Broad research overview

Motivation: Protons and neutrons (collectively, hadrons) are the building blocks of everything around us, yet their internal structure remains an enigma. We can pull an atom out of a molecule and from that atom isolate a proton, but inside that proton, quarks and gluons are almost inextricably confined, making them challenging to study. 

Objective: I devise theory techniques that help us uncover the intricate inner quark and gluon structure of hadrons, including through first-principles calculations and formulating equations to interpret experimental data.

Relevant experiments:

• Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), under construction

• Large Hadron Collider (LHC) 

Motivation: Everyday substances come in three phases: solid, liquid, and gas. Quark/gluon matter also comes in phases. We typically see quarks and gluons confined in hadrons. However, under extreme temperatures or pressures, quarks and gluons can break free from hadrons and form new phases of matter like quark-gluon plasma. 

Objective: I develop mathematical tools to determine what phases of quark and gluon matter appear in nature, and to map out how these phases transition into one another as we vary temperature and pressure. 

Relevant experiments:

• Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR), under construction

• Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC)

Motivation: When you turn on a flashlight, a beam of white light illuminates the wall in front of you. When you shine that same light through a glass prism, a rainbow comes out. The field of optics explores the principles behind how light waves propagate through various materials and are impacted by electromagnetic forces. 

Objective: I develop techniques that help us better harness the power of time-periodic (Floquet) driving forces to control wave systems in optics and condensed matter.

Relevant experiments: 

• This work can inspire potential tabletop optics and condensed matter experiments