term end game for your thesis. The guidelines for the draft of content are as follows:

  • The minimum length is 7 pages, plus front matter and bibliography.
  • The document should be written in full sentences and paragraphs, in the style you intend for the final version of your senior thesis. An outline of work to follow can be included at the end, but the main focus of the document should be on what you have understood and done so far.
  • Formatting should be the same that you intend to use in the final version of your senior thesis; in particular, front matter (including the Student Acknowledgment of Original Work, signed), introduction, main body, and bibliography should be present, with all the formatting as you intend for the final version of your senior thesis. In short, follow the guidelines in the Primary grading rubric .  Indicate clearly in the front matter that the document is a draft of content.
  • While it is anticipated that your results will be quite incomplete, do make an effort to communicate the background in an accessible fashion that starts with the fundamentals and demonstrates your understanding of the context of your ongoing work.

Thesis Formatting and Submission

You must submit your thesis electronically as a PDF file.  The first few pages of your senior thesis are called the front matter.  Front matter must include in the first two pages the title, the student's name, an abstract, the Student Acknowledgment of Original Work, and a signature following this acknowledgment. The wording of the Acknowledgment must be as set forth in the current edition of Rights, Rules, and Responsibilities: "This paper represents my own work in accordance with University regulations.”   The Page formatting should be suitable for printing on standard 8.5" x 11" paper with one to one and a half inch margins all around the main text. All fonts should be between 10 and 14 points, and line spacing should be anywhere between double spacing and 1.5 spacing. Pages should be numbered, with numbers no closer than half an inch to any edge of the page. Figures should be clear and legible, with descriptive captions.  Figures should be  your original work or else credit should be clearly given in the caption to the figure creator.  You should request permission to re-use figures made by colleagues.  There is no length requirement, but a total length (including front matter, bibliography, figures, appendices, etc) of 50 to 100 pages is about right for most topics.

The deadline for submission of the senior thesis is 3 pm April 29. For the spring semester of 2024, no hard copy submission will be required.   By that deadline, you must submit your thesis electronically in Canvas.  You must provide an electronic signature for the Student Acknowledgment of Original Work.  Your signature will serve as confirmation that the  submitted version is the official version.  By the end of the day on April 29, you must also send electronic copies of your thesis to your advisor and second reader.  You must also submit your thesis electronically to Mudd Library in order to graduate. Details on the Mudd Library submission process will come by email.  

To set high goals for the thesis, and at the same time to accommodate the breadth of experience that physics majors seek, the Physics Department has a dual rubric approach to grading. The primary grading rubric for the senior thesis is the one set forth in detail in the section below entitled Primary grading rubric .  It should be used for all theses which are primarily focused on a topic in physics, broadly construed. Applied physics, biophysics, astrophysics, plasma physics, and mathematical physics (among others) are fields in which this primary rubric should be used. Every student is advised to take pains to make their thesis accessible to physicists outside their discipline. Doing so is part of good presentation, and it is part of showing the student's own mastery of their topic. The physical principles involved should be explained clearly, starting at the level of undergraduate physics courses. Any necessary jargon should be introduced with clear explanations.

Written presentation is also important and will affect the final grade. Good presentation includes all aspects of scholarly writing, including clear explanations, organization, and citations; correct spelling, grammar, and formatting; a style that is at once accessible and precise; and a logical structure including front matter, introduction, main body, conclusion, and bibliography. 

Primary grading rubric

The main basis for the final grade will be the physics content contained in the thesis as a document. Physics content could include, for example, theoretical ideas, calculations, modeling, and predictions; experimental methods, description of apparatus, results, and data analysis; and an assessment of the significance of the work reported in the thesis against the backdrop of the larger field of which it is part. Physics content can be particularly noteworthy—for instance a really new theoretical idea or a genuinely impactful experimental result—but humbler advances, such as verification or extension of published calculations, or successful calibration of an experimental device, are also highly esteemed. In short, new research results are desirable but not required for even the highest grades.  Scholarly substance is the key.

Written presentation is also important and will affect the final grade. Good presentation includes all aspects of scholarly writing, including clear explanations, organization, and citations; correct spelling, grammar, and formatting; a style that is at once accessible and precise; and a logical structure including front matter, introduction, main body, conclusion, and bibliography.

Grade recommendations from the adviser and second reader are communicated to the senior committee, along with short text descriptions describing and assessing the thesis. The letter grade from the Oral examination will count for 10% of the senior thesis grade. The following grade descriptions are representative of Physics Department grading practices. Any individual thesis may have qualities spread across several of these descriptions, and it is ultimately up to the judgement of the Physics Department faculty to balance the considerations in any given case in order to come up with the final grade.

  • A+. A substantial, professional-level contribution to some field of physics, with outstanding presentation and truly impressive content. For example, there may be original results suitable or almost suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal which physicists working in this field often publish in. Or the thesis may be a brilliantly written review paper which could usefully be shared with professional colleagues. A written statement from the advisor justifying the A+ must be included.
  • A. The thesis deals with some topic in physics in an unusually thorough way, with unexpected insights and/or an especially clear presentation. The advisor should have learned new things from it. This grade should be used for work that goes far beyond "doing a good job."
  • A-. The thesis covers some topic in physics well and goes into significant depth. It is written in a professional style with only minor flaws. The student shows mastery of the subject.
  • B+. The thesis covers a topic in physics well, and in some depth. The presentation and physics content are good but leave room for improvement.
  • B. The thesis covers a topic in physics fairly well. Presentation and physics content are fairly good, but some deficiencies may be noted.
  • B-. The thesis addresses a topic in physics but without the depth expected for senior independent work. There may be significant errors or an inadequate presentation.
  • C+. The thesis contains an overview of a topic in physics, but the physics content is mostly superficial. The presentation may be inadequate, and there may be significant errors or omissions.
  • C. The thesis contains a partial or superficial overview of a topic in physics. The thesis gives little evidence of understanding of the relevant physics. The presentation is sloppy, and there are significant errors or omissions.
  • C-. The thesis contains some correct information about a topic in physics, but it fails to show understanding of the relevant physics. The presentation is incomplete, with serious errors or omissions.
  • D. The lowest passing grade. The thesis is deficient in multiple respects, with minimal physics content, poor presentation, and/or poor scholarship.
  • F. There are several ways an F can result. One way is for the thesis to be largely incomplete and incorrect. A second way is for the thesis not to be turned in on time, accounting for any extensions granted, or for a document to be turned in without a clear written indication that it is the official version of the student's senior thesis. A third way is for the thesis to be turned in on time but with issues that prevent it from being accepted. Examples of this last are omitting from the first two pages the title, the student's name, the abstract, the Student Acknowledgment of Original Work, or a signature following this acknowledgment. Formatting that renders the thesis unreasonably difficult to read may also prevent it from being accepted and result in an F.

