Graduate Student Highlight Questions

Short answer questions:

What year are you in?

I’m in my 4th year.

What group are you in?

Dr. Enam Chowdhury

Where are you from?

Granger, Indiana (near South Bend and Notre Dame, IN)

Long answer questions:

Describe your research in 200 words or fewer.

My work is in the field of nonlinear optics where I study the interaction of mid-infrared lasers with various solids. At high enough intensities, light of one frequency can be converted to other frequencies as it propagates through a material. Specifically, I study two kinds of phenomena: (1) harmonic generation, where the frequency can be doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc… and (2) supercontinuum generation, where a broad, continuous range of frequencies around the initial frequency are created. This research ties into the development of “light infrastructure.” Since you can’t always design a laser at the frequency or frequencies you need, you have to resort to using processes like harmonic or supercontinuum generation to create the light you need for your application (e.g. spectroscopy or imaging).

What have you done in physics that you are most proud of?

I’ve had the opportunity to work at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in Dayton, OH. My research into supercontinuum generation stemmed from some work that I had to take over and continue when one of the researchers moved to a different lab. Handling the transition while a new researcher was hired provided me with valuable management and leadership experience.

What have you done outside of physics that you are most proud of?

My senior year as an undergraduate, I wrote a radio western that was broadcasted on-air for my school’s new college radio station. It was a student production in which I participated in the casting and recording. Something that writers rarely get to do for their own work.

What are your future goals?

GRADUATE!! Need I say more?