Student Awards

Sean Gopalakrishnan receives top honor for plasma research

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:50:58 +0000

Sean Gopalakrishnan receives top honor for plasma research Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 04/30/2025 - 06:50

Kirsten Apodaca

Sean Gopalakrishnan

Sean Gopalakrishnan, a senior physics and astrophysics student, has been recognized for his outstanding research with a Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award. The award is one of the top honors for graduating students in the Department of Physics.

The award was established in 2013 by alumnus Dr. Stephen White (Phys’63) to recognize exceptional undergraduate research projects. During his undergraduate studies at 91��, Dr. White’s research experiences made an impact on his future career and led him to create the award.

Studying lava tubes on the moon

Gopalakrishnan said “physics has always been a fascination of mine, ever since I learned that we can predict the motion of the planets."

Pursuing his interests, Gopalakrishnan enrolled at 91�� and double majored in physics and astrophysics. He joined the Institute for Modeling Plasma, Atmospheres and Cosmic Dust (IMPACT) at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) in 2023. Dr. Xu Wang, research scientist at LASP, served as Gopalakrishnan’s research advisor.

Wang said, “Sean’s work addresses the charging and subsequently the possible dust environment inside lava tubes on the moon’s surface.” Lava tubes are tunnel-like passages that are created as basaltic lava channels under the surface.

“These structures have long been thought to be natural habitats for future lunar exploration. But recent numerical simulations predicted a hazardous plasma environment inside,” Gopalakrishnan explained.

He investigated the interaction between lunar lava tubes and the solar wind. The results showed that the charging environment isn’t as hazardous as the simulation suggested, making the structures more viable for lunar habitation.

“This work is timely and important for NASA’s Artemis mission,” said Wang. The series of missions are designed to send humans to the moon and eventually establish a long-term presence.

Research project earns top honors

Gopalakrishnan’s outstanding research project received a summa cum laude designation from the College of Arts & Sciences Honors Program. The Physics Honors Council Representatives selected him to receive one of two Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Awards awarded this semester.

Tobin Munsat, professor and chair of physics, served as the Physics Honors Council Representative for Gopalakrishnan. Munsat said “Sean turned his work into a top-quality honors thesis, which really showed his independence on the project and his expertise in the subject matter.” He added, “I’ve also seen him present his work at a scientific conference, and it makes me proud that he’s representing our department.”

To Gopalakrishnan, the award is an incredible honor. “It's truly a gift to see my research and hard work pay off,” he said.

What’s next?

After graduating this spring, Gopalakrishnan will stay in 91�� to pursue a PhD in physics at 91��. He plans to continue his research with the IMPACT group.

“I'm grateful for this opportunity, and excited for future research to come,” said Gopalakrishnan.

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Quantum magic leads to top award for Luke Coffman

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:44:13 +0000

Quantum magic leads to top award for Luke Coffman Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 04/30/2025 - 06:44

Kirsten Apodaca

Luke Coffman

Luke Coffman, a senior double majoring in physics and math, has been recognized for his outstanding research with a Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award. The award is one of the top honors for graduating students in the Department of Physics.

Pursuing quantum research

Coffman has always been interested in quantum. One of the main reasons he enrolled at 91�� was the university’s top reputation in quantum sciences.

As a first-year student, he began quantum information theory research with Graeme Smith, former professor and JILA fellow. Coffman continued research with Xun Gao, assistant professor and associate fellow of JILA, which culminated in writing and defending an honors thesis.

His research project explored “quantum magic” in fermions (e.g. electrons) which essentially measures how difficult it is to replicate a quantum state using a classical computer. The more magic a state has, the more useful it is for quantum computation, and could be used to show a quantum advantage.

States that lack magic often have "Gaussian" properties, making a quantum version of the central limit theorem a powerful tool for studying magic. “Luke has made impressive progress in exploring how the central limit theorem can be generalized to fermionic systems – a direction that bridges classical statistics, quantum information, and even has potential applications in condensed matter and quantum chemistry,” said Gao.

Earning top honors and notable recognition

The College of Arts & Sciences Honors Council awarded Coffman’s outstanding research project a summa cum laude designation. He was then awarded one of this semester’s Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Awards by the Physics Honors Council Representatives.

