Author: hpanzic

Scott Joffre, a Ph.D. student in Clemson’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, is driven by a deep curiosity about existence and the universe. His passion for extreme cosmic environments led him to Clemson to study blazars—some of the brightest and most energetic galaxies powered by supermassive black holes—under the guidance of Professor Marco Ajello.

Scott’s research focuses on mapping the universe in high-energy gamma rays, a challenging energy band that hasn’t been well-studied due to detection difficulties and background noise. By pushing the limits of a current satellite’s technology, Scott has made new discoveries in this underexplored energy range, helping identify previously unknown cosmic objects.

Beyond his research, Scott co-founded the “Breaking Silos” podcast through the Science Student Advisory Board, encouraging interdisciplinary science communication among graduate students.

During a NASA internship at Goddard Space Flight Center, Scott explored laser communication systems—an advanced alternative to radio signals. These systems use infrared laser beams, which can carry vastly more data and reduce power and weight for spacecraft. He analyzed the Laser Communication Relay Demonstration (LCRD) and compared its performance to traditional radio methods. While weather can impact laser signals, Scott believes this technology holds promise for deep space communication, such as missions to Mars.

Scott’s earlier work at General Atomics on laser communication came full circle at NASA, sparking interest in a future career in satellite communications—a field where he hopes to continue solving unique, cutting-edge problems.

Outside of academia, Scott enjoys music (playing bass and ukulele weekly in Pickens), and outdoor adventures like sailing, scuba diving, hiking, and running around Clemson and Lake Hartwell. He expects to graduate in May.

Adapted from: https://news.clemson.edu/physics-ph-d-student-takes-education-to-the-extreme/

Clemson physics professor Endre Takacs and his team have developed a groundbreaking method to measure the size of atomic nuclei—especially for heavy and radioactive elements—using highly charged ions and an electron beam ion trap (EBIT). This technique, which requires only a small number of atoms and is cost-effective, significantly improves precision in nuclear size measurements, a key factor in advancing theoretical physics models and exploring phenomena like dark matter.

The research, done in collaboration with institutions like the National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Grenoble Alpes, demonstrated that exotic ions radiating ultraviolet light can reveal nuclear charge radii more effectively than traditional methods like electron scattering or muonic atom spectroscopy, which struggle with larger or unstable atoms.

This work led to Takacs and Ph.D. student Hunter Staiger being selected as the sole in-person U.S. representatives at an invitation-only International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conference in Vienna. Takacs chaired the meeting, and Staiger proposed a new nuclear analysis method that will be included in a future IAEA report.

Former students from Takacs’ lab also made major contributions:

• Roshani Silwal, now a professor at Appalachian State, studied xenon isotopes.
• Adam Hosier, now a quantitative analyst, expanded this to iridium and osmium, reducing uncertainty in iridium’s nuclear size by a factor of eight.

Staiger, originally an electrical engineering major at Clemson, switched to physics after research with Takacs. Now in his second year as a Ph.D. student, he has been invited to a predoctoral fellowship at Harvard, where he’ll set up EBIT measurements. He also plans research at the TRIUMF TITAN facility in Canada. Staiger hopes to become a professor, combining his passion for research and mentoring future STEM students.

Adapted from: https://news.clemson.edu/clemson-physicists-introduce-novel-method-for-measuring-atomic-nuclei-sizes-chosen-to-represent-u-s-at-international-meeting/

The Clemson University College of Science held an awards ceremony on April 10 to honor outstanding students, including two from the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Maggie Marte received the Phi Kappa Phi Certificate of Merit, awarded to a graduating senior with a GPA of 3.4 or higher who has demonstrated leadership, service, and creative contributions. Maggie, a physics major with a minor in mathematical sciences, has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while conducting research on piezoelectric materials for quantum devices. Her efforts have led to an accepted publication and several awards, including Best Engineering Oral Presentation at the 2023 South Carolina Academy of Science. She is also a Goldwater Scholar and Astronaut Scholar. Outside academics, she is vice president of the Society of Physics Students, part of the College of Science Student Ambassadors, and a member of the Clemson club gymnastics team. This fall, she will pursue a Ph.D. at MIT in quantum systems.

Sumit Banerjee, a Ph.D. candidate, was recognized for his community engagement efforts. His research models 1.8 MeV gamma-ray emissions from Al-26 decay in the Milky Way. He developed a pirate-themed summer reading and science program for public libraries and has led over 40 planetarium shows. Banerjee also volunteers for campus outreach events like solar eclipse viewings and the Clemson Women in Physics meeting and serves as a teaching assistant.