Alternative grading rubric

Students wishing to branch out and work on a senior thesis topic that is mostly or entirely outside of physics will have their theses graded using an alternative grading rubric customized to their field of work, provided they receive approval from the senior committee of a proposal submitted electronically in Canvas no later than 3pm October 10.  The proposal must consist of the following points:

  • Student's name.
  • Adviser's name. The adviser must sign next to their name to indicate their endorsement of the proposed grading rubric.
  • Second reader's name. As with all theses in the Physics Department, your adviser and the second reader should both have full-time faculty appointments at Princeton University, and at least one of them should have their primary appointment in the Physics Department.
  • A tentative thesis title (200 characters or less).
  • Summary of proposed work (1500 to 2000 characters).
  • Give us a simple description of the area of scholarship your thesis falls in. For example, "Climate policy" or "Behavioral neuroscience."
  • Provide a short explanation of why you are interested in this area, and why it should be of general interest to professional physicists.
  • Provide an adaptation of the primary grading rubric that you feel is suitable to your thesis work. The text to adapt is the entire contents of the section entitled Primary grading rubric . Leave the second, third, and fourth paragraphs unchanged, as these sections will be applied in any case; likewise the criteria for an F cannot be changed. Changes to the rest of the text should be at the minimal level needed in order for it to be fairly applied to the work you are going to do. For example, if you are working on climate policy, replacing "physics" by "climate policy" throughout should be a good start. Topics which have some physics content but are primarily outside of physics should include in the grading rubric some measure of how well the physics is developed and presented.

The senior committee may adjust or rewrite the grading rubric you propose before approving it, and the final rubric will go to your adviser and second reader as well as to you.

Proposals that are approved will allow a thesis to be graded at the same standard as other Physics Department senior theses, but in a different direction. Students who do pursue a topic outside of physics should make a particular effort to make their thesis accessible to physicists and students of physics, and this effort will be counted as part of a good presentation. If a proposal is not received on time by the senior committee or is not approved, thesis work will be graded according to the Primary grading rubric : In particular, the physics content will then be the main basis for the final grade.

A fall term draft of content as outlined in the section entitled Fall term draft is required for all theses.

Oral examination

The oral examination will be scheduled near the end of the academic year, after you have turned in your senior thesis. You should prepare a presentation with a planned duration of 20 minutes. Use standard visual aids, i.e. PowerPoint or similar. Presentations should be well organized and thoughtful; in particular:

  • If you want to use a laptop, you are responsible for making sure things work!
  • Have enough paper copies of your presentation material so that every committee member can have their own copy. Paper copies are useful even when you use PowerPoint from a laptop and serve as a backup in case of a technical glitch.
  • Limit your main presentation to approximately 15 slides (depending on your style). If you have more material, prioritize it and put extra material at the end as backup slides.
  • Do not expect committee members to flip through your thesis during the exam; your presentation should be self-contained.
  • Emphasize graphical material in your slides (including key equations).
  • If you have text in your slides, focus on terse summaries and avoid long segments of text.
  • Rehearse! You can rehearse before a group of friends, or your advisor, or a graduate student, or an empty room.

The senior committee is entitled to ask questions both about the thesis and about undergraduate physics. The grade for the oral depends on both the quality of the presentation and your ability to answer questions.

The oral examination will be assigned a letter grade by the senior committee.  The letter grade for the oral examination will count for 10% of the senior thesis grade.

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  • Theoretical Physics
  • Research groups
  • Postgraduate study
  • MSc in Quantum Fields and Fundamental Forces

Dissertations

We have reproduced these dissertations under a legitimate interest to showcase our previous students and help prospective students explore the group’s work. If an author wishes for a record to be removed, please get in touch .