Jun Ye, professor adjoint of physics and JILA fellow, was the Physics Honors Council Representative on Coffman’s defense. “Luke wrote an outstanding honors thesis and gave a high-powered defense talk on a complex subject that connects classical statistics and fermionic quantum mechanics, with impact on quantum information and condensed matter.” Ye added, “he has the big picture and technical competence to do fun physics in the future.”

“It is an incredible honor to receive this award and a meaningful affirmation to keep pursuing the sometimes all-too-grueling process of research,” said Coffman. “I’m grateful to the physics department for cultivating a space where curiosity is not only encouraged but celebrated.”

Coffman has already received national recognition for his outstanding achievements in research. He was awarded an Astronaut Scholarship and a Goldwater Scholarship in 2024. Coffman also received a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship which provides a three-year stipend for graduate studies and professional development opportunities.

Beyond research, building community

While an undergraduate at 91��, Coffman was deeply engaged in building community in physics and related disciplines. He served as co-president of the Society of Physics Students, and vice president of the student group COSMOS in the Department of Mathematics.

Coffman has also been part of Quantum Scholars since it was established in Spring 2023. “I was excited to find community with other students that were also exploring quantum science and engineering,” he said. Coffman and other scholars have played an active role in shaping the program. “It truly feels like a program built on addressing the changing needs of its students and the broader world of quantum by ensuring students in the program are guiding its future,” he added.

What’s next?

After graduating this spring, Coffman will head to Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico to continue researching quantum magic. This fall, he will pursue a PhD in quantum science at Harvard University.

“Luke is a highly self-motivated student with strong foundations in both physics and mathematics, and it’s been exciting to see him deepen his understanding across these disciplines. I look forward to seeing what he contributes to these areas in the future,” said Gao.

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Spring 2025 awards for students and postdocs

Veronica R Lingo — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 21:19:46 +0000

Spring 2025 awards for students and postdocs Veronica R Lingo Thu, 04/24/2025 - 15:19

Special Outstanding Service Award

The CU*iP organizing committee: Iona Binnie, Anya Garfov, Margie Bruff, Willa Arthur-Dworschack, Adalyn Gibson, and Allie Plocki.

The CU*iP organizing committee, composed entirely of volunteer students, proposed, organized, fundraised and hosted CU*iP 2025 at CU, 91��. CU*iP is the American Physical Society Conference for undergraduate women and gender minorities in physics. This three day event enabled 180 undergraduate physicists from across the central and southern region of the US to attend talks and workshops with distinguished scientists, present and discuss their own research, network and enjoy social events.

Outstanding service awards

Arabella Quane: For outstanding service contributions to the Physics Department including leading an undergraduate research seminar.

Nicholas Golden: For outstanding service contributions to the Physics Department including leading an undergraduate research seminar for two years.

Kristin Oliver: For outstanding contributions as a site leader for Partnerships for Informal Science Education in the Community (PISEC), and for especially stepping up in times of uncertainty

Aaron Barrios: For longstanding and sustained contributions to Partnerships for Informal Science Education in the Community (PISEC), over 8 consecutive semesters (the longest of any PISEC volunteer ever!)

Syd Thomas: For leadership of the Physics COSMOS group (Community of Support for Marginalized Students).

Rachael Merritt: For contributions to the organization of CU*iP 2025. (Conference for undergraduate women and gender minorities in physics).

Sara Moore: For outstanding contributions to the leadership of CU Prime.

Luke Adams: For outstanding contributions to the leadership of CU Prime.

Outstanding teaching awards

Justin Nicoski: For outstanding contributions to the Phys 2020 teaching team

Jonan-Rohi Plueger: For outstanding contributions to the Phys 1125 teaching team, including getting to know each student as an individual and setting an outstanding example as a grader.

Benjamin Braun: For outstanding contributions to the Phys 3320 teaching team.

Joe McCarty: For outstanding contributions to the Phys 1120 teaching team.

Johnny Gallagher: For outstanding contributions to the Phys 1120 teaching team.

