Research Nuggets for:

• Detection of Structure and Electrical Level of Point Defects in Semi-Insulating SiC

Research Nuggets for:

• NSF REU-site Program;
• Nanostructured Functionally Graded Biomaterials; and
• Heavy Rare Earth Metals Subjected to Ultra High Pressures

Physics Synthesized Biomaterials Tested in NASA Microgravity Flight

Fluid flow in porous biomaterials scaffolds produced by Dr. Shane Catledge and Dr. Yogesh Vohra of the Center for Nanoscale Materials and Biointegration (CNMB) were tested under microgravity conditions in a NASA C 9 flight. UAB graduate student Will Clem and educator Ashley Hall from McWane Science Center participated in this C-9 flight. In addition, four high school students from the Birmingham area served as part of a ground crew in support of this microgravity experiment. Presently the McWane Science Center is completing the final segments of a post-flight video of these experiments for distribution to Birmingham City Schools by October 2006.

Summer Workshop for High School

Tom Nordlund directed a Summer 2006 Workshop for High School students during the month of July. A group of 14 high school and Research Experiences for Undergraduate students took part in an "Alabama Adventure" theme park roller-coaster "g-force" study. Students used digital video, rider-mounted accelerometers, computer analysis of data and computer enhancement of the "Zoomerang" design during the first three days of the workshop. High school students then spent four days in research labs shadowing researchers and performing short experiments. All four local TV stations carried stories on their evening news programs. The Birmingham News also ran an extended Local News story on July 2 (author, Patrick Hickerson). The final event of this workshop will be a "Quantum Computing" lecture by Paul Kwiat at UAB on Nov 12, to which UAB and the public will be invited. This workshop was supported by the Alabama Power Foundation, the Department of Physics, and NSM.

Researchers devise theoretically a molecular size refrigerator

Dr. Kawai and his collaborator Dr. C. Van den Broeck (University of Hasselt, Belgium) recently theoretically devised a molecular size refrigerator called Brownian refrigerator [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 (2006), 210601]. This nanofridge magically exploits the thermal motion of molecules to reduce the thermal motion itself. Because of the unique idea and possible future applications in nanotechnology, their work drew a large attention from science and technology communities. For example, News@nature.com says “Mini fridge exploits Brownian motion. Nano paddle could, in principle, cool a pool of molecules.” and Physicsweb.org says “Theorists devise world's smallest fridge.” For more information, go to Dr. Kawai's homepage.

Tenth Anniversary of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)-Site Program in the Department of Physics

The National Science Foundation (NSF) supported Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)-site at UAB was established in 1997 and was entitled “Regional Initiative to Promote Undergraduate Participation in Experimental and Computational Materials Research” (PI Yogesh Vohra and Co-PI David Shealy). Samford University in Birmingham has consistently served as a partner in our recruitment efforts for this REU-site. This program was the first REU-site that was established on the UAB campus. This REU-site program was later expanded in 2002 with additional funding from the NASA-Alabama Space Grant Consortium. Dr. Joseph Harrison and Dr. Renato Camata in the Physics Department are currently serving as Co-PI’s on this program.

In summer 2006, this program has reached a milestone as it has completed ten years of continuous support and welcomed fourteen qualified undergraduates to UAB campus. The REU class of 2006 include students from Rice University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Idaho, Oakwood College, Alabama A & M University, Bob Jones University, Austin Peay State University, University of West Georgia, University of Montevallo, and UAB. The undergraduate participants are majoring in different fields like physics, mathematics, materials science and engineering and biomedical engineering. In recent years we have designed new multidisciplinary undergraduate research projects in nanoscience and nanotechnology with participation of faculty from physics, materials science and engineering, biomedical engineering and physiology and biophysics.

We offer research projects in high pressure materials research, thin film growth and characterization, microelectronic materials, nano-materials, laser materials, polymeric biomaterials, planetary materials, modeling of gas phase chemistry, electronic structure calculations and computer simulation of materials. The REU students work for ten weeks as part of a team involving UAB faculty, postdoctoral associates and graduate students.  Our REU students have presented or published in peer-reviewed journals like the Journal of Materials Research, Applied Physics Letters, and Physical Review Letters and in the proceedings of National Conference on Undergraduate Research.

Our REU participants also attend workshops and seminars organized by the Graduate School.  These workshops and seminars cover a wide range of topics from Scientific Communications, Ethics Workshops, Critical Thinking and tips for successful application to the graduate programs.

Program Coordinator for the REU-site Program: Charita Cadenhead

Telephone: (205) 975-8076

E-mail: charita@uab.edu

Web Page and On-Line Application: http://www.phy.uab.edu/research/reu.htm

Physics graduate student Lauren Rast has been chosen by Dean Noe of UAB Graduate School to receive the 2006 Samuel B. Barker Award for Excellence in Graduate Studies at the Masters level.