{"id":1281,"date":"2023-02-02T00:32:35","date_gmt":"2023-02-02T00:32:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/physics\/?page_id=1281"},"modified":"2026-02-03T00:04:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T00:04:00","slug":"news","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/physics\/news\/","title":{"rendered":"News"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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\"\"Cosmic Conversation.<\/strong> Students in freshman \u201cPhysics Discovery Series\u201d (PHYS 190) enjoyed a visit from Dean James Bullock, a leading cosmologist, who spoke with instructor Kris Pardo<\/a>, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, and the class in a podcast-style format. Bullock stayed after the bell to chat with the first-year physics majors. (Photo: Vaidik Vadhavana\/El Rodeo.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"AntoniosOn behalf of the AHEPA Educational Foundation, PhD student Antonis Margaritakis<\/strong> has been awarded a 2025 Mavroyannis Scholarship in Theoretical Physics. Antonis, a member of the Chung lab, is in his fifth year studying molecular biophysics with an emphasis in molecular underpinning of amino acid sequences. Antonis will receive an award of $5,000 to support his doctoral research for the 2025-2026 academic year.<\/p>\n

Congratulations!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/h1>\n

Kelly Luo<\/a><\/strong> discovers a better way to detect and tune antiferromagnetic resonance, paving the way for ultrafast, low-power electronics.<\/p>\n

Read the USC Dornsife News<\/a><\/strong> story to learn more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"\"What exactly is VSTOL?\u00a0 Dr. Ken Phillips (USC Adjunct Professor of the Practice of Physics and Astronomy)\u00a0 is taking you behind-the-scenes for a VSTOL 101 on the Harrier. Dive into the fascinating world of Vertical\/Short Takeoff and Landing technology and discover how it has revolutionized aviation. Plus, catch a sneak peek of how the Harrier will be showcased in the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, our first aircraft installation in the Korean Air Aviation Gallery.<\/p>\n

Watch all about it here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"\"Astrophysicist James Bullock has been named dean of the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, effective July 1, 2025. Bullock will be the 23rd dean to lead USC Dornsife since its founding in 1880. He succeeds Amber Miller (Cosmology), and takes the reins from interim Dean Moh El-Naggar. (Physics and Astronomy).<\/p>\n

Meet James Bullock here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"MartinFACULTY UPDATE: Martin Gundersen\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Until retirement in 2022,\u00a0 Martin Gundersen was Lloyd Hunt Professor of Electrical Power Engineering and Professor of Electrical Engineering (EE), and held secondary appointments in Physics and Astronomy, and Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, at the University of Southern California, which he joined in 1980.<\/p>\n

He completed his PhD in Physics under Walter Faust at USC in 1972, served as Post-Doc under John Marburger at USC, and joined Texas Tech University in 1973 to 1980.\u00a0\u00a0He was Chair EE\u2013Electrophysics, 1998 \u2013 2003, has published >300 papers in laser, solid state, pulsed power, combustion and other areas and has over 10 patents. He graduated 31 PhD students and mentored many undergraduates, among the first was Arati Prabhakar, an undergraduate from Lubbock TX who is the current Science Advisor to President Biden.<\/p>\n

Research included laser science and technologies, solid state device physics, nanosecond pulsed power concepts and generators, engine ignition and combustion technologies for emissions reduction and improved efficiencies in a range of engines, advancing public science and engineering interest through popular media.\u00a0\u00a0He was PI on \u2248100 grants and contracts.\u00a0\u00a0He is Life Fellow of the IEEE, Fellow of the Optical Society of America, received the Germeshausen Award of the IEEE Power Modulator Conference, Sol Schneider award of the 2010 IEEE Power Modulator and High Voltage Conference, the 2015 USC Associates Award for \u201cCreativity in Research and Innovation\u201d, 2018 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Plasmadynamics and Lasers Award, and the Dunbar Award of the 2021 IEEE Power Modulator Conference.<\/p>\n

Technical meetings chaired and organized include the 1980 OSA Topical Meeting on IR Lasers, 1989 NATO Advanced Research Workshop, the Power Modulator Symposium 1990 and 1998, and Workshops at the American Film Institute for the purpose of improving science portrayals in film.<\/p>\n

He currently serves as an advisor for a Community College with the purpose of improving transfer rates for students into upper division and advanced education programs in engineering and science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"Kelly<\/p>\n

Kelly Luo<\/a> <\/strong>is one of the recently named U.S. Department of Energy Early Career Research Program<\/a> Awardees. This award, at the total amount of $875,000, allows Prof Luo’s Ultrafast Quantum Opto-Spintronics Group<\/a><\/u>\u00a0and their collaborators to conduct basic energy science research in Ultrafast Spin Torque Dynamics in van der Waals Magnetic Heterostructures within her <\/em>Ultrafast over the next five years.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the selection of 91 early career scientists from across the country who will receive a combined $138 million in funding for research covering a wide range of topics including artificial intelligence, fusion energy, and quantum. These awards are critical to DOE’s efforts to develop the next generation of STEM leaders to solidify America\u2019s role as the driver of science and innovation around the world.<\/p>\n

