Stephen Halley White Award

Ruomu Zhang lands research award for work on micromechanical sensors

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 21:32:35 +0000

Ruomu Zhang lands research award for work on micromechanical sensors Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 04/29/2026 - 15:32

Kirsten Apodaca

Ruomu Zhang, a senior double-majoring in physics and mathematics, has been selected to receive the Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award in recognition of his exceptional honors research project. The award is one of the top honors for graduating physics and engineering physics students in the Department of Physics.

The award was established in 2013 by alumnus Dr. Stephen White (Phys’63) to recognize exceptional undergraduate research projects. During his undergraduate studies at 91��ý, Dr. White’s research experiences made an impact on his future career and led him to create the award.

Finding his path

The son of two biologists, Zhang always figured he would pursue a STEM-related career. In high school, his physics teacher inspired him to choose physics. Initially, he was drawn to figuring out how the universe works and thought he might conduct particle physics research.

Zhang enrolled at 91��ý to study physics and math. In his first year, getting involved in programs like CU-Prime helped Zhang prepare for what it would be like to be a scientist.

Designing mechanical oscillators

Zhang joined Professor and JILA Fellow Cindy Regal’s lab during his freshman year, just as the lab was starting a new project.

His research focused on mechanical oscillators, tiny two-dimensional membranes that bend in response to external effects like magnetic and electric fields, and temperature changes. Zhang designed and analyzed oscillators that form the basis of micromechanical sensors.

As a bassist himself, Zhang likens the oscillators to a guitar string. By listening to the pitch of a string, you can figure out how much someone has turned the tuning peg.

“That’s exactly what we’re doing,” says Zhang, “but instead of someone turning the tuning peg, it’s an electric field, radiation, or a magnetic field. We are measuring the frequencies—the pitch—to figure out what happened.”

Designing an oscillator is complex, Zhang says, but he enjoyed the freedom of the design process.

“There’s a lot of intuition involved,” says Zhang. “The field has developed great mathematical models for many oscillator designs. But because you can pattern these two-dimensional membranes however you want, you can’t analytically derive the best design. People are constantly coming up with new design paradigms – there is no fixed recipe."

Mechanical oscillators are used in everyday technology like phones, Zhang explains. Microphones, accelerometers, and clocks all rely on various types of oscillators.

In Regal’s lab, the team is working to develop an improved far infrared sensor. “Right now, it's hard to detect far infrared radiation with high sensitivity without cryogenic cooling of the sensor,” says Zhang. “We are trying remove cryogenic cooling and at the same time make a really good sensor.”

The project's potential for real-world application was a major draw for Zhang. “I can see a good timeline at the end where there might actually be a usable sensor,” he says.

Improved sensors could be put on satellites, where they can detect faint radiation from a distant star, or improve global monitoring of temperature fluctuations, for example.

Research earns top honors

Zhang was awarded a summa cum laude designation for his research project by the College of Arts & Sciences Honors Council. He was then selected to receive the Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Awards by the Physics Honors Council Representatives.

Zhang’s written thesis placed the work within an unusually broad technical context, according to Regal. “Ruomu developed a strong experimental intuition for calibration and noise, enabling substantive work in both analysis and device design,” she says.

After joining the Regal lab in his freshman year, Zhang spent the first several years helping set up the experiment. In the last year, they started to get some exciting results which were recently published in Nano Letters. As a result, Zhang says it meant a lot that people recognized the effort the team put into the project.

“Having the committee recognize my work with this award is very rewarding,” says Zhang.

Jun Ye, professor adjoint of physics and JILA fellow, served as the Physics Honors Council Representative and was impressed by Zhang’s work, highlighting the range of “new ideas and designs to detailed measurement and analysis.” Ye adds, “Ruomu was among several outstanding honors graduates this semester, and this really speaks to the high standard of CU’s physics department.”

Best advice and what’s next

Zhang’s best advice for future students? Be brave. And get involved. He admits he didn’t know much about this field before he joined Regal’s lab, but he didn’t let that deter him from applying.

“Undergraduate research really helped me find what I wanted to do in the future,” says Zhang.

Support from the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) helped Zhang secure funding for working in the Regal lab, but it was more than that.

“Getting funding and having that structure—the practice of applying for funding and going through the entire funding process—was also really useful,” Zhang says. “I foresee a lot of that in my future.”

Joining Quantum Scholars in his junior year exposed Zhang to fields outside of his specialty, broadening his perspective.

“Having Quantum Scholars invite speakers from different fields, industry, and policy making helped me form a better perspective on the entire field of physics and how it relates,” explains Zhang. “It also helped me find a really good community at CU.”

After graduating this semester, Zhang will pursue his PhD in quantum science and engineering at the University of Chicago.

