Physics, Astronomy and Materials Science Department

Seminars

Expand your knowledge!

Attend our seminars to hear about research and work in academia and industry. Presentations are given by external speakers, alumni, or PAMS faculty.

Seminars take place in Kemper Hall 204 or via Zoom on Thursdays at 4:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Review previous seminars Browse other CNAS seminars

Fall 2026 Seminars

Date	Speaker	Title
8/20	No seminar (1st week of classes)
8/27
9/3
9/10
9/17
9/24
10/1
10/8	No seminar (Fall break)
10/15
10/22
10/29
11/5
11/12
11/19
11/26	No seminar (Thanksgiving break)
12/3	No seminar (last week of classes)
12/10	No seminar (final exams week)

Previous Seminars

Spring 2026

Date	Speaker	Title
1/22	Dr. Qunfei Zhou University of Kansas	Collective Electrostatic Design of Nanomaterials and Interfaces
1/29	Rejeena Jha (alum) University of Arkansas	Single-Molecule Dynamics of the Mechanosensitive Channel MscL in Bacteria Exposed to Nanoparticles
2/19	Farhan Ishrak (alum) North Carolina State University	Metal Matrix Magnetic Composites via Solid-State Routes
2/26	Dr. Viktoryia Shautsova University of Central Florida	Light-Matter Interactions in 2D Materials Nanophotonics and their Applications
3/5	Dr. Matthew Maschmann University of Missouri	Advancing Carbon Nanotube Forest Synthesis: A Multi-Pronged Approach
4/2	Dr. Parameswar Hari University of Tulsa	Fabrication of Perovskite Nanocrystals with Enhanced Photoluminescence Quantum Yield
4/16	Dr. Charles Steinhardt University of Missouri	Do All Galaxies Form Stars the Same Way?
4/23	Dr. Julius de Rojas Oklahoma State University	Adaptive Magnetic Systems: Spintronics with Ions and Spin Waves

Fall 2025

Date	Speaker	Title
9/4	Dr. Kaveh Ahadi Ohio State University	Two-Dimensional Electronic States in Oxides
9/11	Dr. Steve Kawaler Iowa State University	Juggling Convection and Pulsation on the Cool Side of the DA Instability Strip - White Dwarfs Behaving Badly
9/18	Dr. Antonia Statt University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign	Self-Assembly of Non-Spherical Colloids using Coarse-grained Simulations and Machine Learning Approaches
10/2	Dr. Gavin Hester (alum) Brock University	Dimers, Disorder, and the Road to Quantum Spin Liquids
10/16	Dr. Di Zhang University of Texas - Arlington	Developing Advanced Functional Thin Films for Next-Generation Microelectronic Devices
10/23	Dr. Hyunsoo Kim Missouri University of Science and Technology	Surprising Discovery of Unconventional Superconductivity in Nature
10/30	Dr. Rajarshi Kar Missouri University of Science and Technology	Designing Multifunctional Metal Telluride based Electrocatalysts for Sea Water Electrolysis and Oxygen Reduction
11/13	Dr. Bumsu Lee Southern Illinois University	Generation of Single Photons from Solid-state Quantum Dot Systems or Single Chromophore Molecules

Spring 2025

Date	Speaker	Title
2/6	Dr. Thomas Folland University of Iowa	Uncovering the Properties of Emerging Materials and Devices using Infrared Microscopy and Nanoscopy
2/12	Dr. Emmett Redd Missouri State University	Internal Brain Operations are Super-Turing
2/20	Dr. Weigang Wang University of Arizona	Putting a Spin on Next Generation Transistors
2/27	Dr. Dharmraj Kotekar-Patil University of Arkansas	Quantum Transport in Two-dimensional Materials
3/6	Tauhidul Islam Case Western Reserve University	Developing Galfenol Nanocomposite for Magnetostrictive Wireless Sensor
3/13	Dr. Ian Crossfield University of Kansas	Exoplanet Atmospheres: Latest Results and Future Prospects
3/27	Sharif Uddin Purdue University	Two-dimensional Metal Carbides and Nitrides (MXenes)
4/3	Cory Padgett Clemson University	CI Tau: Are Eccentric Protoplanetary Disks Always Misaligned and Precessing?
4/10	Dr. Xianglin Li Washington University in St. Louis	Machine Learning-Enhanced Analysis of Multi-Phase Flow in Porous Media
4/17	Dr. Yishu Wang University of Tennessee	Emergent Magnetic Phenomena Beyond Ordering
4/24	Dr. Hichem Guerboukha University of Missouri - Kansas City	Unleashing the Power of Wavefront Engineering at THz frequencies for 6G Wireless Communications

