Jordan A. Goodman Professor and Chair Department of Physics

From the Physics Chair

By Jordan A. Goodman
Professor and Chair

Dear Readers,
Welcome back to another exciting year of physics here at the University of Maryland . As the semester begins, I am happy to introduce several new additions to our Physics family. The Department worked hard last year to strengthen our research and academic programs by growing our faculty roster, despite the detrimental state-imposed budget cuts. Thanks to the diligence of the Physics APT committee, several hard-working search committees and a supportive Dean (Dr. Stephen Halperin), we were able to recruit four outstanding physicists that I know will be great assets to the Department. I hope you will all join me in extending to them a very warm welcome.

Dr. Andrey Chubukov, full professor, comes to us from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where, over the last decade, he has distinguished himself as a world-leader in theoretical condensed matter physics. His extensive research, most recently in the area of high-temperature superconductivity, promises to fortify our already strong program in Condensed Matter Theory.

Dr. Kara Hoffman, assistant professor, is a very talented young scientist and the newest addition to our particle astrophysics research group. A Purdue University alumna who comes to us from a postdoc position at the University of Chicago , Dr. Hoffman will be lending her exceptional talents to the Ice Cube experiment, a large international collaboration experiment that studies neutrinos beneath the ice of the South Pole.

Dr. Min Ouyang, assistant professor, joins us as an assistant professor working with our growing nanotechnology team. After earning his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2001, he moved to the University of California Santa Barbara, where he conducted high quality research in several areas of nanotechnology, especially in the area of coherent spin transfer between molecularly bridged quantum dots. I very look forward to many significant contributions from Dr. Ouyang to both the departmental and campus-wide nanotechnology initiatives.

Dr. Eun-Suk Seo, associate professor, has been on campus for several years in the Institute for Physical Sciences and Technology (IPST), where she has developed a substantive research program that uses satellite and balloon-borne instruments to study high energy cosmic rays. Many of her instruments have been constructed right here at the University of Maryland . Recent instruments have been flown in Antarctica where long duration balloon flights allow for improved measurements of high energy particles from space. We are very pleased to have her continuing this great work as a part of our Department.

In addition to their impressive credentials as researchers, I feel confident that these four individuals will make significant contributions to both teaching and mentoring.

We also have several new staff members that I am very pleased to welcome to our Department. Andrea Commock-Pope joins us in the personnel office and Marie Woodworth joins the billing office and copy center. The mechanical development group is strengthened by the talents of Bruce Rowley and John Stapko. Stephanie Noel is providing administrative support for Drs. Toll and Langenberg and Helina Tuminaro has joined the particle astrophysics group. We are very glad to have each of these new people as part of the staff that is an integral part of our Department's success.

I also want to heartily welcome our approximately 50 freshmen undergraduates and 40 first-year graduate students. This first week may have felt a little daunting, but find solace in the fact that it will get easier - possibly because you have a Department of more than 600 people in your corner. If you have questions or concerns, as many of you do in the first few weeks, don't be afraid to talk to your professors, your classmates and the unfailing Student Services office. And, of course, you can always talk to me. I'm more than happy to provide whatever help or advice that I can.

Sincerely,

Jordan A. Goodman
Professor and Chair