CWRU Department of Physics

06/22/2026

Three's a crowd! Prof. Lydia Kisley's lab had three papers published in June - including a paper on crowding!

Anshuman and Mai observed biological crowding sensors might be sensing phase separation instead of crowding. Know your probe! https://doi.org/10.1021/acssensors.5c03872
Ricardo's rainbow plots explain how to pick your variables when using statistical modeling of microscopy data of chemical separations: https://doi.org/10.1039/D6AN00199H
Collaboration with Oberlin on how a physics-based understanding is a greener approach to understanding chemical separations: https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.6c02093

Case Western Reserve University CWRU College of Arts and Sciences

06/15/2026

Check out some of CWRU student Jack Cencula's submissions to our Beauty in Physics art competition! Specializing in astrophotography, Jack has captured stunning images revealing some of the many beauties hidden in the night sky.

Andromeda Galaxy (M31) in Broadband and Hα 🌌
Jack's winning image of the Andromeda Galaxy was created using nearly 200 five-minute exposures, resulting in an effective exposure time of approximately 16 hours. By combining these images through a technique known as stacking, he was able to enhance fine details while minimizing digital noise. A specialized Hydrogen-alpha filter reveals faint star-forming regions within the galaxy's spiral arms, visible as a subtle red glow.

Polaris and the Integrated Flux Nebula 🌟
For more than 1,500 years, Polaris has guided travelers and navigators. Surrounding the North Star, however, is the extremely faint Integrated Flux Nebula (IFN), a cirrus-like cloud of gas and dust illuminated by the combined light of the Milky Way. Capturing this elusive structure requires exceptionally dark skies and careful imaging techniques.

The Cygnus Loop and Faint Hydrogen Clouds ☁️
Roughly 20,000 years ago, a massive star exploded in the constellation Cygnus, leaving behind the supernova remnant known as the Cygnus Loop. Spanning about 120 light-years, this expanding cloud of gas shines across the electromagnetic spectrum. In this image, Jack highlights glowing Hydrogen-alpha and Oxygen III emissions, revealing the intricate structure of this remarkable stellar remnant.

Congratulations to Jack on these outstanding submissions!

06/11/2026

Distinguished CWRU Professor Robert Brown was inducted last week as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), one of the highest professional honors recognizing academic inventors and innovators.

Professor Brown received the NAI medal during the ceremony, as shown in the accompanying photo. A screen projection highlighted his image alongside the inscription: “For his work and dedication to improving healthcare and saving lives.”

The NAI conference featured the induction of its newest class of Fellows and was marked by a celebratory “Walkway of Stars” and a gala dinner catered by Wolfgang Puck.

Professor Brown and his family also had the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and friends from across the years, including Nobel laureates and leading innovators in industry and technology, at the evening reception.

We’re glad to see Professor Brown receiving this well-earned recognition!

Case Western Reserve University CWRU College of Arts and Sciences Case Alumni Association

06/11/2026

Check out another fantastic submission to our Beauty in Physics art competition! This piece, titled The Fluid Dynamics of Attraction, was created by Amber Tilling-Richards.

Even wondered how a moth sends a love letter? These stunning, swirling patterns reveal otherwise invisible air currents carrying pheromones to the Oriental Fruit Moth, triggering its courtship dance.

Using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), Amber captures microscopic particles suspended in air that are illuminated by a laser sheet and tracked with a high-speed camera, making the hidden flow visible. The result is a mesmerizing display of turbulent plumes and elegant vortices, transforming a biological instinct into a striking visualization of physics.

Amazing work Amber!

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06/10/2026

We had some amazing submissions to our Beauty in Physics Competition, and we'll be showcasing a few of them here. Stay tuned!

Check out this beautiful work from Anh Pham titled "The Dark Side of Physics."

This cross-polarized microscope image shows a metalens, a lens fabricated from hundreds of thousands of nanopillars, with liquid crystal flowing between the gaps. Because liquid crystal molecules are rod-shaped, they bend colors depending on their orientation, creating the striking rainbow spectrum seen here. The liquid crystal helps the metalens bend light in a more flexible and controllable way.

The title references The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. The rainbow colors echo the iconic prism on the album cover, while the gray metalens resembles a CD or "moon." The dark Maltese cross shadow arises from the alignment of the nanopillars, revealing the intricate structure that gives the lens its remarkable ability to manipulate light.