Fall 2024

Date	Speaker	Title
8/29	Dr. Darou Han Missouri University of Science and Technology	In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) on the Moon: From Regolith to Metals
9/5	Dr. Michael Penwarden Sandia National Laboratories	Physics-Informed Machine Learning (PIML): Applications and Methodologies
9/12	David Beckwitt (alum) University of Missouri	X-Ray Diffraction Investigation into CVD-Grown van der Waals Films: Disorder and Structure
9/19	Dr. Derek Meyers Oklahoma State University	Manipulating Electronic Structure in Ruthenate Heterostructures
9/26	Dr. Thushari Jayasekera Southern Illinois University	Modeling and Simulation of Materials – A Multi Physics Approach
10/3	Dr. Nirmal Ghimire University of Notre Dame	Engineering Magnetic Crystals for Quantum Phenomena
10/17	Dr. Hanna Terletska Middle Tennessee State University	Quantum Materials: Insights from Numerical Simulations
10/24	Dr. Tansu Daylan Washington University in St. Louis	Planet-Induced Stellar Flares from the TESS Mission
10/31	Dr. Wan Shou University of Arkansas	Advancing Manufacturing from Materials, and Processes to Functional Applications
11/7	Dr. Delower Hossain (alum) University of Tennessee Space Institute	Design, Selection, Synthesis, and Structure-Property Relationship of Refractory High-Entropy Ceramics for Extreme Engineering Applications
11/14	Dr. Andrzej Baran Missouri State University	Baker Observatory - Current Status and Future Plans
11/21	Yadira Gaibor (alum) Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Pathways of Survival: Formation and Migration Histories of Giant Exoplanets in Extreme Systems

Spring 2024

Date	Speaker	Title
2/1	Dr. Carissa Jones Brewer Science	Development of Sensing Systems for Real-Time, Water Quality Measurements
2/8	Dr. Bernadette Broderick University of Missouri	Conformer-specific Desorption in Interstellar Ices Probed by Chirped-pulse mm-Wave Rotational Spectroscopy
2/15	Dr. Dmitry Ovchinnikov University of Kansas	Van der Waals Topological Magnets and Superconductors
2/22	Dr. Rana Biswas Ames National Laboratory and Iowa State University	Novel Physical Phenomena in Nano-arrays and Nanostructures
2/29	Gabriele Corso Massachusetts Institute of Technology	DiffDock: Diffusion Steps, Twists, and Turns for Molecular Docking
3/7	Dr. Adam Miller Northwestern University	Mind the Gap: Capturing the Bright and Fast Transient Sky Missed by Rubin/LSST with LS4
3/21	Dr. Dipanjan Mazumdar Southern Illinois University	Theory-driven Experimental Search of Novel Magnetic Materials for Nanotechnology Applications
4/4	Dr. Tanvi Gujarati IBM Research, Almaden	Applications of Quantum Computing for Problems in Chemistry and Material Sciences
4/11	Dr. Xiaofeng Guo Washington State University	Understanding Thermodynamics of Critical Metal Materials under Extreme Conditions
4/18	Rajan Khadka (alum) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Organic-Inorganic Nanolaminates
4/25	Dr. Timothy Jones Craven Community College	Misconceptions about Teaching, from a Community College Perspective

