We at UC Merced physics are happy to welcome four new faculty members to our growing physics family! Dr. Sarah Loebman, Dr. Anna Nierenberg, Dr. Hui Cai and Dr. Brian Utter will all start in the fall of 2020. Between them, they will bring new research directions and teaching interests to the department. These will help to meet the growing needs of UC Merced which just successfully completed its 2020 expansion plan.
Dr. Loebman and Dr. Nierenberg will establish a new and exciting research program in Astrophysics at UC Merced. Dr. Cai brings expertise in the experimental study of novel 2D quantum materials and is an exciting new addition to the department's existing strength in condensed matter physics. Prof. Brian Utter will join us as teaching professor, and brings to us a wealth of experience in research on granular materials and mentoring undergraduate research as well as teacher training acquired at his previous institution.
Below are short summaries of their research interests and plans.
A postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis till fall 2020 (where she held the Hubble postdoctoral fellowships), Dr. Sarah Loebman obtained her Ph.D. in Astronomy at the University of Washington, and she was previously a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Michigan. Her research in computational astrophysics centers on galaxy evolution, dark matter, and chemo-dynamics in the Local Universe, making use of high resolution galaxy simulations, survey data, and Big Data tools and techniques. She also brings substantial experience in teaching and in efforts to support diversity, equity and inclusion in astrophysics.
Previously a Chancellor's fellow at UC Irvine and a NASA postdoc at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Dr. Anna Nierenberg is helping unlock the secrets of the structure of the universe by studying the nature of dark matter with strong gravitational lensing. While we cannot see dark matter directly, its gravitational effect can be detected through its effect on the light from distant galaxies. Dr. Nierenberg is leading two Hubble observing programs for imaging of gravitational lenses in order to detect small clumps of dark matter. She then compares these measurements to theoretical predictions in order to constrain the nature of dark matter. Dr. Nierenberg is looking forward to teaching fundamental physics courses as well as a new extra galactic astrophysics course at UC Merced.
Previously a postdoc at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Dr. Hui Cai explores the frontiers of quantum matter and 2D materials. These materials are the building blocks for future applications in quantum information science and high performance electronic devices. He aims to discover new metastable quantum materials using cutting edge synthesis methods such as chemical vapor deposition and chemical vapor transport under non-equilibrium conditions. He then engineers these materials to have desirable properties by a host of innovative techniques including introducing heterogeneities such as strain, dopants, alloying, interfacing at heterostructures, and more. Dr. Cai also has wide teaching interests ranging from fundamental physics courses to condensed matter physics and materials physics.
Previously a professor of physics at Bucknell University, Dr. Brian Utter's research interests are in the fields of soft condensed matter, nonlinear dynamics, complex systems, and physics education research. Much of his work is carried out with undergraduate students and involves constructing and running table-top experiments on granular rheology and multiphase flow and using image processing routines to extract quantitative measures. In these systems, the interaction of a large number of relatively simple building blocks leads to complex, emergent behavior. Prof. Utter will enrich the teaching and mentoring of undergraduate students at UC Merced.
