Research Projects

Research Projects - Hero Image

 

 

Summer 2026 Research Project offerings are in the following areas of Physics:

  • Elementary Particle Physics (2 projects)
  • Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (1 project)
  • Condensed Matter Physics (2 projects)
  • Physics of Soft Matter and Biophysics (2 projects)
  • Astronomy (2 projects)

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS

 

Studying Neutrinos with the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (by Professor David Caratelli,  Experimental Particle Physics)
 
The Caratelli group (http://hep.ucsb.edu/people/dcaratelli/) studies the properties of neutrinos: an elementary particle that is ubiquitous yet mysterious. The discovery that neutrinos have non-zero mass puts them at odds with the standard model of particle physics and makes them a powerful probe for new discoveries in particle physics. To study these particles, we rely on large detectors called Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs) that take high-resolution "photographs" of neutrino interactions with matter. Our group is contributing to building the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE, https://www.dunescience.org/) which represents the next-generation neutrino oscillation experiment aiming to perform precision measurements of neutrino vs. anti-neutrino oscillations, search for new particles, and measure neutrinos from astrophysical sources such as the sun and galactic supernovae. The main detector for the experiment will be 20x60x20 meters in volume, and sit one mile underground. The scale of the experiment makes its construction both challenging and fun. During the summer, as an REU student you will participate in building and testing detector components that will enable DUNE to measure the faint ionization and scintillation light signals produced by neutrino interactions. In order for the experiment to be successful, it will require sophisticated data-analysis methods to interpret the images produced by neutrino interactions. You will additionally work on the analysis of data from DUNE prototypes to help enhance the detector's ability to detect and measure particle interactions.The successful applicant is expected to have a strong interest in performing hands-on work in a lab setting, as well as some programming experience (analyzing datasets, plotting, ... in any language) for data analysis work.
 

HydroX: using hydrogen to search for O(1) GeV dark matter in large liquid xenon detectors (by Professor Hugh Lippincott,  Experimental Particle Physics) 

Understanding the nature of dark matter is one of the most important questions facing particle physics today. UCSB takes part in the LZ experiment, using liquid xenon to set the most sensitive constraints on WIMP-like dark matter. We are also exploring an idea called HydroX to expand the reach of LZ by adding hydrogen to the liquid xenon, opening up a window to lower mass particles. The intern will work on R&D to study the doping of liquid xenon by various hydrogenated gases, including understanding capacitive readout of the gas concentration and understanding the relationship between gas and liquid concentrations, with a possible extension to understanding signal production in the mixture. The intern will learn python programming, vacuum and cryogenic techniques, orbital welding, leak checking, and potentially simulation tools. 
 
 
Flexible optical potentials for quantum control of ultracold gases (by Professor David Weld, Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics)
 
The precision and control of experiments on degenerate quantum gases make them a flexible tool for the study of many-body quantum mechanics. This field is especially well-suited to undergraduate involvement both because of the field’s fundamentally interdisciplinary nature and because the diverse experimental techniques lend themselves to modularity.  The undergraduate intern on this project will work with our existing degenerate quantum gas experiments which are capable of producing Bose condensates of lithium, strontium, and potassium.  The intern’s contributions will focus on the generation and control of optical potentials to enable new forms of dynamical quantum control. The optical, electronic, and software infrastructure which the intern will create will allow generation and optimization of optical potentials of any shape, for use in experiments exploring the response of quantum systems to nonadiabatic variations of the potential.
 

Studies of superconductor/semiconductor hybrid nanostructures  (by Professor Chris Palmstrom, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials) 

The study of novel materials and structures allows us to explore interesting physics and to form the basis for making new devices. A fundamental understanding of growth is critical to the advancement of materials and structures. In order to develop structures with novel properties, it is essential to control the interface structure and chemistry at the atomic level. Our group has a strong emphasis on heteroepitaxial growth of dissimilar materials via molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). These include materials with different crystal structures, bonding, and electronic, magnetic, optical and topological properties. Recent efforts in the group have been to investigate novel Josephson Junctions, which are a critical component of superconducting qubits used in superconducting quantum computers. The proposed project is to investigate tunneling characteristics of superconductor/semiconductor/superconductor Josephson Junctions fabricated using a novel MBE growth system that enables the growth at cryogenic temperatures (<10K) to minimize interfacial reactions and compare properties of different superconductors, semiconductors and deposition conditions. The tunneling measurements will be made at temperatures down to ~50mK and the data analysis will involve fitting experimental data with models involving interfacial and bulk defects with the aim of correlating properties with growth conditions.

 

Making movies of “non-charge” in van der Waals materials (by Professor Chenhao Jin, Condensed Matter Physics) 

Condensed matter physics aims to understand how interactions between elementary particles give rise to the diverse properties of materials. Recently, van der Waals materials emergend as an exciting platform for this purpose as they can be thinned into single atomic layers and then stacked into "sandwiches" with intriguing properties. One major challenge in their experimental investigation is on the technical side. While there are many power techniques to probe how charges behave, it is much harder to probe (quasi)particles that carry other quantum numbers (but not charge), such as spins, valleys and more exotic ones. Jin lab develops new optical techniques to address this challenge in the most direct way – making movies of how they move in space and time. This overarching goal involves diverse experimental and theoretical skills; and the intern’s specific project will depend on their interests and background. Natural starting point includes preparing van der Waals materials, building specific elements for the “movie recorder” (either hardware or software), analyzing the movies, etc.