Aadi Konidena Dissertation

Abdulaziz Bazammul Dissertation

Achal Vinod Dissertation

Aditya Kothari Dissertation

Albert Forsyth Daneri Dissertation

Altay Etkin Dissertation

Anastasija Jure Dissertation

Andres Perez Fadon Dissertation.pdf

Anirudh Bansal Dissertation

Christian Gregory Dissertation

David Waisman Andrade Dissertation

Frank Parker Dissertation

Giacomo La Scala Dissertation

Hao Yang Dissertation

Haya Almuhanna Dissertation

Jieming Lin Dissertation

Joshua Chevalier Dissertation

Konstantinos-Georgakopoulos Dissertation

Lorenzo Signore Dissertation

Ohoud Alharbi Dissertation

Otis William Ogden Dissertation

Paolo Bassani Dissertation

Qianchen Shen Dissertation

Qixuan Xu Dissertation

Robin Simmons Dissertation

Sayyed Farbod Rassouli Dissertation

Steven Weilong Hsia Dissertation

Sunny Wong Dissertation

Theo Keseman Dissertation

Thomas Yan Dissertation

Tobi Ramella Dissertation

William Ronayne Dissertation

Yaocheng Li Dissertation

Yiwen Yang Dissertation

Zheng Miao Dissertation

Zhihao Zhang Dissertation

Zihan Wang Dissertation

Zizang Qiu Dissertation

Imran Abdul Rahman Dissertation

Stefan Aimet Dissertation

Usama Syed Aqeel Dissertation

Gabriel Assant Dissertation

Carlos Barredo Dissertation

Cameron Beetar Dissertation

Samuel Bennett Dissertation

Anantya Bhatnagar Dissertation

Filippo Bounous Dissertation

Sam Brady Dissertation

Samuel Bysh Dissertation

Will Chan Dissertation

Noor El-Sakkout Dissertation

Lucas Fernandez Dissertation

Veer Gala Dissertation

Ibrahim Hajar Dissertation

I Cheong Hong Dissertation

Shao-Zho Hu Dissertation

Xubin Hu Dissertation

Simonetta Ifeji Dissertation

Raymond Isichei Dissertation

Sittha Jeamburaset Dissertation

Yusheng Jiao Dissertation

Andrew King Dissertation

Paul Krüper Dissertation

Guhesh Kumaran Dissertation

Yiwei Liu Dissertation

Deshuo Liu Dissertation

Nur Imanina Binti Mohd Faidzal Dissertation

Aaron Mutchler Dissertation

Alisha Marriott-Best Dissertation

Daniel Portal Dissertation

James Ratcliffe Dissertation

Shaun Swain Dissertation

Arshia Tajlili Moghanjoghi Dissertation

Zixiong Zhou Dissertation

Emma Albertini Dissertation ‌ ‌

Bruno Alexandre Dissertation ‌ ‌

Meabh Allen Dissertation

Andres Banares Hernandez Dissertation

Ansh Bhatnagar Dissertation ‌ ‌

Zakary Buras-Stubbs Dissertation ‌ ‌

Yukun Cao Dissertation ‌ ‌

Pietro Capuozzo Dissertation ‌ ‌

Man Hei Cheng Dissertation ‌ ‌

Wanxiang Fan Dissertation ‌ ‌

Maria Isabel Franco Garrido Dissertation ‌ ‌

Herodotos Herodotou Dissertation ‌ ‌‌

Shivraj Jalan Dissertation ‌ ‌

Yikang Li Dissertation ‌ ‌

Constantinos Nicolaides Dissertation ‌ ‌

Manuel Pace Dissertation ‌ ‌

Emanuele Panella Dissertation ‌ ‌

Sotiris Papadakis Dissertation ‌ ‌

Gabriele Pascuzzi Dissertation ‌ ‌

Phivos Philippides Dissertation ‌

Andre Pinheiro Dissertation ‌ ‌

Luke Piper Dissertation ‌ ‌

Danny Prosser Dissertation

Aditya Ramani Dissertation ‌ ‌‌

Adam Richardson Dissertation

Tobias Richardson Dissertation

Tancredi Schettini Gheerardini Dissertation ‌ ‌‌

Michael Schick Dissertation ‌

Xiaoyu Sun Dissertation ‌ ‌

Benjamin Suzzoni Dissertation ‌ ‌

Mantas Svazas Dissertation ‌ ‌

Chukwudubem Umeano Dissertation ‌ ‌

Hongyi Wan Dissertation ‌ ‌

Bennet Windt Dissertation ‌

Wanli Xing Dissertation ‌

Linda Yuan Dissertation ‌

View PDFs of Theoretical Physics MSc dissertations from the 2019-20 cohort 

Alexander Nagen :  Aspects of Loop Quantum Gravity ‌

Alexander Wilkinson :  Machine Learning Calabi-Yau Manifolds

Augustin Ionescu :  Spheres, Generalised Geometry and Consistent Truncations

Catalina Miritescu :  Traversable Wormhole Constructions

Dalius Stulga :  Review of AdS/CFT Correspondence

Dario Picozzi : Quantum Informational Perspectives on Quantum Gravity and the Gauge/Graviity Duality -  read Dario Picozzi dissertation

Emilie Li :  An introduction to Quantum Chromodynamics and the structure of nucleon

Ethan Schreyer :  Gravitational Waves in an Effective Field Theory of Gravity and Electromagnetism

Evita Gamber :  Can Inflation Be Made Safe?

George Flinn :  The Wave Function of the Universe

Gerlando Alfarano :  Consistent Truncations: from Kaluza and Klein to Generalised Geometry

Henry Yeomans :  Generalised Geometry and Type II Supergravity

Hoi Wai Lai :  Overview of Bohmian Mechanics and its Extensions

James Page :  The Cosmological Constant Problem Hawking's Three-Form

Johannes Eskilt :  Recovering the Page Curve from the AdS/CFT Correspondence

John Garbutt :  Overview of Modified Gravity

Jordi Rafecas Ventosa :  Effective Theory of Black Hole Dynamics in the Large D Limit

Joseph Willsher :  The Chern-Simons Action and Quantum Hall Effect : Effective Theory, Anomalies, and Dualities of a Topological Quantum Fluid

Joshua Hoffmann :  An Introduction to Shape Dynamics

Keerati Keeratikarn :  Monopole Formula & Unguaging Schemes of Coulomb Branches of 3dN=4 Guage Theories

Liheng Yao :  Asymptotic Safety in Gravity and its Obstacles

Liina Jukko :  Cosmology of the Stochastic Axion

Lucille Calmon :  Machine Learning Calabi-Yau Metrics - an Energy Functional Approach

Nick Kolev :  Gravitational Waves and their Primordial Power Spectrum from Inflation

Noam Tamarin :  Pati-Salam Model Grand Unification and Violations of Lepton Universality

Pak To Cheung :  Decoherent Histories Approach - A Quantum Description of Closed Systems

Panos Giannadakis :  Information Paradox Under the Scope of AdS/CFT Correspondence

Samuel Carter McGrand :  Dark Energy and Modified Gravity - a Dynamical Systems Approach

Sergi Sirera Lahoz : ‌ Energy Conditions in Semiclassical and Quantum Gravity

Shu Chen :  Introduction to Mirror Symmetry in Aspects of Topological String Theory

Simone Gordon :  Primordial Black Holes

Tymothy Mangan :  SUSY Localization and AdS Black Holes

Yoann Pietri :  Quantum Cryptography

Yuk Lun Lau :  Magnetic Monopole in the Pati-Salam Model

Yuyu Mo : Exploring the Relation Between Multi-Loop Two-to-Two Parton Scattering Amplitudes in the Regge Limit and Tree-Level String Amplitudes -  read Yuyu Mo's dissertation

Yvette Chow :  Towards a Resolution of the Black Hole Information Loss Problem

Last NameFirst NamesTitle
 Sinha  Aditya
 Kalogirou  Antonios  
 Cable  Archie  
 Joudeh  Basheer  
 Berczi  Benjamin
 Skeete  Cyrus  
 Hasenbichler  Daniel  
 Prieto  David  
 Albertini  Federica
 Williams  Isaac
 Bao  Jiakang
 Zhang  Jiashuo  
 Loo  Kevin
 Grimanellis  Loukas
 Nogueira  Lucas
 Saunders  Luke
 Pascual-Cuetara  Mateo
 Depala  Mehul G
 Tata  Neeraj
 Karacaoglu  Paul
 Ghoderao  Pulkit
 Chea  Shu Huan
 Jaitly  Sumer
 Firat  Toguz
 Datsev  Toma
 Letsios  Vasileios

 

 Ramji  Vinay  

 Kim  Wookyung
 Almumin  Yahya
 He  Yutong
 Hao  Zezhuang
 Tong  Zhaozhen
     
 
Dissertation

The  QFFF MSc 2018 dissertations produced in the summer of 2018 are available. Titles are below.

Last Name First Names QFFF Dissertation 2018
     
Abedi Mohammad
Barata João
Bassi Cristian
Bento Bruno Valeixo
Bet Gianmarco
Chhokar Palvindar Singh
Christie Robson
Dawsmith Aston
Deligiannis Konstantinos
Dideron Guillaume
Dominiak Pandora
França Tiago
Garcia Marti Maria
Gautam Vaibhav
Gough Oliver
Grimminger Julius Friedrich
Hogan Laurence
Isaksen Johannes Hamre
Islam Asim
Konstantinidi Myrto Maria
Liatsos Nikolaos
McAuliffe Elliot
Momeni Arshia
Montagnon George John
Najafian Nikoo
Padelkar Ashutosh Janardan
Padhi Biswajit
Papaefstathiou Irene
Radhakrishnan Rajath Krishna
Read Joe Stymest
Romero Rodriguez Alba
Rutvij Bhavsar
Sarandrea Francesco
Sitt Alexander Michael Frederic
Song Shicong
Strong Joseph
Sun Puwen
Taira Takanobu
Wang Jieyu
Wu Wei
Zhang Yanbai
Zhong Zhenghao

Copies of the QFFF MSc 2017 dissertations produced in the summer of 2017 are available. Titles are given below.

