Physics Newsblog

Author: Nathanael Black

Fathima Farheen Elected Secretary of APS FGSA Executive Committee

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Fathima Farheen
APS FGSA secretary, Fathima Farheen Nambipunnilath Siddique,

Fathima Farheen Nambipunnilath Siddique has been elected as secretary of the American Physical Society’s Forum on Graduate Student Affairs (APS FGSA) Executive Committee.

Fathima, a Ph.D. candidate in Atmospheric Sciences, was nominated by the FGSA Nominating Committee and subsequently elected by its members to serve in this important position. FGSA works to increase graduate student involvement in the APS, provides valuable support services, advocates for graduate student needs, and encourages active participation in professional activities and decision-making within the physics community.

Originally from India, Fathima earned her bachelor’s degree in physics from Christ College and her master’s degree in physics from the National Institute of Technology, Calicut, India. She joined Michigan Tech in spring 2022 as a Ph.D. student under the guidance of Kartik Iyer. Her research explores the complex world of turbulent flows, with a focus on uncovering their topological and geometrical aspects, which could help advance our understanding of their underlying dynamics.

Fathima has been actively involved in leadership roles throughout her time at Michigan Tech. In addition to this exciting new position, she currently serves as president of Michigan Tech’s Women in Physics (WiP) student organization and previously held the role of secretary. She has led impactful initiatives to build community, strengthen student involvement and create a supportive scientific environment through WiP. WiP is open to all undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of major. They work to support the campus community through a variety of workshops, mentorship opportunities, outreach efforts and community-building activities that help students thrive academically and professionally.

Fathima’s election to this national leadership position is a proud moment for the physics department and highlights her dedication, energy and commitment to advocating for graduate students in physics. Congratulations, Fathima!

About the Physics Department

Physicists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues. Our physicists take on the big questions to discover how the universe works—from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies. The Physics Department offers three undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your physics skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at physics@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for the latest happenings. Or read more at the Physics Newsblog.

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Hasnaa Hossam Abo Shosha Receives WiP Graduate Scholarship

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Hasnaa Hossam Abo Shosha
PhD Candidate Hasnaa Hossam Abo Shosha

We are excited to share that Hasnaa Hossam Abo Shosha, a Ph.D. student in Atmospheric Sciences, has been awarded the 2025 Women in Physics (WiP) Graduate Scholarship, funded by the Elizabeth and Richard Henes Center for Quantum Phenomena.

This recognition highlights Hasnaa’s exceptional academic achievements, dedication to research, and commitment to fostering a supportive scientific community.

Beginning last academic year, WiP launched two scholarship categories — one for graduate students and one for undergraduates in the physics department. The $2,000 award is designed to financially support students while recognizing their efforts to promote well-being and success in the academic community. This initiative underscores WiP’s dedication to building a campus culture that values opportunity, community and leadership.

Hasnaa joined Michigan Tech in August 2024 as a Ph.D. student in Atmospheric Sciences under the mentorship of Professor Claudio Mazzoleni. She is originally from Giza, Cairo, Egypt, and holds a bachelor’s degree in space science from Helwan University. She also completed graduate-level coursework in astrophysics. Prior to coming to Michigan Tech, Hasnaa worked as a physics teaching assistant at the American University in Cairo, Canadian International College, Helwan University. Her earlier research in Egypt focused on the morphology of ionospheric irregularities, particularly plasma bubbles that can affect satellite communications.

Hasnaa’s application for the WiP Scholarship was selected through a rigorous two-round review process. A team of four independent reviewers evaluated all submissions anonymously using a detailed rubric. Applicants were required to submit an essay addressing their scientific aspirations, challenges within their academic communities, strategies for promoting collaboration, and the specific skills they hoped to gain through the scholarship. When the final review resulted in a tie, the reviewers were asked to vote, and Hasnaa received the most votes.

“The applicant presents a clear and well-organized vision that ties their academic goals to outreach, mentorship, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Their statement is thoughtful and demonstrates how the scholarship would directly support their growth and contributions to the Michigan Tech community,” one reviewer commented.

This scholarship marks a significant milestone in Hasnaa’s academic journey and reflects WiP’s broader mission to empower students and cultivate a more collaborative scientific environment at Michigan Tech.

