Batista, Boshier, Dattelbaum, Doorn, Espy, Rodriguez, Saxena, Tretiak, Yin named APS Fellows

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The American Physical Society (APS) Fellows are honored for exceptional contributions to the physics enterprise; e.g., outstanding physics research, important applications of physics, leadership in or service to physics, or significant contributions to physics education. Fellowship is a distinct honor signifying recognition by one’s professional peers.

Cristian Batista(Physics of Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, T-4) was cited “For theoretical contributions to the understanding of frustrated magnetic systems, topological phases, and electronic ferroelectricity.” The APS Division of Condensed Matter Physics nominated him. Batista received a PhD in Physics from the Instituto Balseiro, Bariloche, Argentina. He joined the Laboratory in 2000. He studies strongly correlated materials, such as transition metal oxides, organic compounds, and intermetallics. His main motivation is the discovery of novel states of matter arising from the interplay between quantum mechanical effects and strong electron-electron interactions. Batista aims to find novel collective behaviors and functionalities emerging from the multiple ways in which the response of electrons in solids can be influenced by their internal spin and orbital degrees of freedom. Other awards include the Fundación José A. Balseiro Prize for the best Professor in Physics of Instituto Balseiro, LANL Postdoctoral Publication Prize in Theoretical Physics, Laboratory Fellows Research Prize, and LANL Distinguished Mentor Award.

Malcolm Boshier(Applied Modern Physics, P-21) was cited “For high precision laser spectroscopy of hydrogen and muonium, and for advancing the state of the art in cold atom manipulation.” The APS Division of Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics nominated him. He received a D.Phil. in atomic physics from the University of Oxford and joined the Laboratory in 2002. His atomic and optical physics research uses atoms to make better sensors to measure rotations, gravity, and magnetic fields. For many of these applications, it is best to use atoms that have been cooled extremely close to absolute zero temperature, where the atoms form a kind of giant matter wave called a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). In many ways a BEC is an atomic analog of the laser. Boshier and collaborators have developed some unique techniques for creating and manipulating BECs. He has received a Laboratory Small Team Distinguished Performance Award.

Dana Dattelbaum(Shock and Detonation Physics, WX-9) was cited “In recognition of her pioneering studies of dynamic properties and excited state behavior of materials using advanced diagnostics techniques and for her leadership and service to the Society and the Shock Physics community.” The APS Topical Group on Shock Compression of Condensed Matter nominated her. She received a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and joined the Laboratory as a Director’s Postdoctoral Fellow in 2001. Her research interests include shock-induced chemical reactions, high-pressure chemistry, detonation initiation, equations of state, and constitutive properties of soft materials. Other awards and outstanding accomplishments include Chair of the Topical Group on Shock Compression of Condensed Matter, DOE/NNSA Defense Programs Awards of Excellence, Los Alamos Achievement Awards, LANLStar Award (2007), Reilly Fellowship, and American Chemical Society Analytical Division Undergraduate of the Year Award.

Stephen Doorn (Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, MPA-CINT) was cited “For his pioneering accomplishments in defining, shaping, and leading the field of spectroscopic characterization of carbon nanomaterials, including single-walled nanotubes and graphene.” The APS Division of Laser Science nominated him. Doorn earned a PhD in physical chemistry from Northwestern University, and joined the Lab in 1990 as a Director’s Postdoctoral Fellow. He studies the spectroscopy and chemistry of carbon nanomaterials including carbon nanotubes and graphene. Doorn applies Raman spectroscopy for nanotube structural identification and characterization. He has discovered novel exciton- and electron-phonon coupling behaviors. Doorn uses photoluminescence spectroscopic probes of nanotube surface chemistry and surface structures to understand new optical behaviors introduced by dopant species. He is the Partner Science Leader for the Nanophotonics and Optical Nanomaterials research thrust of the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies. Doorn has received a LANL Fellows Prize for Research, DOE Office of Science Outstanding Mentor Award, Nanotech Briefs Nano50 Award for his role in development of ultralong carbon nanotubes, a LANL Distinguished Performance Award, and a Defense Programs Award of Excellence. He has more than 100 publications with over 3800 citations.