First Names Last Name Dissertation
     
Mohammad Reza Akhond
Adam Almakroudi
Edward Aspinal Large-Scale Structure Formation In The Universe
Benoit Assi
Josu Calvo-Aurrekoetxea
Lingtong Chen
Maggie Chlon
Chuang Du
Mathew Elman
Christopher Erickson
Anuar Idrissov
Yamin Jamilzoda
Awais Mohammed Khan
Yunho Kim
Alfonso Lanuza Garcia
Thomas Edward Maybour
Alexander Donald Mitchell-Lister
Gregor Frédérique Mittelstaedt Quantum Causal Sets 
Simon Moolman
Cameron Oliver
Hariphan Philathong
Pranjal Ralegankar
Joana Ribeiro Da Cunha Gomes Teixeira
Jamie Luke Edward Rogers
Miriam Judith Scharnke
Matthew Peter Stafford
Nils Robin Tornkvist
Markos Vousvounis
Yili Wang
Sara Catherine White
Samuel Whittington
Alastair Wickens

Copies of the  QFFF MSc 2016 dissertations produced in the summer of 2016 are available. Titles are below.

First Names Last Name Dissertation
     
Luigi Alfonsi
Edward Aspinal
Krai Cheamsawat
Hamish Forbes
Christopher Gallagher
Yizhuo Gao
Miguel Garcia Cutillas
Ross Grassie
Kuan-Jung Lai
Jonathan En Ze Lee
Ken Gabriel Lim
Christian Lindackers
Wei Liu
Yasmin Malik
Nellie Marangou
Elise Marey
Gregor Frédérique Mittelstaedt
Aimilios Pagouropoulos  
Ben Pullin
Manya Sahni
Amy Tee
Karim Mathieu van Aelst
Scott Vasquez
Merica Wanakornkul
Laszlo Tibor Zalavari
Stav Zalel
Deli Zhang

Copies of the  QFFF MSc 2015 dissertations produced in the summer of 2015 are available. Titles are below.

Last Name First Names Dissertation
     
Albertsson Karl Martin
Amintaheri Ramtin
Baranyai Craig
Benkel Robert
Blanchette Kevin
Cabrera Santiago
Carnielli Gianluca
Chen Siyuan
Cheng Ka Hei
Christoforou Costas Marios
Cookson Christopher
Do Amaral Claves
Du Yi-Hsien
Gall Louis
Gao Can
Garcia Valdecasas Eduardo
Gunneweg David Nicolaas Irmin
Günther Reichelt Christian
Halder Stephen
Helfer  Thomas
Iancu Florin Vlad
Iliopoulos Nikolaos
Jones Eric
Khan Imran Azin
Khedair Jonathan
Kodi Ramanah Doogesh
Levy Adam Charles
Matos Daniel
Myrzakul Aizhan
Nicholson Isobel
Park Euibyung
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  • Dissertations & Theses

» PhD Dissertations    » Masters Theses    » Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in PER    » Undergraduate Honors Theses

Dissertations by former PER@C graduate PhD students:

Bethany r. wilcox, 2015.

New Tools for Investigating Student Learning in Upper-division Electrostatics

Student learning in upper-division physics courses is a growing area of research in the field of Physics Education. Developing effective new curricular materials and pedagogical techniques to improve student learning in upper-division courses requires knowledge of both what material students struggle with and what curricular approaches help to overcome these struggles. To facilitate the course transformation process for one specific content area — upper-division electrostatics — this thesis presents two new methodological tools: (1) an analytical framework designed to investigate students' struggles with the advanced physics content and mathematically sophisticated tools/techniques required at the junior and senior level, and (2) a new multiple-response conceptual assessment designed to measure student learning and assess the effectiveness of different curricular approaches.

We first describe the development and theoretical grounding of a new analytical framework designed to characterize how students use mathematical tools and techniques during physics problem solving. We apply this framework to investigate student difficulties with three specific mathematical tools used in upper-division electrostatics: multivariable integration in the context of Coulomb's law, the Dirac delta function in the context of expressing volume charge densities, and separation of variables as a technique to solve Laplace's equation. We find a number of common themes in students' difficulties around these mathematical tools including: recognizing when a particular mathematical tool is appropriate for a given physics problem, mapping between the specific physical context and the formal mathematical structures, and reflecting spontaneously on the solution to a physics problem to gain physical insight or ensure consistency with expected results.

We then describe the development of a novel, multiple-response version of an existing conceptual assessment in upper-division electrostatics courses. The goal of this new version is to provide an easily-graded electrostatics assessment that can potentially be implemented to investigate student learning on a large scale. We show that student performance on the new multiple-response version exhibits a significant degree of consistency with performance on the free-response version, and that it continues to provide significant insight into student reasoning and student difficulties. Moreover, we demonstrate that the new assessment is both valid and reliable using data from upper-division physics students at multiple institutions. Overall, the work described in this thesis represents a significant contribution to the methodological tools available to researchers and instructors interested in improving student learning at the upper-division level.

Benjamin T. Spike, 2014

An Investigation of the Knowledge, Beliefs, and Practices of Physics Teaching Assistants, with Implications for TA Preparation

Physics Teaching Assistants (TAs) serve a critical role in supporting student learning in various classroom environments, including discussions and laboratories. As research-based instructional strategies become more widespread in these settings, the TA's role is expanding beyond simply presenting physics content to encompass facilitating student discussion and attending to student reasoning. At the same time, we recognize that these TAs are physics professionals and future faculty, and their teaching experiences in graduate school have the potential for long-term impact on their professional identities. Consequently, there is a need to enhance traditional forms of preparation to support TAs in this expanded role in ways that complement broader professional development opportunities. Enhancing TA preparation requires understanding how TAs make sense of their roles as instructors so that we may identify potential avenues for intervention that support the development of practices that are (1) supportive of curricular goals and (2) consistent with the TAs' overall pedagogical model. The intent of this thesis is to develop a single overarching framework for analyzing how TAs talk about and carry out their roles as instructors. We then apply this framework to a set of interview and video data from multiple semesters, and make claims regarding instances of coordination and dis-coordination between TAs' beliefs and practices. Furthermore, we are able to track changes in beliefs and practices along various time scales. Finally, we return to the issue of TA preparation by identifying features of enhanced professional and pedagogical development, drawn from results of these studies, that could operate within existing institutional structures

Charles Baily, 2011

Perspectives in Quantum Physics: Epistemological, Ontological and Pedagogical

An investigation into student and expert perspectives on the physical interpretation of quantum mechanics, with implications for modern physics instruction.