Women in Physics is a registered student organization at Michigan Tech dedicated to fostering a supportive environment for all individuals. Membership is open to all undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of major or background. Through workshops, mentorship, outreach and community-building events, WiP supports students across campus in their academic and professional journeys. WiP has organized numerous events, and one of its most notable accomplishments was successfully hosting the APS Conference for Undergraduate Women and Gender Minorities in Physics (CUWiP) in January 2025.

WiP’s current executive includes Fathima Farheen Nambipunnilath Siddique, president; Hasnaa Abo Shosha, vice president; Emma Boston, secretary; Grace Nelson, treasurer; Alyssa Horne, scholarship secretary; Krishna Teja Vedula, colloquium secretary; and Nayana Suresh Palaparambil, social media coordinator.

About the Physics Department

Physicists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues. Our physicists take on the big questions to discover how the universe works—from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies. The Physics Department offers three undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your physics skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at physics@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for the latest happenings. Or read more at the Physics Newsblog.

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Physics Seniors’ Swiss Journey

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Students pose at entry to CERN
L-R: Josh Rolfe, Estyn LaMotte, Rita Wilson, Grant Schlaff, Daniel Barr, Josiah Jahncke, Rose Harvey, Lucas Hetrick, Nico Cifani, Cooper Chiarino

Ten senior undergraduates spent the beginning of May in Switzerland exploring scientific and cultural sites. Notably, the trip focused on a tour of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). CERN houses the largest high energy particle collider in the world, and performs cutting edge particle physics research. In fact, some of the students were so taken by the tour they returned to take it twice!

Students at a playground with mountain peaks in background
A classic static friction problem in the Alps.

Their trip continued in Interlaken, where they engaged in outdoor activities in the Swiss Alps. They visited Albert
Einstein’s former residence in Bern, and had a day excursion to Lyon, France.

With the help of the Henes Center for Quantum Phenomena, we’re proud to provide our students the opportunity to find their place in the global community of physics.

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2025 Distinguished Professor: Claudio Mazzoleni

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Distinguished Professor Claudio Mazzoleni

Congratulations to Claudio Mazzoleni on his selection as a 2025 Distinguished Professor. The Distinguished Professor title recognizes outstanding faculty members who have made substantial contributions to the University as well as their discipline.

Mazzoleni is a professor of physics and director of the Atmospheric Sciences Ph.D. program at Michigan Tech. He has demonstrated exceptional leadership in atmospheric aerosol research, coupled with outstanding teaching and mentorship of students. He is recognized for his research on aerosol properties and their influence on air quality and climate, notably the optical properties of biomass burning aerosols, and aerosol transport and properties at remote sites like Pico Mountain in the Azores, and has pioneered the development of multiple instruments for characterizing aerosol and cloud properties in the laboratory and in the field.

Mazzoleni and his research team have published extensively in high-impact journals, resulting in over 9,000 citations of their work. He has established a strong externally funded research program in atmospheric physics, with support from federal and industrial sources including the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). He is also recognized for his dedicated mentorship of undergraduate students and for his collaborative publications with researchers from other prestigious institutions.

About the Physics Department

Physicists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues. Our physicists take on the big questions to discover how the universe works—from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies. The Physics Department offers three undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your physics skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at physics@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for the latest happenings. Or read more at the Physics Newsblog.

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Issei Nakamura Selected for Deans’ Teaching Showcase

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Issei Nakamura
Issei Nakamura

College of Sciences and Arts Dean LaReesa Wolfenbarger has selected Issei Nakamura, associate professor of physics, as the featured instructor in this week’s Deans’ Teaching Showcase.

Nakamura will be recognized at an end-of-term event with other spring showcase members and is a candidate for the CTL Instructional Award Series.

Nakamura is an outstanding instructor who has taught a suite of undergraduate and graduate courses in the last 10 years. His teaching in physics spans a broad range of subjects, including classical mechanics, solid-state physics, statistical thermodynamics, modern physics for quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, special theory of relativity, and computational physics.

Nakamura’s experience as a physicist in the classroom has been deeply fulfilling, allowing him to engage closely with students at Michigan Tech. His student-centered approach to active learning extends beyond classroom engagement, encouraging students to tackle small problem sets before or after each lecture. As the course progresses, this “just-in-time” learning strategy reinforces concepts, strengthens retention and allows misconceptions to be addressed in real time.

“The way you structured the homework assignments was very helpful for learning the new material,” one student wrote to Nakamura. “It encouraged critical thinking as we applied the material we learned in class, connecting overarching concepts with the minutiae of the complex math required to understand the topics.”

“Dr. Nakamura continually revises his courses to ensure that students are learning concepts and skills to reflect the workplace they will enter upon graduating,” said Wolfenbarger.

Nakamura’s commitment to innovative teaching continues to evolve. He has restructured his computational physics course, integrating introductory machine learning techniques into the curriculum to align with the growing demand for computational expertise. This course — a core component of the graduate certificate program Advanced Computational Physics — equips students with advanced numerical skills applicable beyond academia. These competencies open doors to careers in research, technology and industries reliant upon modern computational physics.

Nakamura’s philosophy in physics education is to inspire students’ passion for learning by not only deepening their understanding of theoretical principles but also demonstrating their practical applications. He emphasizes the interconnectedness of different areas in physics, recognizing that students often struggle to integrate concepts across disciplines. To help bridge this gap, he encourages students to draw connections between different physics fields. For example, to help students develop a more intuitive grasp of these abstract concepts, he highlights how principles in quantum mechanics or thermodynamics can be interpreted through classical mechanics.

“Issei is an exceptional teacher who cares about engaging students in learning and has made meaningful contributions by incorporating computational components that greatly enhance the physics courses,” said Ravindra Pandey, chair of the Department of Physics.

About the Physics Department

Physicists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues. Our physicists take on the big questions to discover how the universe works—from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies. The Physics Department offers three undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your physics skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at physics@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for the latest happenings. Or read more at the Physics Newsblog.

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Extension Ceremony for Pierre Auger Observatory

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Professor Emeritus David Nitz

Emeritus and Research Professor David Nitz attended a formal ceremony held in November in Malargüe, Argentina, to recognize a 10-year extension to the international agreement governing the Pierre Auger Observatory.

The Pierre Auger Observatory is the world’s largest cosmic ray detector, covering an area of 3,000 square kilometers. Located in Malargüe, it is operated by a collaboration of more than 400 scientists from 17 countries. The aim of the observatory is the study of the highest energy particles of the universe — ultra-high energy cosmic rays.

Michigan Tech is one of only eight U.S. institutions of higher education to collaborate with the Pierre Auger Observatory — and the University plays a crucial role in the observatory according to Nitz.

At the social event following the extension’s signing, Nitz addressed the assembled funding agency representatives, invited dignitaries, and collaboration members. He expressed heartfelt thanks to all in attendance for making the journey that brought the observatory from an impossible dream to the facility that exists today, describing it as “a stellar example of international cooperation in science that transcends political and country boundaries.”

Nitz is one of the founding members of the Auger Collaboration, having been invited in 1991 by Alan Watson (Fellow of the Royal Society), and Nobel prize winner James Cronin to join the effort to establish the observatory. After Watson, he is the longest-serving member of the collaboration.

See the news release from the Auger Observatory for more details on the extension.

About the Physics Department

Physicists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues. Our physicists take on the big questions to discover how the universe works—from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies. The Physics Department offers three undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your physics skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at physics@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for the latest happenings. Or read more at the Physics Newsblog.

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In Print: Testing the molecular cloud paradigm for ultra-high-energy gamma ray emission

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Portraits of 3 astrophysics graduate students
PhD Candiates Rhiannon Turner, Samuel Groetsch, and Mahsa Najafi, co-authors on a new paper in Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Graduate students and researchers from the Department of Physics are collaborators on a new paper published in Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Ph.D. candidate Rhiannon Turner is the paper’s lead author. Co-authors include Ph.D. candidates Samuel Groetsch and Mahsa Najafi, as well as Petra Huentemeyer and Xiaojie Wang.

The paper is titled “Testing the molecular cloud paradigm for ultra-high-energy gamma ray emission from the direction of SNR G106.3+2.7.” In it, the authors explore a PeVatron candidate located in the northern part of our galaxy’s plane and aim to answer a long-standing question for the region — where are the PeV cosmic rays being accelerated?

“When most people think of astronomy, they imagine the night sky sparkling with stars, or our Milky Way galaxy painted across the sky. However, there is an entire astrophysical world untouchable by the naked eye,” said Turner, the paper’s corresponding author. “The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory is a wide-field gamma-ray observatory located in Puebla, Mexico, that is operated by a worldwide collaboration. HAWC surveys two-thirds of the sky throughout the day and is sensitive to particles with energies ranging from 100s GeV to 100s TeV, which is about a trillion times more energetic than visible light. These highly energetic particles give us a way to probe extreme astrophysical objects, like Galactic pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe), electron-positron winds surrounding a fast-rotating neutron star (or pulsar); and shell-type supernova remnants (SNRs), the ejecta and shock fronts left behind after a star’s core collapse and explosion. These objects are able to accelerate particles known as cosmic-rays up to PeV (10^15 eV) energies. These types of accelerators are known as Pevatrons.”