Fall 2023

Date	Speaker	Title
9/21	Dr. Steven Harrellson (alum) Columbia University	Hydration Solids
9/28	Austin Shearin (alum) SynTouch, Inc.	What I thought I learned, what I actually learned, and what I wished I learned from getting a bachelors in Physics
9/29	Dr. Ariful Haque (alum) Texas State University	(i) Fully funded Ph.D. opportunities in MSEC at Texas State University (ii) UWBG Carbon for Electronic Applications
10/5	Dr. Saikat Talapatra Southern Illinois University	Emerging Nanomaterials & Composites for Electronics, Energy & Environmental Applications
10/19	Chenfeng Cao Hongkong University of Science and Technology	Accelerated Variational Quantum Eigensolver with Joint Bell Measurement
10/26	Dr. Halya Hodovanets Missouri University of Science and Technology	Inversion and Time-reversal Symmetry Broken Weyl Semimetal
11/2	Dr. Kurt Brorsen University of Missouri	Calculating Vibrationally Averaged Molecular Properties with Multicomponent Methods
11/9	Dr. Andrew Meng University of Missouri	Epitaxial AlScN Films and Nanowires for Ferroelectric Random-Access Memory Applications
11/16	Dr. Elisabeth Mills University of Kansas	Hidden Engines: Uncovering the Workings of the Nearest Galaxy Centers
11/30	Dr. Mohammadreza Momenitaheri University of Missouri, Kansas City	Stimuli-Responsive Multi-Functional 2D and 3D Nanoporous Materials in Condensed Phases

Spring 2023

Date	Speaker	Title
2/2	Simon Batzner Harvard University	Equivariant Interatomic Potentials
2/9	Dr. Deepak Singh University of Missouri	Designer Magnet with Fundamental and Practical Implications
2/23	John Dagdelen University of California, Berkeley	Natural Language Processing for Accelerating Scientific Breakthroughs
3/2	Dr. Julia Medvedeva Missouri University of Science and Technology	Fundamentals of Amorphous Oxide Semiconductors
3/9	Isaac Laseter University of Wisconsin-Madison	The JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES): The First Results from the Deepest Observations of the Universe to Date
4/13	Dr. Sheng Ran Washington University in St. Louis	Spin-triplet Superconducting State in the Nearly Ferromagnetic Compound UTe₂
4/27	Dr. Yijia Gu Missouri University of Science and Technology	Phase-field Modeling of Ferroelectrics: Polarization Rotation and Flexoelectricity
5/4	Dr. Bret Lehmer University of Arkansas	An X-ray Perspective on the Evolution of Galaxies Throughout the Universe

Fall 2022

Date	Speaker	Title
8/25	Dr. Arthur Mar University of Alberta	Materials Discovery through Machine Learning: Experimental Validation and Interpretable Models
9/15	Dr. Katharine Flores Washington University in St. Louis	High-throughput Investigations of Phase Formation and Mechanical Properties in Complex Metallic Alloys
9/29	Alex Miller (alum) ThermAvant Technologies	2010 Alumni Update: Career Paths, Thermal Management R&D, and In-state Job Opportunities
10/20	Dr. Alice Bean University of Kansas	Experimental Particle Physics and Tracking Detectors
11/3	Dr. Daniel Moreno Missouri State University	Exploring the Limits of Electrosorption-Based Electrodes for Capacitive Deionization Using Thermodynamic Principles
11/10	Dr. Manashi Nath Missouri University of Science and Technology	The Story of Transition Metal Chalcogenides: Multifaceted Electrochemical Applications for Energy Conversion, Storage, Sensing & Catalysis
12/1	Dr. Ruma Dutta Missouri State University	Multiple Attractor in Tumor Immune Dynamics

