UNM Physics and Astronomy celebrates hat trick of NSF CAREER awards

The University of New Mexico’s Department of Physics and Astronomy scored a uncommon scientific hat trick this summer time as three college members acquired the National Science Foundation’s prestigious CAREER award.

Diana Dragomir, Francis-Yan Cyr-Racine, and Tonmoy Chakraborty have been acknowledged for pioneering analysis spanning exoplanets, the origins of the universe, and next-generation organic imaging. The CAREER award is one in all NSF’s best grants, supporting early-career college who exhibit the potential to guide each cutting-edge analysis and revolutionary training.

“A junior college member receiving a CAREER award is at all times a trigger for celebration of this particular nationwide recognition of their achievement and potential,” stated Richard Rand, chair of Physics & Astronomy. “For our department to be able to applaud three faculty in obtaining NSF CAREER awards in the same year is unbelievable.  A very rare hat-trick of sorts.  I congratulate Diana, Francis-Yan, and Tonmoy – each of them fully deserves this honor.”

Diana Dragomir

Diana Dragomir – Planets round different stars

Assistant Professor Diana Dragomir and her crew are finding out the connections between big planets and terrestrial planets orbiting different stars. In our personal photo voltaic system, Jupiter is believed to have influenced Earth’s measurement, delivered its water, and even performed a task within the emergence of life. Dragomir’s work goals to raised perceive these hyperlinks past the photo voltaic system.

Her challenge additionally emphasizes training, incorporating exoplanet analysis into an undergraduate course and organizing alumni visits to assist physics and astrophysics majors discover various profession paths.

Francis-Yan Cyr-Racine

Francis-Yan Cyr-Racine: Exploring the invisible universe

Francis-Yan Cyr-Racine, affiliate professor, acquired a CAREER award for a challenge that can use machine-learning instruments to check the unseen forces shaping the cosmos. His analysis goals to uncover the bodily origins and properties of darkish matter and darkish power, which make up a lot of the universe’s power content material.

The challenge may even look at how astronomical observations and laboratory-based experiments complement each other in understanding cosmic evolution. Alongside the analysis, Cyr-Racine will launch a pilot mentoring program to interact college students early of their research, equipping them with transferable abilities for STEM careers and a way of belonging in physics and astronomy.

Tonmoy Chakraborty

Tonmoy Chakraborty: Pushing the boundaries of microscopy

Tonmoy Chakraborty, assistant professor, was awarded a $1.25 million CAREER grant to develop superior microscopy programs that permit quick, high-resolution, label-free imaging of enormous organic samples.

His analysis re-engineers pupil-matched distant focusing (pmRF) optics to beat limitations in optical microscopy, corresponding to restricted depth, instability, and gradual acquisition speeds. By eliminating the necessity for mechanical motion, the approach allows fast, minimally disruptive 3D imaging of intact organic programs.

Broader impacts of the challenge embody a summer time coaching program, an interdisciplinary microscopy course, and UNM Physics Day, a regional analysis occasion for undergraduates. The initiative additionally emphasizes open {hardware} and neighborhood expertise sharing to broaden participation, help workforce growth, and advance environmental well being functions. Read more here.

Together, Dragomir, Cyr-Racine, and Chakraborty signify a brand new era of UNM researchers whose work connects college students with transformative science. Winning three CAREER awards in a single season is an unusual distinction, one which highlights the energy and momentum of UNM’s Department of Physics and Astronomy.