Adapted from: https://news.clemson.edu/top-2024-25-college-of-science-students-honored/

Emil Alexov, a professor in Clemson University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, has been named a 2025 Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE)—an honor reserved for the top 2% of professionals in the field. He was recognized for his exceptional contributions to computational biophysics, software development related to disease mechanisms, and for establishing Clemson’s medical biophysics graduate program.

Alexov’s research combines physics and advanced computer algorithms to explore how genetic variations cause disease, contributing significantly to personalized medicine. He has developed novel algorithms to predict energy changes from mutations and their links to disease.

Originally from Bulgaria, Alexov earned degrees in plasma and radiophysics from Sofia University, followed by international research roles in Japan and the U.S. He joined Clemson in 2005 and was named a CUSHR Faculty Fellow in 2019. In 2021, he received the Dr. Wallace R. Roy Distinguished Professorship. He is now the fifth Clemson faculty member to be named an AIMBE Fellow.

Adapted from: https://news.clemson.edu/emil-alexov-elected-a-2025-aimbe-fellow/

Laura Finzi, a molecular biophysicist who pioneered techniques to study how single molecules act in complex biological processes, has been appointed the inaugural Dr. Waenard L. Miller, Jr. ’69 and Sheila M. Miller Endowed Chair in Medical Biophysics at Clemson University. Finzi joined Clemson on July 1 and holds joint appointments in the Departments of Physics and Astronomy and Bioengineering. She aims to advance medical biophysics research and education by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Finzi brings extensive experience in interdisciplinary research, collaboration, and student mentorship, previously serving as a professor at Emory University and contributing to graduate programs in chemistry, biomedical engineering, and cancer biology. Her research on DNA transcription mechanics aims to advance understanding of gene regulation and precision medicine, tailoring treatments to individual genetic and environmental factors. Finzi is committed to building programs and fostering collaboration to drive innovation in medical biophysics.

The endowed chair position, one of the highest honors at Clemson University, was established with a $2 million donation from cardiologist Waenard L. Miller ’69 and his wife, Sheila M. Miller, to support medical biophysics research and education. Dr. Miller, a Clemson physics alumnus and co-founder of the Legacy Heart Center in Texas, has an extensive background in medicine, including degrees in nuclear physics, biology, and medical management. Reflecting on his 34-year career, Miller emphasized the transformative impact of scientific and medical advancements and expressed pride in supporting Clemson’s growth in this evolving field, welcoming Dr. Laura Finzi to lead impactful research and innovation.

Laura Finzi describes her journey into medical biophysics as a “progressive evolution.” Initially studying industrial chemistry at the University of Bologna, she was inspired to pursue biophysics after meeting National Academy of Sciences member Carlos Bustamante, who recruited her for graduate studies at the University of New Mexico. After earning her Ph.D. in chemistry, Finzi continued her training as a postdoctoral fellow under Bustamante, eventually joining his lab at the Institute of Molecular Biology at the University of Oregon, where she thrived in an interdisciplinary environment that brought together biologists, chemists, and physicists. Laura Finzi played a key role in developing the first generation of magnetic tweezers, a tool used to study the mechanical properties of molecules like DNA and proteins in single-molecule experiments. Unlike traditional methods that assume identical behavior among molecules, single-molecule techniques reveal heterogeneities that can underpin diseases. As an American Physical Society fellow, Finzi investigates transcriptional regulation mechanisms using advanced techniques like magnetic tweezers, optical tweezers, and atomic force microscopy, as well as studying DNA supercoiling, a critical regulator of genomic function. Her work highlights the integration of biophysics with emerging technologies, such as machine learning, to explore new avenues in medical research.

Written by David Brandin

Adapted from Laura Finzi named first Dr. Waenard L. Miller, Jr. ’69 and Sheila M. Miller Endowed Chair in Medical Biophysics | Clemson News

Clemson University Ph.D. students Som Dixit and Shinto Francis were awarded $25,000 fellowships by Hitachi High-Tech America Inc. to support their doctoral research in additive manufacturing and quantum computing, respectively. This marks the first time two fellowships have been awarded in the program’s 10-year history.

Dixit, an automotive engineering student, focuses on developing advanced materials like metal-ceramic composites and high-entropy alloys for applications in sectors such as military and energy. His research leverages electron microscopy to analyze microstructures and defects in additively manufactured components, advancing material innovation. He is mentored by Shunyu Liu, assistant professor of automotive engineering.

Francis, a physics and astronomy student, is working on quantum computing, with the aim of reducing interference in qubits by creating nitrogen vacancy centers using focused-ion beam microscopy. His work could enhance quantum computing systems’ stability. Francis is mentored by Ramakrishna Podila, associate professor of physics and astronomy and fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Both researchers use the Clemson University Electron Microscopy Facility, which Hitachi has supported since the 1990s. The facility houses some of Hitachi’s most advanced microscopes and plays a pivotal role in fostering innovation, student training, and industry collaboration. The partnership aligns with Clemson’s goals of advancing research and student experiences.