Off

Traditional

White

Ruijian Wang earns undergrad research award for quantum optics and photonics

Kirsten Apodaca — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 13:28:45 +0000

Ruijian Wang earns undergrad research award for quantum optics and photonics Kirsten Apodaca Thu, 12/11/2025 - 06:28

Kirsten Apodaca

Physics senior Ruijian Wang has been awarded the Fall 2025 Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award from the Department of Physics for his outstanding research in quantum optics and integrated photonics. The award is one of the top honors for graduating physics students at 91��ý.

Established in 2013 by alumnus Dr. Stephen White (Phys’63), the award recognizes exceptional undergraduate research projects. During his undergraduate studies at 91��ý, Dr. White held several research positions which made an impact on his career and led him to create this award.

A passion for physics

Wang said his interest in physics stemmed from a fascination with math, and how scientists can use a few elegant equations to describe the fundamental physical principles of our universe. He spent several years studying physics, math and music in China before continuing his studies in the United States.

He pursued his interest in Atomic, Molecular, and Optical (AMO) physics through research positions at Yale University and at MIT. As the first undergraduate student to work in Prof. Charles Brown's lab at Yale University, he designed and improved PID feedback control circuits for advanced quantum simulation experiments with quasicrystals. Later, as a visiting student at MIT’s physics department from 2023 to 2024, he worked with Prof. Ronald Fernando Garcia Ruiz and led the design, implementation, and optimization of an off-center rotating Ablation Ion Source for laser spectroscopy experiments.

After these experiences, Wang considered where to finish his bachelor’s degree, and Boulder was strongly recommended as a top choice.

Squeezed light on a chip

After transferring to 91��ý, Wang started looking for a research group where he could enhance his hands-on skills with optics.

“I was very interested in Professor Scott Diddams’ leading work in frequency comb and quantum metrology, so I stopped by his office and asked for one minute to introduce myself. He said he had five minutes to talk before his next meeting,” said Wang. Nothing like a time crunch to make a good first impression – Wang quickly explained his interests and to his surprise, Diddams said he might have an opening on a new project.

His project in quantum optics and integrated photonics involved making a special quantum state of light, called a squeezed state, on a tiny photonic chip about half the size of a penny. This special state reduces uncertainty in one physical quadrature of a quantum system and is key to improving precision measurements and quantum metrology.

Wang suddenly had a lot of studying to do. At first, they didn’t have their own experimental table, so he began pouring over research papers on the topic. He and Diddams started building the experiment setup from an empty table and Wang said that experience gave him extensive training, both in designing and setting up the experiment and in purchasing and working with vendors.

“One of the most unique things I learned was not just the individual experimental techniques, but how to plan and execute a project in its entirety,” said Wang. He noted that the real-world experience combined with weekly collaboration review meetings have set him up well for his future research career.

“Ruijian is an exceptional undergraduate researcher with amazing drive and curiosity-driven motivation for learning,” said Diddams, Wang’s research advisor and professor of electrical, computer and energy engineering and physics. “Usually, the generation of squeezed light requires a full table of equipment, but Ruijian is showing how to do that using a small photonic chip that could ultimately fit on the tip of your finger.”

This experiment is the “first step towards a robust and scalable approach of on-chip squeezed-light sensors for a new class of integrated photonics sensors,” Wang described in his honors thesis.

Earning top honors

Wang received a summa cum laude designation from the College of Arts & Sciences Honors Program for writing and defending his undergraduate thesis. The Physics Honors Council Representatives then selected him to receive the Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award.

Jun Ye, professor adjoint of physics and JILA fellow, served as the Physics Honors Council Representative on Wang’s defense. “I was very impressed with the scientific knowledge and technical depth that Ruijian demonstrated through his written thesis and verbal presentation,” said Ye.

Upon earning the research award, Wang said he was proud to receive recognition from the Honors Council Representatives and the Department of Physics.

“It was great to hear the faculty who served on my defense were interested in what we’re doing in the lab, both the science and application aspects. It was nice recognition,” said Wang. “I really appreciate the honor and it’s good encouragement for the future.”

What’s next?

After graduating this fall, Wang plans to continue working in Diddams’ lab as a researcher. As the first college student in his family, he’s currently applying for graduate school, planning to pursue a Ph.D. in physics next fall. He believes the most important aspect of higher education was that it gave him the opportunity to explore different career paths.

Wang also earned the Jennifer Turner-Valle Scholars Fellowship and an SPIE Fellowship from CU’s Quantum Scholars program. He said the program gave him great insight into the quantum industry, and he wants to continue conducting research to develop quantum technologies for real-world applications.

