New faculty expand physics at Penn State

“We are delighted to welcome several new colleagues to our faculty this academic year! Dr. B. S. Sathyaprakash, Elsbach Professor of Physics, enhances our presence in gravitational wave physics. Dr. Randall Mcentaffer, Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics and Professor of Physics, develops X-ray instrumentation for high throughput, high resolving power astrophysical observations. Dr. Carmen Carmona and Dr. Luiz de Viveiros, both Assistant Professors in Physics, work on the detection of dark matter in the LUX and LZ collaborations. Dr. De Viveiros is also a member of Project8, aimed at a high precision measurement of the neutrino mass. Dr. Cui-zu Chang, Assistant Professor of Physics, pioneered the experimental study of topological insulators and carried out the first observation of the quantum anomalous Hall insulator. Dr. Michael Smitka, Lecturer in Physics, joins our team of faculty in charge of introductory courses.”

– Nitin Samarth, George A. and Margaret M. Downsbrough Department Head