Physics Faculty
Instructor
Email: brightjan@grinnell.edu
Jane Bright is a theoretical astrophysicist. Her research focuses on stellar dynamics around merging supermassive black hole binaries with applications to the Andromeda galaxy (M31) and eccentric disk structures. Her research utilizes N-body computer simulations to model the gravitational...
Associate Professor
Email: bursonkr@grinnell.edu
Kristen Burson is an experimental condensed matter physicist. Her research group focuses on studies of nanoscale electronics and the atomic structure of silica using surface science techniques. Burson earned her bachelor’s degree from Gustavus Adolphus College and her Ph.D. in physics from the...
Professor
Emeritus
Email: cadmus@grinnell.edu
Current research involves the study of the behavior of red giant stars using the telescope at 51²è¹İapp’s observatory. Selected Research Students & Projects: Nicholas Hill '09, "Observations of the Crab Pulsar Light Curve at Optical Wavelengths" Rosie Malsberger '09, "Galactic Spectroscopy: The...
Associate Professor
Email: christenc@grinnell.edu
Prof. Charlotte Christensen is an associate professor of physics at 51²è¹İapp College. Her research is focused on understanding the process of galaxy formation through the use of detailed computer simulations. In 2018, she received the National Science Foundation CAREER Grant, which supports her...
Professor
Email: cunningh@grinnell.edu
Selected Research Students & Projects Greg Dyer ’04, “Magnetic phase diagrams of RCo2Ge2 single crystals.†Xu Wang ’04, “Effect of site dilution on magnetic transitions in (DyxY(1-x))Co2Ge2.†Heather Thiessen â€02, “Magnetic anisotropy in the RCo2Ge2 Series.â€
Professor
Emeritus
Email: duke@grinnell.edu
Current Research Interests The study of high-energy gamma-rays incident on the earth's atmosphere from astrophysical sources through the Veritas Collaboration consumes most of my time. The Veritas Collaboration built and manages the four-telescope array of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes...
Visiting Assistant Professor
Email: groverty@grinnell.edu
Tyler's research investigates Thomas-Whitehead Gravity, a string theory inspired modified theory of gravity that incorporates projective symmetry. Thomas-Whitehead Gravity provides additional sectors to gravitation that may account for dark matter and dark energy.
Assistant Professor
Email: rodriguezs@grinnell.edu
Research interests: Blackhole Thermodynamics, Duality of Gravitational and Condensed Matter Physics, Plasma Astrophysics, Numerical General Relativity.
Assistant Professor
Email: rodriguezl@grinnell.edu
Research Interests Conformal Symmetries and Black Holes Gravity/CFT Correspondence String Theory & Quantum Gravity Generalized Complex Geometries and String Theory Geometry and Topology of Physics
Visiting Assistant Professor
Email: rudnickic@grinnell.edu
Dr. Chris Rudnicki received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California-Riverside in 2023 after graduating from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2017. His physics research aims to understand the optical and thermal properties of materials generally, but specifically plasmonic...
Professor
Emeritus
Email: schneidm@grinnell.edu
Mark has taught nearly every course in the physics major curriculum, and developed complete curricular materials for four of them (General Physics I & II, Mechanics, and Computational Physics). He has published articles on much of this curricular development work. His scholarly interests are wide...
Professor
Email: tjossem@grinnell.edu
Research interests include non-linear laser spectrometry, trace atom and molecule detection, and electromagnetic puzzles. Selected Research Students & Projects V. Cornejo '98 "Thomson's Jumping Ring" K. Ni '09 "Computed Tomography and the Radon Transform" F. Friesen '10 "FPGA" E. C. Brost '10...