Welcome First Year Students 2023-24
 Jacqueline Baeza-Rubio Email: Jackie.baeza-rubio@yale.edu University of Texas at Arlington |
Research Interests: Jacqueline "Jackie" Baeza-Rubio specialized in the construction and improvement of TPCs in search of neutrinoless double beta decay. Her research included Barium tagging efforts for the NEXT collaboration. At Yale, she intends to stay in neutrino physics and move to neutrino mass measurements by joining Project 8. Interesting Fact: I have a large succulent collection! |
 Sam Banks Email: sam.banks@yale.edu Carnegie Mellon University |
Research Interests: Emergent phenomena in living systems. Interesting Fact: I enjoy performing jazz piano, cooking, and playing video games with friends. |
 Eunice Beato Email: eunice.beato@yale.edu Wellesley College |
Research Interests: I am interested in quite a lot of things. I really like particle physics in particular and want to combine both astronomy and particle physics and possible focus on astroparticle physics. I am particularly interested in dark matter searches through the lens of particle research. I am specifically a strong advocate of axions. I have also worked a bit on neutrino research so I am interested in all the new physics that can come out of neutrino physics. Overall I just want to work on the boundaries of the standard model and look for new physics. Interesting Fact: Something unique about me is that even though I really am into science and physics I also really love art and social justice. I am really into literature, art, painting, and art in any form that deals with the artistic representation of POC and their struggles and also their happiness. I am also very interested in social justice (which kind of connects with the art). I think a lot of people don't think discussions around social justice belong in STEM, but it is one of the most important conversations we can have. I hope to try to work on these efforts, along research, and make STEM a safer space minorities through DEI efforts and through trying to dismantle the oppressive foundations inherent in how we currently think and do STEM. |
 Jose Betancourt Valencia Email: jose.betancourtvalencia@yale.edu Universidad de los Andes |
Research Interests: I am interested in biophysics. Specifically, I want to study information-transfer processes in biological systems, as well as out-of-equilibrium systems. Interesting Fact: I love trying food from all around the world. In my spare time I like to watch movies and play Age of Empires. |
 Eduardo Castro Muñoz Email: eduardo.castromunoz@yale.edu Oberlin College |
Research Interests: AMO Physics, Precision Measurements, Quantum Simulations. Interesting Fact: I am originally from Copiapó, Chile. My main passions besides physics are reggaeton and soccer (vamos Colo-Colo!). |
 Li-Yuan Chiang Email: li-yuan.chiang@yale.edu National Taiwan University |
Research Interests: My research interest lies mainly in theoretical high energy physics, and I've been doing studies on the S-matrix bootstrap and the conformal bootstrap. Interesting Fact: I love classical music a lot and have been playing the oboe in the orchestra for over ten years. Recently, I've developed an interest in harmony and musical composition as well. By the way, I'm a vegetarian! |
 Colin Coane Email: colin.coane@yale.edu University of Southern California |
Research Interests: Theoretical nuclear physics, and more generally theoretical and computational methods for studying strongly-correlated many-body quantum systems. Interesting Fact: I spend a lot of my free time reading, running, and playing bass guitar! |
 Morgan Cole Email: morgan.cole@yale.edu University of California, Berkeley |
Research Interests: I am very interested in astrophysics and cosmology, especially in experiment. I love anything that gets us a little bit closer to understanding the universe a little bit better. Interesting Fact: I've biked around in CERN's underground tunnels. It was kind of scary, but really fun! |
 Halona Dantes Email: halona.dantes@yale.edu University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Research Interests: Biophysics, Chemical physics Interesting Fact: My hobbies include writing poetry and crocheting. |
 Ryan Everly Email: ryan.everly@yale.edu University of California, Berkeley |
Research Interests: AMO Physics Interesting Fact: I was an amateur/collegiate boxer while studying at Berkeley. |
 Ryan Hamilton Email: ryan.hamilton@yale.edu University of Colorado Boulder |
Research Interests: High energy particle physics and experimental probes of QCD, Heavy Ion Collisions and QGP, phenomenology, jet physics. Interesting Fact: I make digital art in my spare time! |
 Morgan Knuesel Email: morgan.knuesel@yale.edu University of Colorado Boulder |
Research Interests: I'm interested in how Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP), an exotic state of matter present in the very early universe, forms and evolves. To study QGP, facilities such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory collide heavy ions at relativistic energies. I'm curious about what the QGP can tell us about the early universe and the Standard Model. Interesting Fact: When I'm not studying or working on research, I can probably be found at an ice rink pursuing my goals in figure skating! |
 Bjorn Larsen Email: bjorn.larsen@yale.edu University of Connecticut |
Research Interests: Computational physics, pulsar timing arrays, gravitational waves Interesting Fact: I have two cats who are very silly and try to help me write computer programs badly |
 Benjia Li Email: benjia.li@yale.edu University of Science and Technology of China |
Research Interests: AMO Physics |
 Jiayi Liu Email: jiayi.liu@yale.edu Zhejiang University |
Research Interests: glass transition and crystallization; statistical physics; biological physics; cellular dynamics Interesting Fact:
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 Cecily Lowe Email: cecily.lowe@yale.edu University of California, Berkeley |
Research Interests: I am interested in using AMO techniques to control atoms in coherent quantum systems and develop their applications in precision metrology, quantum sensing, and searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. I hope to incorporate data analysis, mathematical modeling, and machine learning methods to enhance our understanding of these systems and their relationships. Interesting Fact: Outside of physics I spend most of my time in my ceramics studio, reading, or going on long runs! |
 Mahathi Narayanaswamy Email: mahathi.narayanaswamy@yale.edu Azim Premji University |
Research Interests: In particular, I am interested in Biomechanics, Bioacoustics and Self-organizing systems.