Tobias Oliver: For outstanding contributions as a teaching assistant for Phys 2010 (Algebra-based mechanics) and Phys 4340 (Introduction to solid state physics).

Andrés Villani Dávila: For outstanding contributions as a teaching assistant to the Phys 2010 (Algebra-based mechanics) teaching team.

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Physics undergrad awarded 2025 Brooke Owens Fellowship

Kirsten Apodaca — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 15:39:05 +0000

Physics undergrad awarded 2025 Brooke Owens Fellowship Kirsten Apodaca Fri, 02/14/2025 - 08:39

Physics senior Annalise (Anna) Cabra has been named a 2025 Brooke Owens Fellow. Established in honor of industry pioneer Brooke Owens, the prestigious fellowship is awarded to exceptional students to help launch their careers in space or aviation. The program provides a paid internship at a leading aerospace company, executive-level mentorship, and networking.

Cabra was one of 44 students selected nationally for the highly competitive program this year. Her honoree bio below is from the Brooke Owens Fellowship announcement.

A senior at the 91��, Cabra is majoring in physics with an astrophysics concentration and minoring in mathematics. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering with a focus on in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and dust mitigation. Her ultimate goal is to help overcome the challenges of the lunar environment to advance human and space exploration.

At CU’s IMPACT lab (Institute for Modeling Plasma, Atmospheres, and Cosmic Dust), Anna conducts experimental research on planetary dust charging dynamics when exposed to solar wind plasma. Her work also focuses on developing methods for charging and separating regolith by size for ISRU applications.

Additionally, Anna is a spacecraft navigation software intern at CU’s ORCCA lab (Orbital Research Cluster for Celestial Applications), where she develops, verifies, and validates code for an orbit determination framework supporting the United Arab Emirates asteroid mission. Her previous experience includes contributions to NASA’s Lucy and TSIS-1 Missions, where she worked in science operations and data systems.

Anna is also passionate about STEM outreach and expanding opportunities for women and minorities, aiming to inspire others to pursue careers in the field and contribute to scientific advancement. At CU, she has served as Vice President and Treasurer of CU Women of Aeronautics and Astronautics (WoAA) and co-founded CU Women of Quantum through the Quantum Scholars program. Before college, she traveled to Mexico to teach local students about the solar system with limited resources and later became a CU Science Discovery mentor, leading an after-school program that integrated math and art activities for elementary students.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Anna enjoys attending CU football games, traveling, going to concerts, working out, and spending time with friends. As a 2025 Brooke Owens Fellow, she is thrilled to expand her industry experience as a flight dynamics intern at HawkEye 360!

Visit the Brooke Owens Fellowship website for more information on all Class of 2025 fellows.

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Graduate student Clay Klein awarded 2025 Nick Cobb Memorial Scholarship

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 19:21:28 +0000

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 20:46:31 +0000

Javier Orjuela-Koop Wins People's Choice Award at Inaugural 3 Minute Thesis Competition Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/02/2018 - 13:46

View the 3MT News Article

Congratulations to Physics Grad Student Javier Orjuela-Koop for winning the People's Choice Award during the Inaugural Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition on Tuesday, February 20th.

Orjuela-Koop's Thesis, "Michael Phelps and the Early Universe" was presented using only one powerpoint slide, which was an image of Michael Phelps swimming. His presentation earned the People's Choice Award by a popular audience vote.

Orjuela-Koop said his 3 Minute Thesis naturally arose from his current research in high-energy nuclear, "We collide gold atoms at nearly the speed of light at Brookhaven National Lab, reaching temperatures at which ordinary matter becomes a liquid of quarks and gluons (the technical name is 'quark-gluon plasma'). This liquid has very peculiar properties. Namely, it has an extremely low viscosity (the lowest of any liquid in nature), yet certain kinds of particles lose substantial amounts of energy when going through it," Orjuela-Koop said. "In order to present this in three minutes, I came up with an analogy, comparing Michael Phelps to a heavy subatomic particle 'swimming' through the liquid. This was meant to provide a clear mental picture to which a general audience could relate."

Check out the video of Javier Ojruela-Koop's 3MT lecture below.

[video:https://youtu.be/S4ByqYw1dLc]

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