Research

The following are the major research interests of the Faculty of the Drake Physics and Astronomy Department:

• Dr. Klaus R. Bartschat performs research in theoretical and computational atomic physics, with particular emphasis on electron scattering and ultrafast processes in strong laser fields. His projects, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), have involved numerous undergraduate students. Dr. Bartschat collaborates with several groups in the US, Europe, and Australia.
• Dr. Charles Nelson is an astronomer who is interested in processes which occur in the centers of galaxies, particularly active galactic nuclei (AGN) and starbursts.
• Dr. Athanasios Petridis is working on high-energy, nuclear physics and quantum mechanics problems in collaborations with professors from other universities and with a number of undergraduate students.
• Dr. Lawrence P. Staunton (emenitus) is a mathematical physicist with an interest in computer solutions to physical problems.
• Dr. Adina Kilpatrick is a biophysicist working on experiments and modeling that involve proteins and DNA.

Undergraduate Research Institute At Drake

Drake University has founded the Drake Undergraduate Science Collaborative Institute (DUSCI) which supports student research by means of internships and organizes an annual conference (DUCURS) and other activities.

Student Research in the Physics and Astronomy Department