• Theoretical Condensed-Matter Physics
• Theoretical Elementary Particle Physics
• Astrophysics and General Relativity
• Experimental Elementary Particle Physics
• Accelerator Physics
• Experimental Condensed-Matter Physics
• Biological Physics
• Multidisciplinary Research
• Major Research Facilities
• Resources for Researchers

S.B., 1972, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Ph.D. 1977, Princeton University. Research Associate, Princeton University, 1977. Assistant Professor, Physics, Princeton University, 1978-85. Associate Professor, Physics, Princeton University, 1985-91. Professor, Physics, Princeton University, 1991-97. Professor, Physics, Cornell University, 1997-present. Director, Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, 1997-present. Visiting appointments at Exxon Research, Research & Engineering; Institute for Theoretical Physics, U.C. Santa Barbara; Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Dept. of Pathology. Fellow, American Physical Society.

Research Areas
Biological physics; polymer and other soft condensed matter physics; x-ray and synchrotron radiation science; scientific instrumentation and technique development; development of novel x-ray detectors

Current Research

I direct two related, but independent research efforts:

The Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) - one of the most powerful and productive synchrotron x-ray facilities in the world. Work at CHESS involves the development of new x-ray synchrotron sources (which is a combination of x-ray and accelerator physics, in collaboration with accelerator physics colleagues in the department) and new ways of using synchrotron radiation.

A biophysics and soft-condensed matter laboratory aimed at understanding the structure and properties of proteins, lyotropic liquid crystals, block co-polymers and mesoporous composites. Examples of experiments underway in Clark Hall include the effects of pressure on protein assemblies, mesomorphism in polymers, the synthesis and properties of nanocomposites, the interaction between membrane proteins and lipid bilayers, the phase behavior of lipid and surfactant liquid crystals, and the development of fast x-ray detectors to probe dynamic matter. The work is diverse and is characterized by collaborations with biologically- and chemically-oriented scientists, the development of new instrumentation and techniques, and the use of synchrotron radiation. We are always looking for a few graduate students who really enjoy doing experimental science.

Research Associates
Mark Tate, Hugh Philipp, Marianne Hromalik, Suntao Wang and Chae Un Kim

Graduate Students
Lucas Koerner, Yi-Fan Chen and Kate Green. Co-advised with others: Hiroaki Sai and Robin Baur.

Spotlight

Jalina Keeling is an undergraduate student with the Itai Cohen Group on Complex Matter Physics (who is at Cornell as part of the NSF's Research Experiences for Undergraduates program). She is conducting experiments similar to the epitaxial growth of crystals, but using polymer beads. She uses a confocal microscope to scan a sample of these beads from bottom to top. Her research seeks to answer the questions "What structures form? How do we tune the concentration of polymers to change ...
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