Written by David Brandin

Adapted from Hitachi awards two fellowships to Clemson Ph.D. students | Clemson News

This artist’s impression of a planet-forming disk surrounding a young star shows a swirling “pancake” of hot gas and dust from which planets form. Using the James Webb Space Telescope, a team of researchers obtained detailed images showing the layered, conical structure of disk winds – streams of gas blowing out into space. National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ)

Using data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), researchers such as Clemson University’s Sean Brittain captured the most detailed images yet of protoplanetary disk winds—streams of gas that shape the disks where planets form. These winds may solve the mystery of how disks lose angular momentum, enabling gas to accrete onto young stars much faster than previously thought. The study, published in Nature Astronomy, observed four protoplanetary disk systems: a complex, three-dimensional structure of winds originating from different regions of the disk, which resembles a layered onion.

The findings provide the first tangible evidence supporting the theory that magnetic field-driven winds play a key role in star growth and disk evolution. Thermal winds and X-winds also contribute. By tuning JWST’s detectors to specific molecules, the team traced the layers of these winds and discovered a central hole in the cone-shaped structures, formed by molecular winds. These insights could refine our understanding of planet formation and stellar evolution. The researchers now plan to expand their observations to more disks to deepen their knowledge.

Credit: David Brandin

Read more here: 
James Webb Space Telescope reveals evidence of winds that could solve mystery of how planet-forming disks are shaped | Clemson News

Clemson University researchers, led by Laura Finzi, have uncovered the role of mechanical forces in gene transcription, specifically in RNA polymerase (RNAP) activity during termination. While the traditional view holds that RNAP dissociates from DNA after releasing mRNA, the team demonstrated that force can cause RNAP to slide forward or backward on the DNA template. This force-directed recycling allows genes to be transcribed multiple times or only once, affecting gene expression.

Using magnetic tweezers, the researchers found that RNAP’s ability to switch to oppositely oriented promoters relies on the C-terminal domains of its alpha subunits. Deleting these subunits prevents RNAP from flipping to oppositely oriented promoters. Published in Nature Communications, these findings could inform strategies for regulating transcription and suppressing harmful proteins. Finzi envisions a future where a map of forces on the genome helps predict transcription levels across genes and cells. The study was supported by NIH grants.

Credit: David Brandin

Read more here: 
Research provides new insights into role of mechanical forces in gene expression | Clemson News

Above: a YouTube video related to Dr. Lehmacher’s NASA VortEx rocket launched on 23 March 2023 from Andøya Space Center, Norway.

The video shows a very detailed simulation of the winds and waves over northern Scandinavia based on the actual weather conditions and including the time when we launched two sounding rockets. 

The high-resolution (1.2 km) weather simulation was made at the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ) by a collaborator, Prof. Claudia Stephan, of Dr. Lehmacher at Clemson University from the Institute for Atmospheric Physics (IAP) at the University of Rostock and covers waves at heights up to 40 km. The waves are excited by winds blowing over the coastal mountains and propagate upward into the stratosphere. The goal of VortEx is the study of mixing effects from these waves at even greater heights, in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, 50 to 120 km. This intermittent mixing can extend even further, to the region where the space station orbits (400 km) and the surrounding ionosphere and become part of our “space weather”.

Want to read more about this research? Read more here: 
Rocket launch could provide insight into how turbulence far above the planet’s surface affects our planet’s atmosphere | Clemson News

“Ramakrishna Podila, a materials physicist in the Clemson University Department of Physics and Astronomy, has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

The Royal Society of Chemistry is a professional society based in the United Kingdom with over 50,000 members worldwide. The designation of Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) is given to those who have made significant contributions to the chemical sciences (including materials chemistry and physics). Fellows are nominated by other members.

Podila’s research is highly interdisciplinary and combines physics, chemistry, biology and materials science.”

“His previous work focused on three broad areas: energy conversion and storage, nano-bio interfaces, and photonics and bioimaging. In addition to these areas, Podila’s group is currently pursuing new research directions in foundations of quantum mechanics and quantum biology.

His research has received support from the highest government agencies, such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, NASA and the U.S. Army, and many global companies.

Podila has authored more than 100 publications in scholarly journals, including multiple articles in Royal Society of Chemistry journals, that have been extensively cited. Web of Science, an online index that covers journal articles published in various sciences and the arts and humanities, listed one of his papers in materials chemistry in the top 1% of cited articles in the field. He also holds two U.S. patents.”

Credit: Cindy Landrum

Read more here: 
Podila elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry | Clemson News