Wed, Sep 9 — Ming Yi
Affiliation:Rice University
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: C215 ESC
or Live Online
Finding correlated electrons on geometrically frustrated lattices
The properties of a material are often thought to be determined primarily by the elements from which it is made. But what happens when the geometry of a crystal lattice itself becomes a source of new quantum phenomena? In this talk, I will explore this question through the physics of kagome metals—materials whose atoms form a network of corner-sharing triangles. The kagome lattice provides a remarkable example of how geometry can reshape the electronic landscape of a metal. Quantum interference between electronic pathways produces nearly flat electronic bands, while the same lattice can host Dirac-like band crossings and van Hove singularities, where the density of electronic states becomes strongly enhanced. These features can dramatically amplify the effects of interactions between electrons, creating an unusually rich environment for collective quantum phenomena. Kagome materials have consequently emerged as a platform for studying charge-density waves, magnetism, unconventional superconductivity, nematicity, anomalous Hall responses, and other forms of intertwined and potentially topological order. I will discuss how these ideas emerge from the electronic structure and how they manifest experimentally in real materials. In particular, I will highlight recent work from my group using the experimental technique of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) to directly visualize the electronic states of several kagome metals and to follow their evolution across the various phase transitions. These experiments reveal an intimate connection between the underlying band structure and the collective behavior of the electrons, while also highlighting the ways in which real materials can depart from simple theoretical pictures.
Biographical Sketch:
Ming Yi is an Associate Professor of Physics at Rice University. She started her faculty position at Rice in 2019 after obtaining a PhD in physics at Stanford and finishing a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California Berkeley. Her research group is interested in utilizing and expanding the technique of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to probe and understand strongly correlated quantum materials.
Wed, Sep 16 — Kent Gee
Affiliation:BYU Physics and Astronomy
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: C215 ESC
or Live Online
The Sound of Speed: Rocket Launch Noise, Sonic Booms, and Explosions
Although high-speed turbulent jets have been studied since the 1950s, predicting the sound they produce remains a challenging problem in physics. In the BYU Physics and Aerospace Student-Centered Acoustics Laboratory (PASCAL), we investigate aircraft and rocket noise, asking age-old questions important to both physics and philosophy: Where does it come from? What makes it unique? Where is it going? Why does it matter?
In this presentation, I’ll discuss recent PASCAL research on rocket noise, including cases when things go right (launch noise and sonic booms) and when they don’t (explosions). We’ll talk about how these sounds affect structures, humans, and wildlife. I’ll also share lessons from measurement successes and failures, as well as from engaging with government officials, the media, and local communities.
Biographical Sketch:
Kent Gee is a professor of physics at Brigham Young University, where he studies some of the loudest sound sources ever. He joined the BYU faculty in 2005 after a PhD in acoustics at Penn State. Kent’s a fellow of the Acoustical Society of America, an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and was the recipient of the 2024 Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Fellowship.
Wed, Sep 30 — Chad Orzel
Affiliation:Union College
Time: 4 pm
Location: C215 ESC
or Live Online
Wed, Oct 7 — Dwain Desbian
Affiliation:Estrella County Community College
Time: 4 pm
Location: C215 ESC
or Live Online
Physics teaching
Wed, Oct 28 — Dennis Parker
Affiliation:University of Utah
Time: 4 pm
Location: C215 ESC
or Live Online
All are welcome to attend. Speakers generally keep presentations accessible to undergraduate physics students.