“As a part of the quantum community, I want to help develop the next generation of AMO techniques for both fundamental physics exploration and impactful applications outside physics labs,” said Wang.

Off

Traditional

White

Sean Gopalakrishnan receives top honor for plasma research

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:50:58 +0000

Sean Gopalakrishnan receives top honor for plasma research Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 04/30/2025 - 06:50

Sean Gopalakrishnan

Kirsten Apodaca

Sean Gopalakrishnan

Sean Gopalakrishnan, a senior physics and astrophysics student, has been recognized for his outstanding research with a Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award. The award is one of the top honors for graduating students in the Department of Physics.

Studying lava tubes on the moon

Gopalakrishnan said “physics has always been a fascination of mine, ever since I learned that we can predict the motion of the planets."

Pursuing his interests, Gopalakrishnan enrolled at 91��ý and double majored in physics and astrophysics. He joined the Institute for Modeling Plasma, Atmospheres and Cosmic Dust (IMPACT) at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) in 2023. Dr. Xu Wang, research scientist at LASP, served as Gopalakrishnan’s research advisor.

Wang said, “Sean’s work addresses the charging and subsequently the possible dust environment inside lava tubes on the moon’s surface.” Lava tubes are tunnel-like passages that are created as basaltic lava channels under the surface.

“These structures have long been thought to be natural habitats for future lunar exploration. But recent numerical simulations predicted a hazardous plasma environment inside,” Gopalakrishnan explained.

He investigated the interaction between lunar lava tubes and the solar wind. The results showed that the charging environment isn’t as hazardous as the simulation suggested, making the structures more viable for lunar habitation.

“This work is timely and important for NASA’s Artemis mission,” said Wang. The series of missions are designed to send humans to the moon and eventually establish a long-term presence.

Research project earns top honors

Gopalakrishnan’s outstanding research project received a summa cum laude designation from the College of Arts & Sciences Honors Program. The Physics Honors Council Representatives selected him to receive one of two Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Awards awarded this semester.

Tobin Munsat, professor and chair of physics, served as the Physics Honors Council Representative for Gopalakrishnan. Munsat said “Sean turned his work into a top-quality honors thesis, which really showed his independence on the project and his expertise in the subject matter.” He added, “I’ve also seen him present his work at a scientific conference, and it makes me proud that he’s representing our department.”

To Gopalakrishnan, the award is an incredible honor. “It's truly a gift to see my research and hard work pay off,” he said.

What’s next?

After graduating this spring, Gopalakrishnan will stay in Boulder to pursue a PhD in physics at 91��ý. He plans to continue his research with the IMPACT group.

“I'm grateful for this opportunity, and excited for future research to come,” said Gopalakrishnan.

Off

Traditional

White

Quantum magic leads to top award for Luke Coffman

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:44:13 +0000

Quantum magic leads to top award for Luke Coffman Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 04/30/2025 - 06:44

Luke Coffman

Kirsten Apodaca

Luke Coffman

Luke Coffman, a senior double majoring in physics and math, has been recognized for his outstanding research with a Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award. The award is one of the top honors for graduating students in the Department of Physics.

Pursuing quantum research

Coffman has always been interested in quantum. One of the main reasons he enrolled at 91��ý was the university’s top reputation in quantum sciences.

As a first-year student, he began quantum information theory research with Graeme Smith, former professor and JILA fellow. Coffman continued research with Xun Gao, assistant professor and associate fellow of JILA, which culminated in writing and defending an honors thesis.

His research project explored “quantum magic” in fermions (e.g. electrons) which essentially measures how difficult it is to replicate a quantum state using a classical computer. The more magic a state has, the more useful it is for quantum computation, and could be used to show a quantum advantage.

States that lack magic often have "Gaussian" properties, making a quantum version of the central limit theorem a powerful tool for studying magic. “Luke has made impressive progress in exploring how the central limit theorem can be generalized to fermionic systems – a direction that bridges classical statistics, quantum information, and even has potential applications in condensed matter and quantum chemistry,” said Gao.

Earning top honors and notable recognition

The College of Arts & Sciences Honors Council awarded Coffman’s outstanding research project a summa cum laude designation. He was then awarded one of this semester’s Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Awards by the Physics Honors Council Representatives.

Jun Ye, professor adjoint of physics and JILA fellow, was the Physics Honors Council Representative on Coffman’s defense. “Luke wrote an outstanding honors thesis and gave a high-powered defense talk on a complex subject that connects classical statistics and fermionic quantum mechanics, with impact on quantum information and condensed matter.” Ye added, “he has the big picture and technical competence to do fun physics in the future.”

“It is an incredible honor to receive this award and a meaningful affirmation to keep pursuing the sometimes all-too-grueling process of research,” said Coffman. “I’m grateful to the physics department for cultivating a space where curiosity is not only encouraged but celebrated.”