Spring 2022

Date	Speaker	Title
1/27	Christian Stepien (PAMS)	Analysis of Thorium Ions in Chloride Aqueous Solutions using Raman Spectroscopy
2/10	Devon Romine (PAMS)	Modeling Atomic Layer Deposition of Alumina as an Ultra-Thin Tunnel Barrier Using Reactive Molecular Dynamics
2/16	Bandon Decker University of Missouri-Kansas City	Stellar Mass Properties of Infrared-selected High-redshift Galaxy Clusters from MaDCoWS
2/17	Emily Justus (PAMS)	Applications of a Combined Approach of Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations and Machine Learning to Model Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) of Metal Oxides
3/3	Dr. Mahmud Reaz (alum) Microchip Technology Inc.	Reliability of Silicon Devices - Hot Electron Effects
3/10	Dr. Corrinne Mills University of Illinois-Chicago & Fermilab	Baryogenesis, Higgs Bosons, and What's Next
3/24	Dr. Guang Bian University of Missouri-Columbia	Cloning of Dirac Electrons in Graphene/SiC Heterostructure
3/29	Farhan Ishrak (PAMS)	Investigations of Mn-Co-NiO Based Heterostructured Nanocrystals
3/29	Sharif Uddin (PAMS)	A Study of Bimagnetic CoO/NiFe₂O₄ Heterostructured Nanoparticles
3/31	Dr. Soumitra SenGupta Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science	Gravitational Wave: The Song of the Cosmos
4/7	Dr. Xiaobo Chen University of Missouri-Kansas City	Chasing Clean Energy and Environment Dream with Nanoscience: Photocatalysis, Rechargeable Battery, Hydrogen Production & Others – A Brief Summary of Our Past Research
4/21	Ripon Saha University of Missouri-Kansas City	Identifying Large-scale Structures Using Dust-obscured Galaxies (DOGs) as Signposts 9-10 Billion Light-years Away
4/28	Dr. Tommy Sewell University of Missouri-Columbia	Predicting Multiscale Responses of Organic High Explosives Subjected to Thermo-Mechanical Extremes
5/5	Dr. Xiangbo (Henry) Meng University of Arkansas	Atomic & Molecular Layer Deposition (ALD/MLD) for Emerging Research Studies
5/12	Dr. Hiro Nakamura University of Arkansas	Angle-resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy: 2D Materials and Heterostructures

Fall 2021

Date	Speaker	Title
9/2	Rifat Ara Shams (PAMS)	Study of Structural, Electrical and Optical Properties of Copper Oxide Phase Mixture Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition
9/9	Bishwajite Karmakar (PAMS)	Study of Structural and Magnetic Properties of Ni-NiO Thin Films
9/16	Dr. Adam Brandt (alum) Colorado State University & NIST	A Measurement of the 2S_1/2 - 8D_5/2 Transition in Hydrogen
9/23	Dr. Conal Murray IBM T.J. Watson Research Center	Investigating Material Improvements in Superconducting Qubits
9/30	Dr. Shun Saito Missouri University of Science and Technology	Cosmic Acceleration and the Role of Galaxy Surveys
10/14	Dr. Yicheng Guo University of Missouri - Columbia	Dissecting Distant Galaxies: How Sub-structures Shed Light on Galaxy Formation and Evolution
10/21	Dr. Maria Mills University of Missouri - Columbia	Force-based Detection of Sub-millisecond Topo-isomerase IA Dynamics
10/28	Dr. Wai-Lun Chan University of Kansas	Turning Light into Electricity – How Excitons Dissociate at van der Waals Interfaces
11/4	Emily Justus (PAMS)	Applications of a Combined Approach of Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations and Machine Learning to Model Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) of Metal Oxides
11/11	Devon Romine (PAMS)	Modeling Atomic Layer Deposition of Alumina as an Ultra-thin Tunnel Barrier using Reactive Molecular Dynamics
11/18	Dr. Damena Agonafer Washington University in St. Louis	Bioinspired Evaporative Cooling for High Heat Flux Applications
12/2	Dr. Rizal Hariadi Arizona State University	Understanding Molecular Machines using Protein and DNA Origami Nanoarrays
12/9	Dr. Jingyi Chen University of Arkansas	Controlling Three Dimensional Morphology of Nonprecious Metal-Based Nanostructures

