Even though string theory is a leading candidate for a theory of everything, it has the rather embarrassing requirement that there are nine dimensions of space. In order for this not to conflict with the fact that we observe only three dimensions of space, six of the dimensions must somehow remain hidden. I will provide a non-technical overview of three different ways of hiding these extra dimensions. This has led to the possibility of unifying all forces within a geometrical framework, new methods for computing quantities in nuclear physics as well as condensed matter systems, and concrete predictions that could potentially falsify certain aspects of string theory.

This lecture addresses fundamental concepts of pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA), and developments in industry. Pressure-sensitive-adhesives (PSA) are distinct from general adhesives, as evidenced by phase separation in the curing process and by modes of failure. PSAs are potentially easier to process, can be reusable and easy to remove, and have application in fields such as electronics, semiconductors, transportation, and health. Recent research is directed at eco-friendly, highly functional materials that meet international regulations.

New solutions for thermal management have been sought recently due to increasing density of dissipated power in modern sub-50 nm electronic devices. Heat transport in nanostructures is affected both by bulk thermal resistances and by thermal coupling across the interfaces between dissimilar materials. The interface thermal resistance, also known as a Kapitza resistance, is in the focus of this talk. Highest intrinsic thermal conductivity of nano-carbons (such as graphene and nanotubes), closest to or even exceeding the diamond, is not helpful enough until one can efficiently connect the nano-carbon to the substrate. We will show that the near-field radiation, or quantum-electrodynamic Kapitza conductance mechanism is the main term in the heat exchange between the polar substrate and graphene or tubes. Such quantum terms may be anticipated to allow a breakthrough in the existing thermal technologies, and, at least, change our understanding of the heat transport at the nanoscale, still largely based on the classical thermal physics.

Flow cytometry has become a benchmark technology due to its ability to individually characterize extremely large collections of particles or cells. Despite its impressive throughput, flow cytometry requires labeled objects and typically looses all spatial information of each cell. Instead of just quantifying scattering and absorption cross-sections, as is done in flow cytometry, it would be highly advantageous to capture full two or three-dimensional images of cells at the same throughput. Imaging, and especially fluorescence and three-dimensional imaging, is extremely challenging at these speeds due to the required short exposure time and fast acquisition rates. In this talk I will address some of the strategies that our lab is using to address these problems, primarily parallelization, fluidic manipulation, and alternative optical contrast mechanisms.

Biological systems consist of a complex, heterogeneous mixture of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, water, and a myriad of other small molecules. Structural biologists have long focused on the relationship between protein structure and function in investigating biological processes. Few recognize the essential role the solvent plays in dictating structural transitions and self-assembly. In this talk we discuss two experiments that exploit solvent interactions and organization in order to manipulate protein structure and self-assembly at the molecular level. In the first part of the talk we will discuss fluorination of proteins as a tool to enhance protein stability through alterations in hydration dynamics. In the second part of the talk we will discuss the tools being developed at Wesleyan to investigate lipid phase transitions. Lipid phase stability and clustering are essential to the recognition, insertion, and self-assembly of proteins within the lipid membrane. Using our technique we can resolve these highly dynamic processes to unambiguously identify orientation and dynamic freedom within our membrane model with the highest available temporal resolution, and without the restriction imposed by a supporting substrate.

The two most important achievements in physics in the 20th century were the discoveries of the theory of relativity and quantum physics. In 1928, Paul Dirac synthesized these two theories and wrote the Dirac equation to describe particles moving close to the speed of light in a quantum mechanical way, and thus initiated the beginning of relativistic quantum mechanics. Graphene, a single atomic layer of graphite discovered only a few years ago, has been provided physicists opportunities to explore an interesting analogy to relativistic quantum mechanics. The unique electronic structure of graphene yields an energy and momentum relation mimicking that of relativistic quantum particles, providing opportunities to explore exotic and exciting science and potential technological applications based on the flat carbon form. As a pure, flawless, single-atom-thick crystal, graphene conducts electricity faster at room temperature than any other substance. While engineers envision a range of products made of graphene, such as ultrahigh-speed transistors and flat panel display, physicists are finding the material enables them to test a theory of exotic phenomena previously thought to be observable only in black holes and high-energy particle accelerators. In this presentation I will discuss the brief history of graphene research and their implications in science and technology.

When two groups of physicists started to use bright supernova explosions to extend distance measurements to far away objects, they came to the very surprising conclusion that these supernovae were fainter than expected. The only explanation seemed to be that some time ago the rate of expansion of the universe had started to accelerate! This interpretation is based on a confluence of results from many recent Nobel prizes in physics which has led to the field of high precision cosmology. Certain aspects of Type 1A supernova explosions that have allowed these to act as standard candles for extending distance measurements billions of years into the past will be discussed. The most recent results, which revolutionized our current understanding of the universe, will be shown to be consistent with the Big Bang Model.

A few microseconds after the Big Bang, the Universe was too hot for quarks and gluons to be confined into hadrons. But then, what is the nature of this primordial matter? At the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), we can recreate the conditions of the early Universe and study this matter in the laboratory. I will review the key findings of the experiments and discuss recent developments of the field.