News Archive

Boris Shklovskii
General

Shklovskii elected to the National Academy of Sciences

Posted

Professor Boris I. Shklovskii of the School of Physics and Astronomy has been elected as a member of the prestigious National Academy of Sciences (NAS) for his excellence in original scientific research. Membership in the NAS is one of the highest honors given to a scientist or engineer. Shklovskii is one of only 120 researchers nationwide to be elected to the Academy in 2023.

Lindsay Gelsener and the image of a solar flare.
General

Glesener receives College Research Award

Posted

Professor Lindsay Glesener of the School of Physics and Astronomy has received the 2023 George W. Taylor Award for Distinguished Research from the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Established in 1982, the award recognizes younger faculty members who have shown outstanding ability in research.Glesener is the eighth member of the School's faculty to receive the honor.

Image from James Webb Space Telescope showing a galaxy cluster
Research, Research News

Kelly part of group that discovers tiny galaxy with big star power using James Webb telescope

Posted

Using first-of-their-kind observations from the James Webb Space Telescope, a University of Minnesota Twin Cities-led team looked more than 13 billion years into the past to discover a unique, minuscule galaxy that could help astronomers learn more about galaxies that were present shortly after the Big Bang.

Ali Sulaiman and the icy moons of Jupiter
Research, Research News

Could Jupiter’s icy moons support life? Mission to Jupiter set to launch on April 13

Posted

Assistant Professor Ali Sulaiman of the School of Physics and Astronomy is part of the magnetometer instrument team that will study the icy moons of Jupiter. The European Space Agency’s flagship mission, the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), will begin its eight-year voyage to the Solar System’s largest planet on April 13.

Elias Puchner in his laboratory.
Research News

Puchner receives Biosensing grant

Posted

Professor Elias Puchner of the School of Physics and Astronomy received a 2023 grant from the University of Minnesota's International Institute for Biosensing (IIB). Puchner’s research group will receive $193K over three years to perform research on “Enhanced Fluorescence Biosensensing by Non-Linear Signal Amplification.”

Rafael Fernandes
General

Fernandes named Distinguished McKnight University Professor

Posted

Professor Rafael Fernandes of the School of Physics and Astronomy has been named a 2023 Distinguished McKnight University Professor. Fernandes is a condensed matter theorist and Director of Undergraduate Studies at the School. He was cited for his research in quantum materials.

Image of X-ray observation of the sun
Research, Research News

Student-planned NuSTAR observation reveals hidden light shows on the Sun

Posted

Students at the School played a key role in planning a NuSTAR solar observation which could help shed light on one of the Sun’s biggest mysteries. UMN physics grad students Marianne Peterson and Reed Masek, as well as recent physics Ph.D. recipient Jessie Duncan, under the guidance of Associate Professor Lindsay Glesener, of the School of Physics and Astronomy, all worked on a successful proposal to NASA to use the NuSTAR (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array)--typically used to view bodies outside the solar system such as massive black holes and collapsed stars-- to observe the Sun. The group is also actively analyzing the data obtained from the observations.

Patrick Kelly
General

Kelly Receives Borja Award

Posted

Assistant Professor Patrick Kelly of the School of Physics and Astronomy has received the Guillermo E. Borja Award from the College of Science and Engineering.

Nadja Strobbe
Research, Research News

Strobbe gets grant to study machine learning

Posted

Nadja Strobbe, Assistant Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy will receive $232,000.00 as part of a $4.3 million grant awarded by the Department of Energy to improve machine learning in high energy physics.

Robert Pepin holding up a sample of meteorite in his laboratory
Alumni In Memoriam, General

Robert O. Pepin, 1933-2023

Posted

Professor Emeritus Robert Pepin of the School of Physics and Astronomy passed away on January 6 at the age of 89.