I am also interested in learning about research in other areas in physics. During my undergraduate program I have worked on a project on Magnetic Monopoles and Talbot Effect in Water Waves. Additionally, I find Astronomy and Astrophysics very exciting. Interesting Fact: Outside physics my primary interests are in wildlife and ecology (almost as a second research interest) and I have been a naturalist for nearly 10 years now. In general, I enjoy spending time outdoors on walks, cycle rides and treks. I also enjoy playing sports and I hope to learn to climb. |
 Brett Oertel Email: brett.oertel@yale.edu Cambridge University |
Research Interests: CFT, String Theory, Geometry Interesting Fact: I enjoy powerlifting and playing video games |
 Chin Yuan Ong Email: chinyuan.ong@yale.edu The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
Research Interests: I am interested in Biophysics. Interesting Fact: I am from Malaysia and completed my undergraduate degree in Hong Kong. Coming from a multicultural community, I can speak 5 languages. I am passionate in music and cooking. |
 Evan Papoutsis Email: evan.papoutsis@yale.edu University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
Research Interests: Quantum Information; Biophysics; Condensed Matter Interesting Fact: I love hiking, reading, and baking |
 Cooper Pich Email: cooper.pich@yale.edu Baylor University |
Research Interests: Biological Physics Interesting Fact: Outside of physics, I enjoy powerlifting and writing. |
 Eric Regis Email: eric.regis@yale.edu City College of New York |
Research Interests: I am interested in biological physics. Interesting Fact: In my spare time, I love to watch basketball and play board games. |
 Cade Rodgers Email: cade.rodgers@yale.edu The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Research Interests: The application of computational methods to study various aspects of nuclear physics, such as nuclear many-body systems, nuclear/hadronic structure, and the QCD phase diagram. Interesting Fact: I have a twin brother who studies chemistry, and I have a bernedoodle! |
 Tal Sheffer Email: tal.sheffer@yale.edu University of Massuchesetts, Amherst |
Research Interests: I am interested in the fields of quantum computing and quantum information, specifically focusing on superconducting quantum circuits. My previous research primarily revolved around quantum bit (qubit) coherence, where I explored various sources of error within the system to enhance qubit performance. More recently, I have taken an interest in the improvement of qubit control devices which utilize a field programmable gate array (FPGA) board for real-time decision making. Interesting Fact: Outside of physics I love to cook, bake and travel! |
 Jingcheng Tan Email: jingcheng.tan@yale.edu Harvard University |
Research Interests: Physics of living system Interesting Fact: Art, Photography, Lego, Design, Hiking, Music, Camping enthusiast. |
 Sanjana Taneja Email: sanjana.taneja@yale.edu University of Delhi, India |
Research Interests: I have a strong interest in biological physics. It intrigues me how entities in biological systems coordinate to produce phenomena that have no analog in the inanimate world. I want to explore these intricacies in the context of neural systems; using a physicist's style of inquiry. Interesting Fact: I had the opportunity to participate in an immersive 10-day meditation course, where I dedicated myself to 10 hours of daily meditation; while completely disconnecting from the outside world. |
 Naveen Balaji Umasankar Email: naveen.umasankar@yale.edu University of Amsterdam |
Research Interests: I enjoy working to better understand various aspects of the mathematical structures of conformal field theories (CFTs) using analytic methods to the conformal bootstrap program and investigate what they could teach us about quantum gravity. I am also interested in the classification of the space of rational CFTs using the theory of modular forms, particularly in understanding the intricacies of how insights from topics in number theory and the theory of elliptic curves help provide a better perspective and contextualize the physics. Interesting Fact: When I'm not doing physics, I spend most of my time playing the guitar, watching movies, and attempting to learn music theory. |
 Lauren Vannell Email: lauren.vannell@yale.edu College of William and Mary |
Research Interests: AMO Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology Interesting Fact: I can play four instruments! I also love drawing with charcoal in my free time. |
 Raffaella Zanetti Email: raffaella.zanetti@yale.edu Vassar College |
Research Interests: AMO physics Interesting Fact: I play the cello and like to read and crochet. |