A common learning goal for modern physics instructors is for students to recognize a difference between the experimental uncertainty of classical physics and the fundamental uncertainty of quantum mechanics. Our studies suggest this notoriously difficult task may be frustrated by the intuitively realist perspectives of introductory students, and a lack of ontological flexibility in their conceptions of light and matter. We have developed a framework for understanding and characterizing student perspectives on the physical interpretation of quantum mechanics, and demonstrate the differential impact on student thinking of the myriad ways instructors approach interpretive themes in their introductory courses. Like expert physicists, students interpret quantum phenomena differently, and these interpretations are significantly influenced by their overall stances on questions central to the so-called measurement problem: Is the wave function physically real, or simply a mathematical tool? Is the collapse of the wave function an ad hoc rule, or a physical transition not described by any equation? Does an electron, being a form of matter, exist as a localized particle at all times? These questions, which are of personal and academic interest to our students, are largely only superficially addressed in our introductory courses, often for fear of opening a Pandora’s Box of student questions, none of which have easy answers. We show how a transformed modern physics curriculum (recently implemented at the University of Colorado) may positively impact student perspectives on indeterminacy and wave-particle duality, by making questions of classical and quantum reality a central theme of our course, but also by making the beliefs of our students, and not just those of scientists, an explicit topic of discussion.

Lauren Kost-Smith, 2011

Characterizing, Modeling, and Addressing Gender Disparities in Introductory College Physics

The under representation and under performance of females in physics has been well documented and has long concerned policy-makers, educators, and the physics community. In this thesis, we focus on gender disparities in the first- and second-semester introductory, calculus-based physics courses at the University of Colorado. Success in these courses is critical for future study and careers in physics (and other sciences). Using data gathered from roughly 10,000 undergraduate students, we identify and model gender differences in the introductory physics courses in three areas: student performance, retention, and psychological factors. We observe gender differences on several measures in the introductory physics courses: females are less likely to take a high school physics course than males and have lower standardized mathematics test scores; males outscore females on both pre- and post-course conceptual physics surveys and in-class exams; and males have more expert-like attitudes and beliefs about physics than females. These background differences of males and females account for 60% to 70% of the gender gap that we observe on a post-course survey of conceptual physics understanding. In analyzing underlying psychological factors of learning, we find that female students report lower self-confidence related to succeeding in the introductory courses (self-efficacy) and are less likely to report seeing themselves as a “physics person”. Students’ self-efficacy beliefs are significant predictors of their performance, even when measures of physics and mathematics background are controlled, and account for an additional 10% of the gender gap. Informed by results from these studies, we implemented and tested a psychological, self-affirmation intervention aimed at enhancing female students’ performance in Physics 1. Self-affirmation reduced the gender gap in performance on both in-class exams and the post-course conceptual physics survey. Further, the benefit of the self-affirmation was strongest for females who endorsed the stereotype that men do better than women in physics. The findings of this thesis suggest that there are multiple factors that contribute to the under performance of females in physics. Establishing this model of gender differences is a first step towards increasing females’ participation and performance in physics, and can be used to guide future interventions to address the disparities.

Colin S. Wallace, 2011

An investigation into introductory astronomy students' difficulties with cosmology, and the development, validation, and efficacy of a new suite of cosmology lecture-tutorials

This study reports the results of the first systematic investigation into Astro 101 students' conceptual and reasoning difficulties with cosmology. We developed four surveys with which we measured students' conceptual knowledge of the Big Bang, the expansion and evolution of the universe, and the evidence for dark matter. Our classical test theory and item response theory analyses of over 2300 students' pre- and post-instruction responses, combined with daily classroom observations, videotapes of students working in class, and one-on-one semi-structured think-aloud interviews with nineteen Astro 101 students, revealed several common learning difficulties. In order to help students overcome these difficulties, we used our results to inform the development of a new suite of cosmology lecture-tutorials. In our initial testing of the new lecture-tutorials at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Arizona, we found many cases in which students who used the lecture-tutorials achieved higher learning gains (as measured by our surveys) at statistically significant levels than students who did not. Subsequent use of the lecture-tutorials at a variety of colleges and universities across the United States produced a wide range of learning gains, suggesting that instructors' pedagogical practices and implementations of the lecture-tutorials significantly affect whether or not students achieve high learning gains.

Chandra Turpen, 2010

Towards a Model of Educational Transformation: Documenting the changing educational practices of professors, institutions, and students in introductory physics

While research-based curricula and instructional strategies in introductory physics are becoming more widespread, how these strategies are implemented by educators is less well understood. Understanding classroom implementation of these strategies is further complicated by the fact that they are being used beyond the institutions at which they were developed. This thesis examines how educational innovations are taken up, take root, and transform educational practice. Data is analyzed from two case studies in educational change at the University of Colorado: the use of Peer Instruction (PI) and the use of the Tutorials in Introductory Physics. Our research studies on PI establish that 1) professors’ actual practices involving the use of PI differ strikingly, thus exposing students to different scientific practices, 2) variations in classroom practices create different classroom norms, and 3) students perceive PI classrooms differently in ways that are associated with corresponding PI implementation. Investigations into the use of the Tutorials in Introductory Physics (Tutorials) reveal that focusing purely on individual faculty members’ experiences does not fully capture the complexity of the change processes associated with Tutorials adoption. Although individual faculty members play important roles in the adoption and institutionalization process, other changes occur simultaneously throughout the educational system (i.e. shifts in internal and external funding, as well as expanding partnerships between the physics department, other STEM departments, the School of Education, and other university programs). By examining faculty within the situations that they work, we have found that structural changes in how institutions operate are coupled with changes in how individual faculty members’ teach their courses. These findings call into question the common assumption of dissemination approaches that focus solely on individual faculty members’ adoption and individual use of curricular materials and suggest that approaches to educational change might be more successful by coordinating and addressing multiple levels of the educational system simultaneously.

