Past Semester and Summer Fellowships

Chemical Sciences

  • S21 Claurry-Anne Assad and Ziqin Wong, Chemistry, Mentor: Dr. Ed Brush, Continuing investigation into the application of green chemistry and ionic liquids for the capture and reuse of carbon dioxide during human space flight

Physics, Photonics, and optical Engineering Projects

  • X21 (half time)  Daniel Tocco, Physics Mentor: Dr. Samuel Serna-Otálvaro, Observation of nonlinear phenomena with a 1550nm femtosecond pulsed laser in a fiber optic

    Abstract: Modern telecommunications are getting to a limiting point given by the speed of electronics. Rather than using electrons, photonic chips use light as an information-carrying medium. Using light brings many benefits, like reducing heating (photons are massless), increasing information speed, and spending less power. Of the greatest potential in photonics is the use of nonlinear optical phenomena, though the measurement and characterization of such properties in guided structures are challenging.

    In our experiment, a 1550 nm femtosecond pulsed laser is coupled from free space into a fiber optic cable and its spectral response is characterized by using an optical spectrum analyzer (OSA). Through controlling the intensity of the beam in a specific bandwidth (~1550-1585 nm), nonlinear effects are observed and quantified. Due to the material of the fiber, the temporal regime and the repetition rate of the laser, we can attribute those nonlinear changes to a Kerr effect, in particular, spectral broadening caused by self-phase modulation. Finally, we treat the data obtained with the OSA with a MATLAB code to create a superior graphical representation of nonlinear phenomena in the guided structure and quantify some output pulse characteristics.

    Click on image to read the poster.

  • X21 Alex Whitman, Physics Mentor: Prof. Jamie Kern, Markarian 421: A Colossus Amongst Giants

    Abstract: Quasars are some of the most amazing objects in the cosmos and yet there is still so much we do not know about them. Markarian 421, is the brightest of these unique objects in our night sky. The main goal of this research is to better understand quasars and how they operate. We observed Markarian 421 using the red, green, infrared, and hydrogen-alpha filters from March 12th, 2021, to July 15th, 2021, in the BSU Observatory dome and constructed light curves for further analysis of the active galactic nucleus (AGN). This project is a first of its kind here at BSU and will pave the way for future students to measure objects of this nature. Understanding AGN such as quasars is vital to comprehending the evolution of galaxies.

    Click on image to read the poster.

  • X21 Patrick Rogers, Physics Mentor: Prof. Jamie Kern, Measuring the Distance to Multiple Type Ia Supernova using Different Dust Extinction Methods

    Abstract: Type 1a supernovae are an incredible phenomenon that takes place in some binary star systems. A white dwarf, the remnant of a dead low-mass star, can accrete matter off a companion star. The white dwarf will continue to accumulate matter until it reaches the Chandrasekhar limit. At this point the weight of the accreted matter is so strong that the white dwarf begins nuclear fusion of all the remaining hydrogen atoms at the same time. This phenomenon can outshine its host galaxy.  Because of the uniform nature of these explosions, a relationship between distance and decline in the brightness can be used to calculate the distance to the supernova and give important insight into expansion of the universe, the Hubble constant, and help map the nearby universe. We seek to improve our measurement of the distance by applying an observational correction for interstellar dust extinction.

    Click on image to read the poster.

  • S21 Michael Peterson, Physics Mentor: Dr. Tom Kling, Coding Equations for Weak Gravitational Lensing for Use in Conjunction with Central Rays of Galaxies

    Abstract: Beginning with the Riemann curvature tensor terms for the weak field metric, the geodesic deviation equation was derived and coded in order to understand and simulate how nearby light rays deviate along their path as a result of weak gravitational lensing. This equation, coupled with current equations for strong lensing, will serve to essentially unlense objects, such as galaxies, in order to more accurately measure their properties such as velocity and mass.

    Click on image to read the poster.

  • S21 Patrick Rogers, Physics Mentor: Prof. Jamie Kern, Using Light Curves to Measure the Distance to Type Ia Supernovae ASAS-SN 18bt and AT2021 gtp

Spring 2021 Mini Semester fellowships

Fall 2020 Semester fellowships

A few F20 semester grant recipients were featured in this BSU News piece

Summer 2019 Fellowships

Three students, with support from BSU ATP, MA Space Grant, and an NSF RAPID grant to the U. Hawai'i Institute for Astronomy (AGS1834662) did research in Solar Physics: