Physics

After graduating from Tennessee Tech in 2013, Kenneth pursued his Ph.D. in experimental particle physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, graduating in 2019. His Ph.D. work focused on the study of proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN (The European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Geneva, Switzerland, as part of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Collaboration. During his Ph.D., Kenneth spent 3 years working from CERN in Geneva where he contributed to the operation and study of the muon detectors. The focus of his thesis was the first direct measurement of a rare type of proton collisions that produce both a W and Z boson, which directly interact. 

Following his Ph.D., Kenneth spent two years at CERN as a Research Fellow, and is currently a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher at MIT. His work focuses on performing extremely precise measurements of known phenomena to detect small deviations from the predictions of the standard model, the current best theory describing all known forces and interactions. In addition, he works on developing novel techniques to convert the electrical signals of physics detectors into signs of particles from collisions using modern machine learning techniques.

Cathleen Fry is a 2013 physics graduate who went on to gain a Ph.D. in nuclear astrophysics from Michigan State University. She is currently studying thermonuclear burn in high density plasmas as a Staff Scientist at Los Alamos National Lab, but also takes a keen interest in fostering diversity and inclusivity for all in physics.

According to Cathleen, “Tech helped me get here through small class sizes and approachable faculty that helped me realize that I enjoyed physics and that it was a viable career path for someone like me.”

“Hi, my name is Michelle Schwer. When I think about my days at Tennessee Tech, I realize that my education provided me with the necessary foundational skills to attain the career I have today. Currently, I divide my time between teaching Radiation Biology at

 Brown University and fulfilling a Medical Physicist position at Rhode Island Hospital. I am also actively involved in research, investigating dosimetric accuracy of an algorithm used in Computed Tomography. None of this would be possible without Tennessee Tech.

“My professors took a personal interest in my success and were often available outside of normal office hours to answer questions. In addition to the assigned coursework, my professors encouraged me to explore material I found interesting. Most importantly, my professors taught me to think critically when problem solving and how to conduct proper experimental design.

“The skills I learned at Tennessee Tech translate well into my job as a Medical Physicist. I often see situations involving patients or technology that I have not encountered before. My ability to troubleshoot and swiftly solve these problems sets me apart from my colleagues and has been as asset in my professional career,” Michelle Schwer.

Dan Bardayan graduated in 1993 from Tennessee Tech with a B.S. in physics.  Afterwards he got a Ph. D. in nuclear physics from Yale University in 1999.  He was a staff member and senior staff member in the Physics Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory from 2001 - 2013. He then joined the faculty of the Department. of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Notre Dame where he is currently a full professor. In 2020 he became Director of the Notre Dame Nuclear Science Laboratory.

Bardayan was named as a Fellow of the American Physical Society. He was nominated by the Division of Nuclear Physics, "for groundbreaking efforts to study explosive astrophysical events with exotic beam measurements and the development of unique experimental devices to perform such studies."

Dan says the building blocks of his career were laid during his time at Tennessee Tech, “My undergraduate research experience was exceptional, and I left Tennessee Tech with a first-author publication and two other co-authored publications. This is highly unusual and set the stage for my career in nuclear physics. The opportunity to work side-by-side with leaders in the field at state-of-the-art facilities provided me with a jumpstart rarely matched by my peers.”

Stan Paulauskas graduated with a B.S. in Physics in 2007. Building on contacts made during his research internships in the Physics Department, he earned a PhD in Nuclear Physics from The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and then had two research-based postdoctoral positions. He pivoted into industry, applying all his acquired data analytics skills as a data scientist. He currently works as a Solutions Architect for XIA LLC, a small high-tech firm that develops data acquisition and processing systems for a wide range of applications.

Stan says that Tennessee Tech's physics program provided critical opportunities and training he has used to reach his current position, “My professors taught both physics and critical thinking skills. These skills have proven invaluable in my career. My senior lab presentations taught me two valuable lessons. First, make sure that your claims are consistent with your data. Second, never be afraid to say, 'I don’t know.' There’s almost always somebody who does.”

Stan’s next goal is to become a Chief Information Officer for a company, which he thinks he can attain "due to the care and passion I found in Tennessee Tech's physics department”.