Noah Podolefsky, 2008

Analogical Scaffolding: Making Meaning in Physics through Representation and Analogy

This work reviews the literature on analogy, introduces a new model of analogy, and presents a series of experiments that test and confirm the utility of this model to describe and predict student learning in physics with analogy. Pilot studies demonstrate that representations (e.g., diagrams) can play a key role in students’ use of analogy. A new model of analogy, Analogical Scaffolding, is developed to explain these initial empirical results. This model will be described in detail, and then applied to describe and predict the outcomes of further experiments. Two large-scale (N>100) studies will demonstrate that: (1) students taught with analogies, according to the Analogical Scaffolding model, outperform students taught without analogies on pre- post assessments focused on electromagnetic waves; (2) the representational forms used to teach with analogy can play a significant role in student learning, with students in one treatment group outperforming students in other treatment groups by factors of two or three. It will be demonstrated that Analogical Scaffolding can be used to predict these results, as well as finer-grained results such as the types of distracters students choose in different treatment groups, and to describe and analyze student reasoning in interviews. Abstraction in physics is reconsidered using Analogical Scaffolding. An operational definition of abstraction is developed within the Analogical Scaffolding framework and employed to explain (a) why physicists consider some ideas more abstract than others in physics, and (b) how students conceptions of these ideas can be modeled. This new approach to abstraction suggests novel approaches to curriculum design in physics using Analogical Scaffolding.

Wendy Adams, 2007

Development of a Problem Solving Evaluation Instrument; untangling of specific problem solving skills

The purpose of my research was to produce a problem solving evaluation tool for physics. To do this it was necessary to gain a thorough understanding of how students solve problems. Although physics educators highly value problem solving and have put extensive effort into understanding successful problem solving, there is currently no efficient way to evaluate problem solving skill. Attempts have been made in the past; however, knowledge of the principles required to solve the subject problem are so absolutely critical that they completely overshadow any other skills students may use when solving a problem. The work presented here is unique because the evaluation tool removes the requirement that the student already have a grasp of physics concepts. It is also unique because I picked a wide range of people and picked a wide range of tasks for evaluation. This is an important design feature that helps make things emerge more clearly.

This dissertation includes an extensive literature review of problem solving in physics, math, education and cognitive science as well as descriptions of studies involving student use of interactive computer simulations, the design and validation of a beliefs about physics survey and finally the design of the problem solving evaluation tool. I have successfully developed and validated a problem solving evaluation tool that identifies 44 separate skills (skills) necessary for solving problems. Rigorous validation studies, including work with an independent interviewer, show these skills identified by this content-free evaluation tool are the same skills that students use to solve problems in mechanics and quantum mechanics. Understanding this set of component skills will help teachers and researchers address problem solving within the classroom.

Pat Kohl, 2007

Towards an Understanding of Student Use of Representations In Physics Problem Solving

Skill with different representations and multiple representations is highly valued in physics, and prior work has shown that novice physics students can struggle with the representations typically used in solving physics problems. There exists work in PER examining student use of representations and multiple representations, but there have been no comprehensive attempts to understand what factors influence how introductory students succeed or fail in using representations in physics. This thesis is such an attempt, and is organized around four main goals and results. First, we establish that representation is a major factor in student performance, and uncover some of the mechanisms by which representation can affect performance, including representation-dependent cueing. Second, we study the effect of different instructional environments on student learning of multiple representation use during problem solving, and find that courses that are rich in representations can have significant impacts on student skills. Third, we evaluate the role of meta-representational skills in solving physics problems at the introductory level, and find that the meta-representational abilities that we test for in our studies are poorly developed in introductory students. Fourth, we characterize the differences in representation use between expert and novice physics problem solvers, and note that the major differences appear not to lie in whether representations are used, but in how they are used.

With these results in hand, we introduce a model of student use of representations during physics problem solving. This model consists of a set of practical heuristics plus an analysis framework adapted from cultural-constructivist theory. We demonstrate that this model can be useful in understanding and synthesizing our results, and we discuss the instructional implications of our findings.

Theses by Former PER@C Masters Degree Students

Christopher keller, 2006.

On the Use of Clickers at CU & Clicker Literature Review

Research on computer-based educational activities for introductory college physics

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in PER

Lisa goodhew, 2012.

What Representations Teach Us About Student Reasoning

The importance of informal science education to the field of Physics Education Research includes extending to a broader range of ages and environments than formal science and focusing on broader goals such as participants' identities as scientists. This paper describes 3 aspects of informal science education: programming, research, and curriculum development. A summer camp was run through JILA's PISEC (Partnerships of Informal Science in the Community) program. Participants' use of representations, in particular drawings, in response to different types of prompting was analyzed in both lab notebooks and stop-motion videos made by the participants. In light of the results of this study, a new curriculum was developed for use in the fall 2012 semester of the PISEC program.

Danny Rehn, 2011

Heuristics for Creating Assignments to Incorporate Simulations

The use of simulations in learning physics is a topic of growing interest in physics education research circles. While prior research has been conducted to understand the factors that promote engaging and interacting with sims in an interview setting, little work has been done to understand how assignments affect students' interactions with the sims in various environments. This paper explores this issue through analyzing two different case studies in radically different settings. One is a study done in a middle school classroom using the build-a-molecule PhET simulation, and the other investigates the use of a PhET quantum tunneling sim used in a college-level modern physics course. These assignments were created with a tentative list of "heuristics" we felt would be useful in writing these assignments, and through these studies we present a list of refined and expanded heuristics that are more representative of our findings. In addition to these heuristics, we present a framework which is more inclusive than the set of heuristics alone in accounting for the design of these assignments across different contexts.

Alex Fout, 2009

The Role of Contextual Framing: Assessments, Classroom Practice, and Student Perceptions

Contextual framing in physics problems has been shown to generally affect student performance on assessments. This study seeks to identify some of the main influences of this effect, and to characterize how contextual framing may vary within a classroom. Students in summer introductory physics courses (algebra based and calculus based) are administered surveys that assess performance on problems that are contextually rich (more “real world”) vs. contextually bland (more abstract, “laboratory” descriptions). Initially females perform worse than do males on the contextually rich versions of the assessments when performance was equal on the contextually bland versions of the test. However further assessment reveals no clear trend how explicit contextual framing influences male and females differently. Students were polled on Attitudes and beliefs regarding the use of different kinds of context in the classroom, and the researcher’s observations of instructor practice correlated well with students’ opinions. Other roles of problem contextualization are identified, including the triggering of intuition and reasoning, albeit sometimes incorrect.

Undergraduate Honors Theses in PER

Elias euler, 2015.

Beliefs, Intentions, Actions, & Reflections (BIAR): A New Way to Look at the Interactions of Teachers and Students

An accurate, nuanced capturing and characterization of student/teacher behavior inside and outside the classroom is a necessity in today’s education reform. In this paper, a new framework, called the BIAR (Beliefs, Intentions, Actions, and Reflections) Student-Teacher Interaction Model, is introduced. This tool incorporates the use of TDOP (Teaching Dimensions Observation Protocol) in classroom observations alongside student/faculty interviews, stimulated recall sessions, and electronic surveys. Once gathered, the data can be compared and rated for their degree of correlation. While the work in this project wasn’t aimed at making any specific claims about the practices of teachers or students, the introduction of the BIAR Model provides a structure for future work in this area.