 

Pattern Formation at your fingertips: Natural Ridge Systems (by Professor Mark Bowick & Professor Cristina Marchetti,  Soft Matter Physics & Biophysics) 

The natural world provides us with an amazing assortment of patterns that have fascinated mathematicians, physicists and others for centuries. An especially elusive type
of pattern are the ridges on our fingertips and the resulting fingerprints that identify us. How do fingerprints develop into patterns so unique that even genetically identical twins possess distinct sets? How do these robust patterns emerge during morphogenesis? Are the mechanisms that control the formation of microridges in the ``cell skin’’ of a developing zebrafish embryo the same as those that lead to human fingerprints? While exploring these questions, the student will learn about the physics of pattern formation and use simple theoretical models to quantify the emergence of topological patterns as precursors to skin ridges. Some familiarity with Python and/or MatLab and previous exposure to an undergraduate course in thermodynamics and statistical physics are desirable. 

 

Precision single-molecule biophysics instrumentation and testing (by Professor Omar Saleh, Biophysics)

The Saleh lab is undertaking a rebuild and recalibration of their precision single-molecule biophysics instrument, a magnetic tweezer. Multiple sub-projects are possible for an REU student, including design/machining of mechanical parts; building optical components; developing a python GUI for instrument control; and/or testing/calibrating the instrument by manipulating single biomolecules, such as DNA hairpins or holliday junctions. 

 

Biooptics for “filming” proteins in action  (by Professor Mark Sherwin,  Experimental Condensed Matter Physics & Biophysics)

 

Proteins are ubiquitous biomolecular machines whose functions sustain life. While static structures are well-understood through x-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and especially cryo-electron microscopy, these techniques cannot capture real-time conformational motion. More than 200,000 static structures are catalogued in the Protein Data Bank (PDB), and the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognized AlphaFold, an AI trained on PDB data to predict protein structure. Yet neither the PDB nor AlphaFold reveal how proteins actually move. To advance our understanding of protein function, we need quantitative “movies” that measure distance changes between protein sites on biologically relevant time scales. 

In longstanding collaboration with Professor Songi Han’s group (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, now at Northwestern), the Sherwin Lab has developed a “camera” to film proteins in action. Our method uses rapid-scan electron paramagnetic resonance (RS-EPR) at very high magnetic fields (8.6 T, 240 GHz) to obtain time-resolved spectra of light-triggered proteins. Using Gadolinium-3+ spin labels, we have observed unfolding of the Jɑ-helix in the blue-light receptor AsLOV2. 

We are now upgrading our experimental apparatus to achieve faster, cleaner and more reliable data collection for a more complete picture of AsLOV2 dynamics in an 8.6 T magnetic field. An interested undergraduate researcher will design, build, and test a sample holder that enables UV-Vis spectroscopy inside the magnet. Preliminary data suggests magnetic fields can influence the photocycle of AsLOV2. Measuring UV-Vis kinetics and RS-EPR signals under identical conditions is crucial for correlating optical and spin-based signatures of the same structural transitions in the protein’s light-activated motion.

 

Searching for exoplanets in debris disk systems using JWST/NIRCam direct imaging (by Professor Max Millar-Blanchaer,  Astronomy) 

 

We are seeking a motivated undergraduate student to participate in a summer research project in astronomy. The project focuses on the search for exoplanets in debris disk systems, using state-of-the-art high-contrast imaging observations obtained with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). In addition to planet searches, the student will work on modeling the morphology of debris disks, with the goal of understanding planet–disk interactions and planetary system architectures.

The project will involve significant hands-on data analysis and programming in PYTHON, including the analysis of JWST imaging data, forward modeling of disks, and Bayesian parameter estimation using MCMC techniques. The student will gain experience with real observational datasets, modern statistical methods, and collaborative scientific research.

A background in Physics, Astronomy, Computer Science, or a related field is preferred, and prior experience with PYTHON is helpful but not required. A potential outcome of the project may include a first-authored refereed publication led by the student.

 

Assembly of Massive Galaxies at Cosmic Dawn (by Professor Caitlin Casey, Astronomy)

 
This project uses cutting-edge photometric and spectroscopic observations from the James Webb Space Telescope to understand the formation and evolution of massive galaxies at very early times in the Universe's history.  The project will focus on analyzing data from the COSMOS-Web project and subsequent related projects, like COSMOS-3D, ZENITH and EMBER programs.  These datasets marry very deep high-resolution imaging of some of the most distant galaxies with spectra that trace their ongoing star formation and potential for supermassive black hole growth.  More data is being obtained in spring 2026 so the exact focus of the project will depend on what exciting results percolate from those data.