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\"\"In\u00a0this month’s edition of USC Dornsife in the News, Vahe Peroomian<\/a> <\/strong>is highlighted for his op-ed in The Conversation<\/a> <\/strong>explaining the upcoming nova event and how to observe it. “The stars aren\u2019t fixed and unchanging, unlike <\/em>what many ancient people thought. Once in a while, a star\u00a0<\/em>appears where there wasn\u2019t one\u00a0<\/em>before, and then it fades away in a <\/em>matter of days or weeks”. <\/em>\u00a0Yahoo News Australia<\/a> and Foreign Affa<\/a>irs<\/a> republished the article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"\"Congratulations to senior student, Miguel Mercado,<\/strong> who received the Astronaut Scholarship award from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation<\/a><\/strong>. Miguel will graduate in May 2025 with two degrees, Physics and Computer Science, and Mathematics.<\/p>\n

Read\u00a0 more about Miguel’s accomplishments on the USC Dornsife Website.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"Coffee<\/p>\n

LEAPS AND BOUNDS – QUANTUM COMPUTING\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

View the latest episode of Coffee with Ish!<\/a> \u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Stephan Haas <\/strong><\/a>and Daniel Lidar<\/a><\/strong> sit down with Ishwar Puri<\/a><\/strong>, Senior Vice President from the\u00a0USC Office of Research and Innovation<\/a><\/strong>, to discuss the frontier of\u00a0 Quantum Computing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"\"Congratulations to Peter Chung<\/strong> <\/a>for being awarded the Robert D. Beyer (’81) Early Career Chair in Natural Sciences. The Chair’s Installation Ceremony was held on March 14, 2024 where Peter was presented with his “official chair” by Bob Beyer (photo) and Dornsife Dean, Amber Miller.<\/p>\n

Peter is the second faculty from Physics and Astronomy to be bestowed with this prestigious honor. The inagural first holder of the endowment was Moh El-Naggar<\/a> in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"\"Congratulations to Moh El-Naggar<\/a><\/strong> for his recent election to the Fellowship in the American Academy of Microbiology<\/a>. The Academy is the honorific leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology, and recognizes excellence, originality, service, and leadership in the microbial sciences.<\/p>\n

Read more from the USC Dornsife Office of Research Advancement<\/a> Newsletter from February 19, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"Kenneth Our very own Kenneth Phillips,<\/strong> <\/a>Adjunct Professor of the Practice of Physics and Astronomy, has spearheaded an enormous effort at the California Science Center<\/a><\/strong>. On January 29, 2024, the retired shuttle, Endeavor, made its very last \u201cflight\u201d over Exposition Park in order to be lowered into place in a launch-ready vertical display.
\nKen Phillips adds, \u201cIt\u2019s fantastic to see the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center progress to the point that Endeavour can be placed in its launch configuration which is something that our team has envisioned for the past 34 years. We have an awesome crew led by some of the same NASA engineers and technicians that were responsible for the 135 launches of the space shuttle fleet so, weather permitting, we will very slowly lift Endeavour into launch position this evening between the hours of 10p and 4a. If the team is satisfied with the \u201csoft mating\u201d that we hope will take place later this evening, we will then torque all connections to flight specifications and remove the crane and the shuttle vertical lifting sling in the next 24 hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Congrats, Ken & Team!<\/p>\n

NBC-LA with Ken Phillips<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"\"Kelly Luo<\/strong><\/a> was\u00a0recently elected to the APS Forum on Early Career Scientists (FECS) as a Member-at-Large.<\/p>\n

Congratulations, Kelly, on this new role and for receiving the highest\u00a0 vote count among the other nominees! Kelly’s 2-year term begins in January 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"WernerWe were pleasantly pleased with a surprise<\/strong><\/em> visit by Werner D\u00e4ppen, Professor Emeritus<\/strong>, in late April 2023. Dr. D\u00e4ppen’s visit was a breath of fresh air to all faculty and staff who have had the great pleasure and honor to work with him during his 25 years in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at USC. After he shocked the department admins with his unexpected\u00a0 arrival, Dr. D\u00e4ppen was thrilled to tour the new Cosmology suites on ACB’s 5th floor, chat with previous colleagues in SSC, and attend the monthly Happy Hour where he engaged with and met newer faculty and current graduate students. He has lived in his birth country of Switzerland since his retirement with his lovely and amazing wife, Veronika.<\/p>\n

Werner D\u00e4ppen (right) is pictured here with Krzysztof Pilch in SSC.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":195,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-content-detail.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1281","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNews - Department of Physics and Astronomy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/physics\/news\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"News - Department of Physics and Astronomy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/physics\/news\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Department of Physics and Astronomy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-03T00:04:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/physics\/news\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/physics\/news\/\",\"name\":\"News - 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