Heuristics for Incorporating Simulations into Assignments

The use of simulations in educational environments is a topic of growing interest, particularly in science education. While much research has been done to understand simulation use in interview settings, less has been done in the environments in which the majority of simulation use arises. The purpose of this thesis is to provide a framework for how simulations can be used in these natural environments, and analyze what can be done to promote effective use of simulations in these settings. We propose a list of heuristics or strategies that can be used when writing assignments to incorporate simulations, and additionally, provide a tentative theoretical view of how to implement these heuristics and why they work. This is done through a series of case studies that make use of the heuristics, as we first give an analysis of the heuristics that were used, and then provide a tentative theoretical view of how the heuristics were implemented, and why they work.

Laura Archibald, 2009

Expert and Novice Student Use of Computer Simulations: Fourier: Making Waves

Jessica Bartly, Cum Laude, 2009

Brandon tarshis, suma cum laude, 2008.

Measuring What's Hidden: How College Physics Courses Implicitly Influence Student Beliefs

Educators devote most of their attention to students learning the subject matter of a course. What is less recognized by educators, is that beyond learning the content, students’ attitudes, beliefs, and values change too—sometimes in unexpected and unintended ways. When something is not explicitly taught, but students learn it anyway, it is part of the “hidden curriculum.” Because the explicit curriculum tends to focus on content, it’s the hidden curriculum that influences students’ beliefs about the nature of science, and the nature of learning science. This thesis presents a study of the hidden curricula in three different introductory physics courses. All three are second semester Electricity and Magnetism courses at the University of Colorado at Boulder. This research focuses on four dimensions of the hidden curriculum: Process vs. Product, Source of Knowledge, Real World vs. Abstract, and Gender Bias vs. Gender Neutral. In order to measure these four dimensions of the hidden curricula of three courses, rubrics have been developed, and course environments have been observed and measured using these rubrics. Additionally, the impact that varying hidden curricula have on students is addressed by surveying student beliefs. Results indicate that course practices implicitly affect student attitudes and beliefs in a way that might be predictable by measuring the hidden curriculum—especially for students with less strongly held beliefs. Furthermore, the hidden curriculum sends mixed messages to students, and certain course elements have greater influence on students’ beliefs than others (like lecture versus homework).

Heather Demarest: Suma Cum Laude, 2004

Examining Teacher Expectations about Physics Homework

There are many different ways by which students learn physics and develop beliefs about physics. These range from exams to lectures, from labs to homework. Teachers have beliefs about the ideal content for each of these media to contain, as well as beliefs about what they typically do contain. The purpose of my thesis, therefore, is to examine in detail, a small but vital way that this information is conveyed from teacher to student: Homework. First, I design a survey to be administered to teachers of introductory university classes. This survey is designed to acquire data about teachers’expectations and beliefs about their homework content. Next, I administer the survey and simultaneously conduct an interview with each professor in my study. Then, I acquire homework sets from the teachers’ classes. I rate these homework sets along the same dimensions the teachers were asked to rate them. Finally, I compare the ratings and analyze them for agreement.

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Best Dissertation Topics In Physics: 15 Questions To Consider

Physics isn’t an easy subject. Writing a dissertation in physics is one of the most difficult assignments that a student may have to deal with. To make this task easier, you should pick a topic that will be interesting for you to research. If nothing comes to mind, you may gain some inspiration by looking at sample topics.

Physics Dissertation Topics

  • Lipid bilayers and microrheology.
  • The LHC era: supersymmetry and dark matter.
  • Transient optomechanical phenomena related to optomechanical light storage.
  • Electron spins in diamond and optical control.
  • Quantum ferromagnets: phases and phase transitions.
  • Retinal implants: fractal electrodes for interfacing neurons. Parameter estimation and quantum state: error models.
  • Coupled optical cavities: mechanical effects, interference, and storage of single photons.
  • Semiconductor heterostructure devices: electron transport dynamics.
  • Einstein equations: cosmological solutions and singular symmetric hyperbolic systems.
  • Magnetic domains: hidden rotational symmetries.
  • Cold atoms: imaging and dissipative control.
  • Imaging a single atom with a custom aspheric lens system.
  • Searching for decaying colorful quantum black holes.
  • Analyzing nonlinear surface Plasmon polaritons.

Writing a Physics Dissertation

Hopefully, topics above will inspire you to come up with a unique and interesting idea for your paper. The problem is that a good topic alone won’t earn you a high score. There is much work for you to do:

  • Conducting research.

You should find proper sources on which you’ll be able to base your research. Consult your professor to learn what methods should be used in your particular situation to achieve the best results.

  • Composing a dissertation.

Once your research is done, you should start writing. Create an outline of your paper for it to be well-structured. It’s advisable to complete body paragraphs first and only then move on to the introduction and conclusion.

  • Formatting and editing.

Include additional sections, like bibliography and appendices. Make sure to format them according to the requirements in your assignment guidelines. Proofread your paper by yourself or give it to a professional editor.

Buying a Dissertation

If you don’t have time to conduct research and compose a strong paper, you may hire a professional writer to do this for you. Look at this academic writing resource, for example. “It’s good that I’ve found this site” you will think after dealing with them. They have a large staff of experienced academic writers. This allows them to provide their customers with original dissertations on almost any topics. Their prices are reasonable and their services are of the highest quality.

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  1. Physics Theses, Dissertations, and Masters Projects

    Theses/Dissertations from 2020. PDF. A First-Principles Study of the Nature of the Insulating Gap in VO2, Christopher Hendriks. PDF. Competing And Cooperating Orders In The Three-Band Hubbard Model: A Comprehensive Quantum Monte Carlo And Generalized Hartree-Fock Study, Adam Chiciak. PDF.

  2. Department of Physics Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's

    Physics and applications of exceptional points, Qi Zhong. PDF. Synthetic Saturable Absorber, Armin Kalita. PDF. The Solvation Energy of Ions in a Stockmayer Fluid, Cameron John Shock. PDF. UNDERSTANDING THE VERY HIGH ENERGY γ-RAY EMISSION FROM A FAST SPINNING NEUTRON STAR ENVIRONMENT, Chad A. Brisbois. Theses/Dissertations/Reports from 2018 PDF

  3. PhD. Theses

    View past theses (2011 to present) in the Dataspace Catalog of Ph.D Theses in the Department of Physics. View past theses (1996 to present) in the ProQuest Database. PhD. Theses 2024Nicholas QuirkTransport Experiments on Topological and Strongly Correlated ConductorsLeander ThieleGetting ready for new Data: Approaches to some Challenges in ...