Spring 2021

Date	Speaker	Title
1/21	Dr. Jason Jackiewicz New Mexico State University	Seismology of Sun and Stars
1/28	Dr. Michael Gordon Æsir Technologies	Nickel-Zinc Battery Research Opportunities
2/4	Kwabena Asante Boahen (PAMS)	Modeling of Argon Bombardment and Densification of Low-temperature Organic Precursors using Reactive Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Machine Learning
2/11	Dr. Oliver C. Grant Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia	Virus-Receptor Interactions of Glycosylated SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Human ACE2 Receptor
3/2	Bikash Timalsina (PAMS)	Development of EAM and RF-MEAM Potential to Study Thermal Properties of Zirconium Diboride
3/2	Bishwajite Karmakar (PAMS)	Tuning Physical Properties of ZnO for Optoelectronics Applications
2/25	Dr. Cathy Wong University of Oregon	In Situ Transient Absorption Spectroscopy During Materials Formation
3/4	Dr. Robert Baker National eXtreme Ultrafast Science (NeXUS), Ohio State University	Watching Electrons Move at Interfaces: Visualizing Charge and Spin Dynamics Using Ultrafast XUV Spectroscopy
3/11	Alin Niraula (PAMS)	Transport Properties of Binary and Doped Diborides
3/11	Abiodun Odusanya (PAMS)	A Study of Laser-assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) Technique to Grow Carbon-based Materials
3/25	Shannon Dulz (PhD student, alum) University of Notre Dame	Cold Exoplanets: Ground-based Direct Imaging and Population Studies Planning for Future Space Missions
4/8	Dr. Vashti Sawtelle Michigan State University	Research on Inclusive Practices: Supporting Two-Year College Transfer Students in the Physics Community
4/15	Dr. Ryan Behunin Northern Arizona University	Noise in Integrated Photonic Brillouin Lasers
4/22	Dr. Marilu Perez Garcia Ames National Laboratory	Designing Ligands with Predetermined Metal Ion Selectivity using Electronic Structure Theory, Machine Learning, and Molecular Mechanics
4/23	Rifat Ara Shams (PAMS)	Electrical and Optical Properties of CuO-Cu₂O Phase Mixture for Solar Cell Application
4/29	Joshua Kern (alum) Clemson University	Using ro-vibrational Emission from Protoplanetary Disks in Order to Observe Accretion and Planet Formation in Action
4/30	Abu Zobair (PAMS)	Effect of Pulsed Laser Annealing on the Optoelectronic Properties of ZnO Thin Films
4/30	Sajal Islam (PAMS)	Simulation and Fabrication of All Oxide Based Glass/ITO/TiO₂/CuO/Au Heterostructure for Solar Cell Application

Fall 2020

Date	Speaker	Title
9/3	David Magness (PAMS)	Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations of Atomic Layer Deposition
9/3	Tauhidul Islam (PAMS)	Study of Size-controlled CoO@MnFe₂O₄ Core-shell Nanoparticle
9/10	Dr. Matthew Horton Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory	Democratizing Access to Materials Science with the Materials Project
9/17	Nadib Akram (PAMS)	A Raman Study of Actinide Complex Species in Aqueous Chloride Solutions at High P-T Conditions
9/17	Sudha Krishnan (PAMS)	Exploring Topological Weyl Semimetals Isostructural to YbMnBi₂ and Co₂MnGa
9/24	Dr. Andrew Mason University of Central Arkansas	Do They Care, and Does It Matter? An Analysis of Learning Goals and Perceived Relevance of Introductory Physics to Life Science Majors
10/1	Dr. Jessica Krogstad University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign	Exploring the Potential of Concentrated Point Defects: Their Role in Mass Transport, Microstructural Evolution and Material Functionality
10/15	Dr. Paul Canfield Ames National Laboratory & Iowa State University	Cooking, Fishing and Jogging through Phase Space: A Practical Guide to Discovering and Understanding New Materials
10/22	Dr. Dilpuneet Aidhy University of Wyoming	Properties of Concentrated Alloys Predicted from Atomistic Calculations and Machine Learning
10/29	Abiodun Odusanya (PAMS)	A Study of Laser-assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) Technique to Grow Carbon-based Materials
10/29	Sajal Islam (PAMS)	TiO₂-CuO Heterostructure Solar Cell for Cost Effective and Better Optoelectronic Properties
11/5	Alin Niraula (PAMS)	Predicting Thermal Conductivity of High Temperature Ceramics (Diborides)
11/5	Abu Zobair (PAMS)	Effect of Pulsed Laser Annealing on ZnO Thin Films
11/12	Dr. Alannah Hallas University of British Columbia	Competing Orders and Phases in Pyrochlore Magnets
11/19	Bikash Timalsina (PAMS)	EAM and RF-MEAM Interatomic Potential Development to Study Thermal Properties of Zirconium Diboride
12/3	Dr. Catherine Espaillat Boston University	A Panchromatic View of Variability in Protoplanetary Disks

