Penn Smith physics research presentation

Physics Student-Faculty Research

Student-Faculty Research

At LVC, students have the opportunity to engage in research with our physics faculty. Professors in the department are experts in quantum information science (Dr. David Lyons, Dr. Cristina Mullican, and Dr. Scott Walck), theoretical/computational nuclear physics (Dr. Dan Pitonyak), and laser modifications of glass (Dr. Keith Veenhuizen). In all three areas of research, students can work alongside faculty as paid research assistants during the summer. This work has culminated in presentations at national conferences and co-authored papers in peer-reviewed journals. These high-level research experiences are unique for students at a small college and help distinguish LVC physics majors when they embark on their career paths after graduation.

Student Year of Activity Publication or Conference Presentation
Brandon Bauer 2023 B. Bauer, D. Pitonyak and C. Shay, “Numerical study of the twist-3 asymmetry ALT in single- inclusive electron-nucleon and proton-proton collisions,” Phys. Rev. D 107, 014013 (2023) [arXiv:2210.14334 [hep-ph]].
Cody Shay 2023 B. Bauer, D. Pitonyak and C. Shay, “Numerical study of the twist-3 asymmetry ALT in single- inclusive electron-nucleon and proton-proton collisions,” Phys. Rev. D 107, 014013 (2023) [arXiv:2210.14334 [hep-ph]].
Jack Putnam 2023 David W. Lyons, Cristina Mullican, Adam Rilatt, and Jack D. Putnam, “Werner states from diagrams,” Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical, 56(22):225301, May 2023 [arXiv:2302.05572].
Brandon Bauer 2023 “Numerical Study of Twist-3 Longitudinal-Transverse Double-Spin Asymmetries: a Probe of Quark- Gluon-Quark Correlations in Hadrons,” Contributed talk at the APS Group on Hadronic Physics Meeting, Apr. 14, 2023, Minneapolis, MN.
Cody Shay 2023 “Numerical Study of Single-Inclusive Longitudinal-Transverse Double-Spin Asymmetries in Electron- Nucleon and Proton-Proton Collisions,” Contributed poster at the APS April Meeting, Apr. 15, 2023, Minneapolis, MN.
Alex Heilman 2022 Paul Appel, Alexander J. Heilman, Ezekiel W. Wertz, David W. Lyons, Marcus Huber, Matej Pivoluska, and Giuseppe Vitagliano, “Finite-Function-Encoding Quantum States,” Quantum, 6:708, May 2022 [arXiv:2012.00490].
Ezekiel Wertz 2022 Paul Appel, Alexander J. Heilman, Ezekiel W. Wertz, David W. Lyons, Marcus Huber, Matej Pivoluska, and Giuseppe Vitagliano, “Finite-Function-Encoding Quantum States,” Quantum, 6:708, May 2022 [arXiv:2012.00490].
Jacob Marsh 2022 Wei Sun, Keith Veenhuizen, Jacob Marsh, Volkmar Dierolf, Himanshu Jain, “Determination of the structure of lithium niobosilicate glasses by molecular dynamics simulation with a new Nb-O potential,” Computational Materials Science, Volume 207, May 2022, 111307.
Jacob Franklin 2022 Keith Veenhuizen, Collin Barker, Jacob Franklin, Sean McAnany, Bruce Aitken, Daniel Nolan, Volkmar Dierolf, Himanshu Jain, “The role of glass composition in the 3D laser fabrication of lithium niobate single crystal in lithium niobosilicate glass,” Optical Materials, Volume 128, June 2022, 112380.
Joshua Miller 2022 L. Gamberg, M. Malda, J. A. Miller, D. Pitonyak, A. Prokudin and N. Sato, “Updated QCD global analysis of single transverse-spin asymmetries: Extracting H ̃, and the role of the Soffer bound and lattice QCD,” Phys. Rev. D 106, 034014 (2022) [arXiv:2205.00999 [hep-ph]].
Michel Malda 2022 L. Gamberg, M. Malda, J. A. Miller, D. Pitonyak, A. Prokudin and N. Sato, “Updated QCD global analysis of single transverse-spin asymmetries: Extracting H ̃, and the role of the Soffer bound and lattice QCD,” Phys. Rev. D 106, 034014 (2022) [arXiv:2205.00999 [hep-ph]].
Brandon Bauer 2022 “Numerical Study of Single-Inclusive Longitudinal-Transverse Double-Spin Asymmetries in Electron- Proton and Proton-Proton Collisions,” Contributed poster at the Conference Experience for Undergraduates at the APS Division of Nuclear Physics Fall Meeting, Oct. 28, 2022, New Orleans, LA.
Ben Gordon 2022 “Analysis of the cos2φ and cosφ Modulations in Semi-Inclusive Deep-Inelastic Scattering,” Contributed talk at the APS April Meeting, Apr. 9, 2022, New York, NY.
Michel Malda 2022 “Updated QCD Global Analysis of Single Transverse-Spin Asymmetries with Additional Constraints from Experimental Data and Lattice QCD,” Contributed talk at the APS April Meeting, Apr. 9, 2022, New York, NY.