Michelle Espy(Applied Modern Physics, P-21) was cited “For the application of nuclear physics techniques to biomedical research and national security challenges. Including pioneering work in the application of ultra-low field nuclear magnetic resonance to functional brain imaging and non-invasive identification of materials for national security.” The APS Division of Nuclear Physics nominated her. Espy earned a PhD in physics from the University of Minnesota and joined the Laboratory in 1996. She investigates applications of nuclear physics to brain imaging and national security. Espy has won a R&D 100 Award and Laboratory Distinguished Performance Awards.

George Rodriguez(Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, MPA-CINT) was cited “For his outstanding leadership in the development of ultrafast laser-based and high-speed optical instrumentation and his creative application of these diagnostics to the impactful measurement of materials, systems, and devices.” The APS Topical Group on Instrument and Measurement Science nominated him. Rodriguez earned a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and joined the Laboratory as a postdoctoral researcher in 1992. He studies ultrafast optical science and instrumentation with applications to spectroscopy, materials dynamics, and high-speed diagnostics.

Avadh Saxena(Physics of Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, T-4) was cited “For foundational contributions to phase transitions in functional materials and nonlinear excitations in low-dimensional electronic materials.” The APS Division of Materials Physics nominated him. He received a PhD in physics from Temple University (1986), and joined the Lab in 1990. His research interests include phase transitions in functional materials such as ferroelectrics, ferromagnets, shape memory alloys, martensites and multiferroics. Saxena studies the role of nonlinear excitations in low dimensional electronic and magnetic materials and their role in determining the optical, vibrational, transport and related properties of these technologically important materials. His research encompasses many different kinds of nonlinear phenomena in physical systems. Saxena is a Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. He has served as the Scientific Advisor to the National Institute for Materials Science in Tsukuba, Japan and as Adjunct Professor at the University of Barcelona, Spain and the University of Arizona, Tucson. Saxena has more than 380 publications with over 4,500 citations.

Sergei Tretiak(Physics and Chemistry of Materials, T-1) was cited “For seminal contributions to the theoretical chemistry of excited state dynamics in nanoscale materials and nonlinear optical response of molecular systems.” The APS Division of Chemical Physics nominated him. Tretiak received a PhD degree in chemistry from the University of Rochester. He joined Los Alamos as a Director’s Postdoctoral Fellow in 1999 and became a Technical Staff Member in 2001. Tretiak became a member of the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) team in 2006. His research includes the development of modern computational methods for molecular optical properties, nonlinear optical response of organic chromophores, adiabatic and non-adiabatic molecular dynamics of the excited states, optical response of confined excitons in conjugated polymers, carbon nanotubes, semiconductor nanoparticles, and molecular aggregates. Tretiak has published over 180 scientific articles cited over 6000 times. He has won a Laboratory Fellow’s Prize for Research.

Lin Yin(Plasma Theory and Applications, XDP-6) was cited “For scientific leadership and landmark discovery in the theory and complex kinetic modeling of nonlinear laser-plasma interaction physics, including stimulated Raman scattering and laser-driven particle acceleration.” The APS Division of Plasma Physics nominated her. Yin received a PhD in physics from the University of California – Los Angeles. She came to Los Alamos as a Director’s Postdoctoral Fellow in 1999 and became a technical staff member in 2001, working on a variety of scientific topics, including kinetic particle simulations, novel hybrid and Hall-MHD simulation techniques, simulation studies of collisionless magnetic reconnection, slow-mode shocks, kinetic Alfvén waves, and source modeling for x-ray radiographic devices. Yin led the application of particle-in-cell modeling to a range of problems, including the study of nonlinearity in stimulated Raman and Brillouin scattering in laser-driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments, ultra-intense laser-matter interaction, and the complex, three-dimensional physics in magnetic reconnection. She has authored more than 90 refereed journal publications. Yin received the American Physical Society Katherine E. Weimer Award, conferred triennially to recognize outstanding achievement in plasma science research by a woman physicist in the early years of her career. She has received two Lab Distinguished Performance Awards and DOE Defense Programs Awards of Excellence for four years.

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Image 1: Christian Batista

 

Image 2: Malcolm Boshier

 

Image 3: Dana Dattelbaum

 

Image 4: Stephen Doorn

 

Image 5: Michelle Espy

 

Image 6: George Rodriguez

 

Image 7: Avadh Saxena

 

Image 8: Sergei Tretiak

 

Image 9: Lin Yin