Case Western Reserve University CWRU College of Arts and Sciences Case Alumni Association

06/05/2026

Congratulations to Chloe Meyer, an undergraduate physics major at CWRU, on being named a recipient of the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship!

Chloe conducts research in the Chakrapani Lab, where she studies the structure and function of glycine and serotonin receptors with applications to understanding neurological and developmental disorders. This national recognition highlights her outstanding achievements in research and her dedication to advancing scientific discovery.

We are proud to celebrate Chloe and this well earned honor!

Read about more about her in the Daily: https://case.edu/news/cwru-undergraduate-chloe-meyer-named-recipient-prestigious-barry-goldwater-scholarship?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=thedaily_awards

Case Western Reserve University CWRU College of Arts and Sciences

06/02/2026

CWRU Physics graduate student Akeshi Aththanayake has been selected as a Student Ambassador for the American Physical Society's (APS) 2026-27 Student Ambassador Program! Akeshi will help connect students with APS resources and strengthen the physics community at CWRU. Read more here: https://www.aps.org/about/news/2026/05/2026-27-student-ambassadors-cohort

This latest achievement adds to an already impressive year for Akeshi, who was recently recognized with the Department of Physics' Award for Outstanding Research at CWRU's Graduate Student Awards Ceremony.

The award, formally known as the Mary Chilton Noyes Award for Outstanding Research, honors Mary Chilton Noyes, the first woman in the United States to earn a PhD in physics, receiving her degree from Western Reserve in 1894.

Akeshi also earned 3rd place in the department's Beauty in Physics competition. The award-winning images are featured below.

Congratulations, Akeshi, on these outstanding accomplishments!

Case Western Reserve University CWRU College of Arts and Sciences Case Alumni Association

05/30/2026

Scientific American recently published an article highlighting research conducted by Case Western Reserve University Physics researchers who are part of the Collaboration for Observations, Models and Predictions of Anomalies and Cosmic Topology (COMPACT). Our very own Professor Glenn Starkman serves as the unofficial lead of the collaboration.

The article discusses COMPACT's mission to explore possible global topologies of our universe. For decades, cosmologists have largely embraced the idea of a flat, infinite universe, or one so close to infinite that the distinction is negligible. COMPACT is challenging that assumption by investigating a wide range of alternative Euclidean topologies that could describe the true shape and structure of the cosmos.

Read the Scientific American article here:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-thought-we-knew-the-shape-of-the-universe-we-were-wrong/

Case Western Reserve University CWRU College of Arts and Sciences

Decades of data have suggested the universe is flat, much like an infinite plane. But a new analysis reveals deep flaws in that simple conclusion

05/10/2026

Thank you, Physics Seniors, for an amazing 4 years!

On Thursday the Department of Physics held its annual gathering celebrating our graduating seniors! This moment is both meaningful and bittersweet for our department. While we will miss the students we've come to know so well over the years, we are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and are excited for their futures!

The celebration included a poster session centered on senior research projects, dinner in Little Italy, and Professor Bob Brown's traditional narration of stories about each student. Janet Brown presented the gifts of books, with each senior receiving an individual selection carefully curated just for them. We learned where the students come from, their degrees and minors, where they plan to go after graduation, and wonderful personal stories about each. Special thanks to the faculty, especially the capstone advisors, who provided anecdotes and gift ideas.

Case Western Reserve University CWRU College of Arts and Sciences Case Alumni Association

05/08/2026

The 6th edition of NANOPLASM Conference, a high-profile international conference series launched in 2014 and chaired by professor Giuseppe Strangi from the Department of Physics at Case Western Reserve University, will bring together an extraordinary international lineup of leaders in optics, photonics, plasmonics, metamaterials, and quantum nanoscience. Over the years, NANOPLASM has established itself as a premier forum at the frontier of light–matter interaction and nanophotonic science. The NANOPLASM 2026 conference will take place in the stunning setting of Cetraro-Italy, on the Tyrrhenian coast, hosting discussions on transformative advances in quantum and topological photonics, extreme optical materials, nonlinear and chiral nanostructures, AI-driven photonic design, and emerging technologies shaping the future of photonics and life sciences.

Find more information at https://www.nanoplasmconference.com

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