Ben Gordon 2021  “Analysis of the cos 2φ Modulation in Semi-Inclusive Deep-Inelastic Scattering,” Contributed talk at the Conference Experience for Undergraduates at the APS Division of Nuclear Physics Fall Meeting, Oct. 13, 2021, remote.
Michel Malda 2021 “Updated QCD Global Analysis of Single Transverse-Spin Asymmetries,” Contributed talk at the Conference Experience for Undergraduates at the APS Division of Nuclear Physics Fall Meeting, Oct. 13, 2021, remote.
Olivia Magneson 2021  “Phase-selective laser-induced crystallization of lead bismuth gallate glass,” Contributed poster at the  Glass and Optical Materials Division (GOMD) 2021 Annual Meeting, Dec. 13, 2021, remote.
Jacob Franklin 2021  “Formation of continuous lithium niobate single crystals in lithium niobosilicate glass via femtosecond laser irradiation,” Contributed poster at the  Glass and Optical Materials Division (GOMD) 2021 Annual Meeting, Dec. 13, 2021, remote.
Justin Cammarota 2020 J. Cammarota, L. Gamberg, Z. B. Kang, J. A. Miller, D. Pitonyak, A. Prokudin, T. C. Rogers and N. Sato, “Origin of single transverse-spin asymmetries in high-energy collisions,” Phys. Rev. D 102, 054002 (2020) [arXiv:2002.08384 [hep-ph]].
Joshua Miller 2020 J. Cammarota, L. Gamberg, Z. B. Kang, J. A. Miller, D. Pitonyak, A. Prokudin, T. C. Rogers and N. Sato, “Origin of single transverse-spin asymmetries in high-energy collisions,” Phys. Rev. D 102, 054002 (2020) [arXiv:2002.08384 [hep-ph]].
Ben Gordon 2020 “Extraction of the Boer-Mulders Function from Unpolarized SIDIS Data,” Contributed poster at the Conference Experience for Undergraduates at the APS Division of Nuclear Physics Fall Meeting, Oct. 30, 2020, remote.
Adam Rilatt 2020 “Extraction of the Boer-Mulders Function from Unpolarized SIDIS Data,” Contributed poster at the Conference Experience for Undergraduates at the APS Division of Nuclear Physics Fall Meeting, Oct. 30, 2020, remote.
Michel Malda 2020 “Mapping the 3D Structure of Hadrons through Asymmetries in Single-Inclusive Pion Production from Electron-Proton Collisions,” Contributed talk at the Conference Experience for Undergraduates at the APS Division of Nuclear Physics Fall Meeting, Oct. 30, 2020, remote.
Collin Barker 2019 “Laser-induced crystallization and reduction of copper-doped lithium niobosilicate glass,” Contributed poster at the 25th International Congress on Glass, Jun. 9, 2019, Boston, MA
Joshua Miller 2019 “Laser-induced crystallization and reduction of copper-doped lithium niobosilicate glass,” Contributed poster at the 25th International Congress on Glass, Jun. 9, 2019, Boston, MA
Ezekiel Wertz 2017 David W. Lyons, Nathaniel P. Gibbons, Mark A. Peters, Daniel J. Upchurch, Scott N. Walck, and Ezekiel W. Wertz, “Local Pauli stabilizers of symmetric hypergraph states,” Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical, 50(24):245303, 2017 [arXiv:1609.01306].
Nate Gibbons 2017 David W. Lyons, Nathaniel P. Gibbons, Mark A. Peters, Daniel J. Upchurch, Scott N. Walck, and Ezekiel W. Wertz, “Local Pauli stabilizers of symmetric hypergraph states,” Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical, 50(24):245303, 2017 [arXiv:1609.01306].

Quantum Information Science

Students and faculty study the “quantum advantage” of entangled particles that can outperform the most powerful existing supercomputers.

Participating Faculty Members: Dr. David Lyons, Dr. Cristina Mullican, and Dr. Scott Walck

LVC students and faculty study the "quantum advantage" of entangled particles.

 

Computational Nuclear Physics

The goal of this research is to map out a 3D image of the internal structure of visible matter. Students write code in Python to compute high-energy particle collisions and analyze how models fit experimental data. This allows us to extract information on the elementary particles that make up objects like the proton.

Participating Faculty Member: Dr. Dan Pitonyak

Graphic showing laser modifications of glass research

 

Laser Modifications of Glass

The goal of this research is to fabricate crystals in glass using a laser as a heat source. Light can be guided through the crystals, making them potentially useful as optical interconnects in photonic integrated circuits. In addition, the crystals are characterized by various means (Raman spectroscopy, piezoresponse for microscopy, etc.) to gather information for practical applications and more fundamental studies.

Participating Faculty Member: Dr. Keith Veenhuizen

LVC students write code in Python to computer high-energy particle collisions and analyze how models fit experimental data.