Spring 2020

Date	Speaker	Title
1/23	Yuxuan Lu (PAMS)	Reactive MD Simulation on the Formation of Amorphous Sub-nano Alumina Layer
1/23	Moudip Nandi (PAMS)	Synthesis and Characterization of Barium Titanate and Carbon-based Core-Shell Nano Particles
1/30	Abdullah Shafe (PAMS)	Magnetic Properties of NiO Based Magnetic Heterostructured Nano Crystals (MHNCs)
1/30	Joy Roy (PAMS)	Fabrication of CFO@C Core/Shell Nanoparticles by Laser Ablation
2/6	Dr. Mallory Molina Montana State University	Resolving Black Hole and Star-Formation Activity in Nearby Galaxies
2/7	Dr. Mallory Molina Montana State University	Towards a More Inclusive Astronomy: Building Community for All in Academia
2/13	Christopher Robledo (PAMS)	Heterostructure of 2D Materials
2/13	Shahidul Asif (PAMS)	Study of ZnO for Thin Film Transistor
2/20	Dr. Bharat Ratra Kansas State University	The Accelerating Expanding Universe: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and Einstein's Cosmological Constant, or Why Jim Peebles was Awarded Half of the 2019 Physics Nobel Prize
2/27	Dr. Wouter Montfrooij University of Missouri, Columbia	Does Spontaneous Fragmentation of a Magnetic Lattice Lead to Heavy Fermion Behavior?
3/5	Dr. Ariful Haque (alum) North Carolina State University	Fabrication of Q-carbon and Diamond Films by Ultrafast Laser Processing and Deposition for Electron Field Emission and Electrocatalysis Applications

Fall 2019

Date	Speaker	Title
8/29	Rajan Khadka (PAMS)	Study of Amorphous Boron Carbide (a-B_xC) Materials using Molecular Dynamics (MD) and Hybrid Reverse Monte Carlo (HRMC)
8/29	Muztoba Rabbani (PAMS)	Development of Multicomponent EAM Potential for Ni Based SuperAlloy
9/5	Hayley Sohn (alum) University of Colorado Boulder	Active Liquid Crystal Skyrmions
9/12	Sabila Kader Pinky (PAMS)	Molecular Dynamics (MD) Study of Creep Deformation in Ni-based Superalloy
9/19	Moudip Nandi (PAMS)	Synthesis and Characterization of Oxide Carbide Core Shell Nano Particles
9/19	Joy Roy (PAMS)	Fabrication of CFO@C Core/Shell Nanoparticles by Laser Ablation
9/26	Abdullah Shafe (PAMS)	Structural and Magnetic Properties of NiO@Mn_xNi_1-xO Core-Shell Nanoparticles Synthesized at Varying pH Values
9/26	Sinjan Majumder (PAMS)	Development of a CVD Assisted PLD System for Growing Thin Films
10/3	Dr. Alexander Kozhanov Georgia State University	Spin Waves in Structured Ferromagnetic Materials
10/16	Dr. Lloyd Lumata University of Texas Dallas	Hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance: Enhancing NMR and MRI Signals by >10,000-fold for Real-Time Metabolic Assessment of Cancer
10/24	Dr. Marco Cavaglià Missouri University of Science and Technology	Unraveling the Universe's Deepest Mysteries with Gravitational Waves
10/31	Dr. Rao Khan Washington University in St. Louis	Keeping Physics Relevant in Ever-changing Practice of Radiological Medicine
11/7	Dr. Yew San Hor Missouri University of Science and Technology	Promising Candidates for Topological Superconductors
11/14	Christopher Robledo (PAMS)	Heterostructure of 2D Materials
11/14	Shahidul Asif (PAMS)	A Comparative Study of Characteristics of ZnO TFT for Various Substrate and Fabrication Parameters
12/5	Dr. Emmett Redd Missouri State University	Mathematics and Physics: How to Make Artificial Intelligence More Like Biological Intelligence