Society of Physics Students

hbar@phys.columbia.edu

Columbia University in the City of New York

Get to know some of the members of the SPS better. Most of us are pretty active in various areas of research, and even have lives outside of Physics!

Active SPS Members:

Oladapo Atitebi - CC '10 majoring in Physics and Mathematics

Hobbies: Guitar, keyboard, singing, dancing and math. Research interest: Particle Physics-neutrino and darkmatter; Astrophysics-gamma rays, etc and basically any type of physics or mathematics

Camille Avestruz - BC '09 majoring in Physics, Mathematics, and Dance
SPS 07-08 Vice President: development and upkeep for SPS office
I am a junior majoring in physics and dance. In my first two years, I worked with Prof. Szabolcs Marka exploring projects related to LIGO. Since Fall 2007, I have been working on two projects. With Prof. Tim Halpin-Healy, I am investigating the statistical mechanics of kinetically roughened surfaces in non-integer dimensions. With Prof. Reshmi Mukherjee and the Neutrino group at Columbia, I have been involved in the setup of hardware testing for the Double Chooz experiment. In my spare time I enjoy music and dance concerts, museums, playing the piano, debate, and spending time in the park.

Susie Bedikian - BC '07 majoring in Physics and Mathematics

I am a Barnard college class of 2007 student, pursuing a double major in physics and mathematics. The past summer(summer2005) I worked in professor Hailey's group on scattering theory and high energy experimental astrophysics. I plan to attain a doctorate in physics after graduation.

Maria Class - GS '08 majoring in Physics

Thomas Dumitrescu - CC '08 majoring in Physics & Math (president)

I am interested in all aspects of theoretical physics with a particular emphasis on particle physics and quantum field theory, as well as related fields of mathematics. I work with the lattice gauge theory group here at Columbia under the supervision of Prof. Norman Christ, studying the physics of hadrons - strongly interacting particles made up of quarks and gluons - using custom-built supercomputers. Since recently, I have been working with Prof. Michael Peskin at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center on top-quark production and decay at hadron colliders, such as the LHC at CERN.

Laura Gladstone - CC '07 majoring in Physics, concentrating in Math

I work with the Columbia neutrino group on MiniBooNE, a short-baseline accelerator-based neutrino experiment at Fermilab. I worked in 2004 on testing the angular dependence of the response of the phototubes, and now I'm working on describing the background from delta radiative decays. My hobbies include singing (with the Columbia Bach Society! yay!), violin, ballroom and folk dance, cooking, and old movies.

Rubab Khan - CC '08 majoring in Astrophysics

I am made in Bangladesh. My research interest centers on gravitational-wave detection, and I work with the Columbia Experimental Gravity (GECo) research group currently doing data analysis for the ongoing science run (S5) of Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) looking for Quasi Periodic Oscillations (QPOs) in GW signals originating from Soft Gamma Repeaters (SGRs) and/or Magnetars. I also work on LIGO instrumentation, timing diagnostics, and burst signal search.

Mikhail Klassen - SEAS '09 majoring in Applied Physics

I'm a Canadian student studying applied physics and applied mathematics. I am currently working with GECo research group associated with the LIGO project. Within applied physics, I hope to specialize in the area of plasma physics with a career interest in controlled fusion energy. My other interests include astronomy, photography, philosophy, theology, reading and web design. I'm also involved in the group Engineers Without Borders at Columbia University.

Christine Lewis - CC '07 Physics

I work with the neutrino groups at Columbia and Brookhaven National Lab. I have analyzed a proposed long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment with respect to its ability to measure the unknown mixing parameters. Interests outside of physics include juggling, playing with Linux, listening to music, and occasionally sleeping.

Vedant Misra - CC '07 Physics (webmaster)

Woven threads of physics comprise the fabric of my being. I live, breathe, and eat physics. I have no time for lesser pursuits because I do nothing but physics, all the time. I sleep on stacks of physics textbooks. Daily, I bathe in a pool filled with fresh, lightly chlorinated physics before I supplicate God's blessing for my devotion to a pure life of physics. After meals, which consist usually of breads and soups made of the finest physics, I sip from a post-prandial cup of hot, brandied physics while seated upon my physics throne in my library of physics textbooks.

Robert Morehead - GS '09 Astrophysics

I want to be an astronomer when I grow up. Currently, I am very interested in extrasolar planet detection and planetary system formation. I am also looking for research opportunities here at Columbia. I avoid doing homework by indulging my interests in film, learning to kayak, and whatever other momentary hobbies or social events strike my fancy.

Dominick Scaletta - GS '10 Majoring in mathematics, concentrating in physics
SPS 07-08 Co-Treasurer

Outside of numbers, I enjoy mountain biking, reading, socializing and philosophy. Beyond Columbia I plan to attain a Ph.D. in either mathematical physics, or theoretical physics.

Genevieve Shattow - CC'07 Astrophysics

I have focused on physics outside of the university setting, specifically encouraging science education and involvement among middle and high school students in the US and South Africa. I spent my junior year at Oxford University, and have also done research on the Slone Digital Sky Survey at University of Michigan. My hobbies, other than physics, are theater, reading, and travel.

Michael Shulman - SEAS'08 majoring in Applied Physics

I intend to major in Applied Physics. My hobbies are cars, music, and sports.

Emily Renie Stroebel - SEAS'08 majoring in Applied Physics, minoring in Dance

Although I have no previous research experience, I look forward to getting involved with one of the many projects in the Applied Physics department. My hobbies include dancing, sailing, surfing, and eating jello.

Missing from this page? email hbar@phys.columbia.edu.