News
July 20, 2008
Cat and Bridges
Rachel, Mary and I volunteered at the Carnivor Preserve Trust along with about 15 other Duke graduate students. Our work involved building two bridges over a small creek (meaning we had to carr a few enormous logs almost a quarter of a mile through the woods on our shoulders). Afterwards, we were treated to a twilight tour of the animals that they keep. We saw servals, tigers, caracals, binturongs, kinkajous, ocelots, and even a white tiger! Check out a video of Rajaji as well as pirctures on my Peronsal page.
July 15, 2008
Anniversary
Rachel and I have now been married for two whole years (hard to believe it has been that long already). Here's to another great year!
July 4, 2008
Texas in Pittsburgh
This year we did "Texas in Pittsburgh" where my parents, brother, and his girlfriend met up with Rachel and I in Pittsburgh to hang out, see some fireworks, celebrate some birthdays, and witness a baptism. We had a great time, and we can't wait to see everyone again!
June 28, 2008
Rechols Visits
Roz came down to visit us this weekend. We got some Rachel birthday dinner, a goodbye Kristine/Marc party, and a hike in the woods in (pics on my personal page).
June 28, 2008
Rechols Visits
Roz came down to visit us this weekend. We got some Rachel birthday dinner, a goodbye Kristine/Marc party, and a hike in the woods in (pics on my personal page).
May 31, 2008
DAMOP 2008
I just got back from the American Physical Society's Division of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics (DAMOP) annual meeting. This year it was held at Penn State University in State College, Pa. The conference itself went really great - I gave my first 10 minute APS-style talk and also presented a poster during one of the poster sessions. I posted some pictures on my Personal page, and you can find out more about the conference at DAMOP 2008 .
May 12, 2008
Hawaii Trip
Rach and I just got back from our Hawaii business/leisure trip. We first went to Honolulu for a PAS conference that Rachel was presenting a poster at (we got to hike Diamondhead, snorkle in Hanauma bay, walk along Waikiki). Then we flew over to the Big Island (the island of Hawaii) and spent a few days hiking around Volcano national park, going to a luau, snorkeling in beautiful waters and getting some R and R. Pictures are up on my Personal page.
March 7, 2008
I PASSED MY PRELIMINARY EXAM!!!
The way that the Duke Ph.D. program works is that you first take your comprehensive exams (comprising 4 written 3-hour exams in Stat Mech, E&M, Quantum Mech, and Classical Mech) in your first year. Then, by the end of your third year, you have to pass the Prelim, which is a 2-3 hour oral exam which has a presentation component and a Q&A session. The presentation isn't bad - it's typically about stuff you will be doing or have done toward your dissertation, but the question session is tough...you are basically stuck in a room with 5 profs (your thesis committee) that can ask you questions about anything having to do with physics, and you have to answer them on your feet. Anyway, I passed and now I officially have an M.A. in physics - and yes, you may now call me "master."
December 27, 2007
Annual GG Ski Trip
Rach, Norm, Melissa, Olav and I went on our now-annual and ever-increasing ski trip to Seven Springs, PA.
December 21, 2007
Ok, so no updates in a while...it's been a busy *ahem* year. I have been working full-time in the lab (see 'Projects' section ). Right now I am investigating the enhancement of nonlinear optical effects through studying atom-photon interactions in a sample of cold atoms. Possible applications include single-photon all-optical switching for use in all-optical or quantum computers and in quantum information networks in general. I recently had my first first-author publication in Optics Express entitled "Absorption-induced trapping in an anisotropic magneto-optical trap" .
February 1, 2007
Pictures!
Now, instead of just having information about me and my various research endeavors, I have added pictures under my 'Personal' link at the top right. Also, additional pictures can be found by going to Rachel's Page or by clicking on the link on the right menu of this page.
January 8, 2007
Welcome!
Well, now I am doing full-time research and am temporarily free of those weekly problem set deadlines of yesteryear. I don't necessarily have more free time or anything, but I do have more flexibility with my schedule and, thus, I finally have a chance to set up a website. I will retroactively post some belated milestones in an attempt to give an overview of the site and plan to more often update this page with upcoming news and events. Cheers!