In the paper, HAWC collaborators present an updated analysis on the Boomerang region, which is home to two possible PeVatrons: supernova remnant G106.3+2.7 and the boomerang shaped pulsar wind nebula from pulsar J2229+6114. This analysis probes the highest energy emission for this region (>56 TeV) and utilizes molecular clouds, dense regions of molecular hydrogen, to model the region’s shape.

“This modeling technique has not previously been used for a PeVatron study, but the good spatial coincidence between the molecular cloud and the gamma-ray emission in this region provides confirmation that this new avenue for PeVatron identification could help close the information gap for which astrophysical objects accelerate cosmic-rays to PeV energies,” said Turner.

About the Physics Department

Physicists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues. Our physicists take on the big questions to discover how the universe works—from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies. The Physics Department offers three undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your physics skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at physics@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for the latest happenings. Or read more at the Physics Newsblog.

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Faculty Position

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Image of Michigan Tech campus from above
Michigan Technological University
Est. 1885

This position is no longer accepting applications. Thank you for your interest.

MTU is Michigan’s flagship technological university and will be a Carnegie-classified R1 institution in 2025. The university provides its graduates with an extremely high return on investment through its academic rigor and focus on experiential learning. Located near the shore of Lake Superior in Michigan’s scenic Upper Peninsula, the university provides a high standard of living. The community offers a small-town environment with outstanding four-season recreational opportunities.

MTU is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. 

About the Physics Department

Physicists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues. Our physicists take on the big questions to discover how the universe works—from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies. The Physics Department offers three undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your physics skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at physics@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for the latest happenings. Or read more at the Physics Newsblog.

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The Reactive INTERFACE Force Field

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Professor Ravindra Pandey
Professor Ravindra Pandey

A team including Michigan Tech research groups led by Ravi Pandey and Greg Odegard (MAE) has published a research article in Nature Communications. The title is “Implementing reactivity in molecular dynamics simulations with harmonic force fields.”

The research highlights the development of the Reactive INTERFACE Force Field (IFF-R) for molecular dynamics simulations for various material systems, including molecules, nanotubes, metals and polymer composites. The newly developed IFF-R, which incorporates specific chemical environments and electronic structure effects as needed, is both accurate and efficient. IFF-R calculations use significantly fewer computational resources compared to current reactive force fields to predict the structural and mechanical properties of complex biological and material structures, from atomic to micrometer scales.

Recent physics alum Geeta Sachdeva (PhD ’22) was a key contributor to this project. The research groups of Hendrik Heinz of the University of Colorado Boulder, Adri van Duin of Penn State, and Pieter J. in ‘t Veld of BASF, Germany also collaborated on the study.

The work was partially supported by grant NNX17AJ32G from the NASA Space Technology Research Institute for Ultra-Strong Composites by Computational Design to Michigan Tech.

About the Physics Department

Physicists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues. Our physicists take on the big questions to discover how the universe works—from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies. The Physics Department offers three undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your physics skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at physics@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for the latest happenings. Or read more at the Physics Newsblog.

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Carly Robinson inducted into College of Sciences and Arts Academy

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Professors Jacek Borysow and Ravindra Pandey welcome Dr. Carly Robinson into the College of Sciences and Arts Academy

The College of Sciences and Arts has inducted physics alum Dr. Carly Robinson (BS ’07) into the College of Sciences and Arts Academy.

Dr. Robinson currently serves as Assistant Director for Information Products and Services at the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information. As an undergraduate at Michigan Tech, Robinson worked with Dr. Will Cantrell to study the effect of biomass burning on cirrus cloud formation.

The College of Sciences and Arts Academy recognizes Michigan Tech graduates who have distinguished themselves in their professions and made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of the College of Sciences and Arts, Michigan Technological University, and society.

About the Physics Department

Physicists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues. Our physicists take on the big questions to discover how the universe works—from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies. The Physics Department offers three undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your physics skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at physics@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for the latest happenings. Or read more at the Physics Newsblog.

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