  4. Harvard PhD Theses in Physics, 2001-

    Topics on Hadron Collider Physics. (Randall) KITAGAWA, TAKUYA New Phenomena in Non-Equilibrium Quantum Physics. (Demler) KOU, ANGELA ... PhD Theses in Physics. PhD Thesis Help; Tax Information; 17 Oxford Street Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 495-2872 phone (617) 495-0416 fax INTERNAL LINKS

  5. 416 Physics Topics & Ideas to Research

    Physics Research Paper Topics for University. Metamaterials: Creating the Impossible in Optics and Acoustics. Fluid Dynamics in Astrophysics: Stars, Galaxies, and Beyond. Tackling Turbulence: The Last Great Problem in Classical Physics. The Casimir Effect: Unearthing Quantum Force in the Vacuum.

  6. PhD Thesis Help

    Guide to Preparing and Submitting Your Dissertation Top-10 Dissertation Formatting Errors Sample Dissertation. Guide to Preparing and Submitting Your Dissertation. Skip to main content. Main Menu; Utility Menu; Search; HARVARD.EDU ... PhD Theses in Physics. PhD Thesis Help; Tax Information; 17 Oxford Street Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 495-2872 ...

  7. Dissertation

    As you prepare your final master's thesis or Ph.D. dissertation, it is vital that you follow all of The Graduate School's policies and procedures to ensure that the publication of your research adheres to Duke University guidelines. Review the online dissertation guidelines. ... Department of Physics. Physics Building, 120 Science Drive ...

  8. MIT Theses

    MIT's DSpace contains more than 58,000 theses completed at MIT dating as far back as the mid 1800's. Theses in this collection have been scanned by the MIT Libraries or submitted in electronic format by thesis authors. Since 2004 all new Masters and Ph.D. theses are scanned and added to this collection after degrees are awarded.

  9. Physics Theses and Dissertations

    Search within this collection: This collection contains some of the theses and dissertations produced by students in the University of Oregon Physics Graduate Program. Paper copies of these and other dissertations and theses are available through the UO Libraries.

  10. PDF Master's Thesis in Physics

    Phases of matter have always been an interesting and intriguing topic in modern physics. The familiar solid, liquid and gas phases are accompanied by more exotic phases when quantum phenomena become important, which leads to charge density waves, Bose-Einstein conden-sates, spin density waves and superconductivity, just to name a few.

  11. Recent Theses

    Theses written by recent former students of the group, listed by main supervisor. Joseph Conlon. Searches for Axion-Like Particles with X-ray astronomy Nicholas Jennings (2018) Astrophysical signatures of axion and axion-like particles Francesca Day (2017) Cosmology & Astrophysics of Dark Radiation Andrew Powell (2016) Phenomenology of Dark ...

  12. Physics thesis and dissertation collection

    Carbonaceous chondrites and kerogens as organic carbon sources for life on present-day Earth, early Earth and other planets . Waajen, Annemiek Christina (The University of Edinburgh, 2024-07-03) Carbon is an essential element for life and is ubiquitous in the Universe. Carbon-containing molecules vary from small to macromolecular molecules.

  13. Thesis Information

    Following this full discussion about your thesis topic, please write up your formal Thesis Proposal to reflect the mutually-agreed thesis plans and forward the Proposal to the graduate program at the APO using [email protected] for Sydney to document in the department's academic records.

  14. Physics Theses and Dissertations

    Theses/Dissertations from 2023. PDF. Influence of Thickness and Capping Materials on the Static and Dynamic Properties of Ferrimagnetic Thin Films, Noha Alzahrani. PDF. Evaluation of a Prototype Deep Learning-based Autosegmentation Algorithm on a High Quality Database of Head and Neck Cancer Radiotherapy Patients, Jihye Koo. PDF.

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    TQUAKE, Stephen Ronald.Theory and Experiments in Polymer Physics wi. 4Stinchcombe, Robin CMTSTE. ANOV, Mikhail Alexeevich.Scalar-Fermi. 1994Binney, James A. TTANK, Rashmi Winfried.A Theoretical Study of Semicond. 4Stinchcom. , Robin CMTTIGG, Jason.Nonperturbative Techniques and the Operator Product Expansion in Studies of Dynamica.

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    Dec. 3, 2021. ( Link ) While much physics education research focuses on students' learning, this thesis explores physics faculty members' teaching practices. This focus is needed given the role faculty play as an essential link between students and physics content, culture, and practices. Commonly used change strategies in science education ...

  17. Senior Theses

    The thesis deals with some topic in physics in an unusually thorough way, with unexpected insights and/or an especially clear presentation. The advisor should have learned new things from it. This grade should be used for work that goes far beyond "doing a good job." A-. The thesis covers some topic in physics well and goes into significant depth.

  18. Dissertations

    Research groups. Theoretical Physics. Postgraduate study. MSc in Quantum Fields and Fundamental Forces. Dissertations. Dissertations. We have reproduced these dissertations under a legitimate interest to showcase our previous students and help prospective students explore the group's work. If an author wishes for a record to be removed ...

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    Quantum Information Science. QIS research studies the application of quantum physics to information science and technology. AEP has research groups spanning quantum sensing, communications, simulation, and computing, with experimental approaches including superconducting circuits, trapped ions, photonics, and semiconductor devices.

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    In this thesis, we focus on gender disparities in the first- and second-semester introductory, calculus-based physics courses at the University of Colorado. Success in these courses is critical for future study and careers in physics (and other sciences). Using data gathered from roughly 10,000 undergraduate students, we identify and model ...

  21. Research Topics

    Research Topics. Our department is particularly interested in two of the Big Ideas that drive the National Science Foundation's long-term research agenda: The Quantum Leap: Leading the next Quantum Revolution and Harnessing Data for 21st Century Science and Engineering.Our faculty are also pursuing the following transformative opportunities for discovery science, identified by the Department ...

  22. 15 Most Exciting Titles For A Dissertation In Physics

    Physics Dissertation Topics. Lipid bilayers and microrheology. The LHC era: supersymmetry and dark matter. Transient optomechanical phenomena related to optomechanical light storage. Electron spins in diamond and optical control. Quantum ferromagnets: phases and phase transitions. Retinal implants: fractal electrodes for interfacing neurons.

  23. Frontiers in Physics

    Exploring the Frontiers of Molecular Clustering in the Gas Phase. Cristóbal Pérez. Amanda L Steber. Weixing Li. Sérgio Domingos. Isabel Peña. 305 views. One of the most viewed journals in its field, which addresses the biggest questions in physics, from macro to micro, and from theoretical to experimental and applied physics.