Coffman has already received national recognition for his outstanding achievements in research. He was awarded an Astronaut Scholarship and a Goldwater Scholarship in 2024. Coffman also received a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship which provides a three-year stipend for graduate studies and professional development opportunities.

Beyond research, building community

While an undergraduate at 91��ý, Coffman was deeply engaged in building community in physics and related disciplines. He served as co-president of the Society of Physics Students, and vice president of the student group COSMOS in the Department of Mathematics.

Coffman has also been part of Quantum Scholars since it was established in Spring 2023. “I was excited to find community with other students that were also exploring quantum science and engineering,” he said. Coffman and other scholars have played an active role in shaping the program. “It truly feels like a program built on addressing the changing needs of its students and the broader world of quantum by ensuring students in the program are guiding its future,” he added.

What’s next?

After graduating this spring, Coffman will head to Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico to continue researching quantum magic. This fall, he will pursue a PhD in quantum science at Harvard University.

“Luke is a highly self-motivated student with strong foundations in both physics and mathematics, and it’s been exciting to see him deepen his understanding across these disciplines. I look forward to seeing what he contributes to these areas in the future,” said Gao.

Off

Traditional

White

Katie Wootten earns top award for fiber-based sensor research

Anonymous — Tue, 14 May 2024 21:49:31 +0000

Katie Wootten earns top award for fiber-based sensor research Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 05/14/2024 - 15:49

Kirsten Apodaca

Engineering physics major Katie Wootten was named a Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award recipient this semester, in recognition of her outstanding research project. The award is the highest honor for undergraduates in physics at 91��ý.

The award was established in 2013 by alumnus Stephen White (Phys’63) whose own research experiences as an undergraduate at 91��ý helped shape his future career. Dr. White created the award to recognize outstanding undergraduate research projects in physics.

Pursuing fiber-based sensor research

Katie began pursuing fiber sensor research with Juliet Gopinath, professor of electrical engineering and physics, in June 2022. She quickly became an integral member of the lab and took leadership of her experiment.

Wootten’s work on a fiber-based sensor for both strain and temperature led her to discover that different polarizations allow for directionally resolved force and temperature sensing. She uses patterned light, light with optical orbital angular momentum, and a special kind of fiber, polarization maintaining fiber, to achieve the directionally resolved force sensing. This sensor will find many applications in monitoring structural stability, oil and gas operations, environmental monitoring and even biology.

Juliet Gopinath, Wootten’s research advisor states, “Katie is an amazing and inspiring student. Her work ethic, deep technical understanding of her project and beautiful presentations are to be commended. I am glad to have had the honor to work with her.”

While an undergraduate, Wootten presented a conference paper at the peer-reviewed IEEE Photonics Conference, and she has currently has a journal paper under review.

Research project earns top honors

Wootten’s outstanding honors thesis titled “Orbital Angular Momentum in a Temperature and Force Fiber Sensor,” earned her a summa cum laude designation in physics from the College of Arts & Sciences Honors Program. She was also selected by the Physics Honors Council Representatives as one of two recipients of the Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award, a top honor for undergraduates in physics.

Jun Ye served as the Honors Council Representative for Wootten’s honors thesis and recommended her highly for the Stephen Halley White Award. He praised Katie’s work highly, “Katie was excellent in her thesis presentation. Her research work is outstanding and impactful.” He added, “She has submitted a journal manuscript to Optics Express.”

What’s next?

After graduating from 91��ý this semester with a double major in engineering physics and astrophysics, Wootten plans to pursue a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford.

Katie Wootten was recognized for this award at the Spring 2024 Physics Recognition Ceremony on May 10, 2024.

Off

Traditional

White

Interstellar dust research leads to top award for Shivank Chadda

Anonymous — Tue, 14 May 2024 21:46:17 +0000

Interstellar dust research leads to top award for Shivank Chadda Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 05/14/2024 - 15:46

Kirsten Apodaca

Physics major Shivank Chadda’s outstanding research project has earned him a Spring 2024 Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award, the highest honor for undergraduates in physics.

Established in 2013 by alumnus Stephen White (Phys’63), the award recognizes exceptional undergraduate research projects. As an undergraduate at 91��ý, Dr. White held several research positions which made an impact on his future career, leading him to create the award.

Not only was Chadda’s research project truly outstanding, but he also had a unique path to studying physics at 91��ý.

From the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to Boulder, Colorado

Growing up on remote islands of India, Chadda and his family narrowly survived the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. “We were incredibly lucky to survive, but the tsunami waves completely destroyed our home, and a large portion of the surrounding land was submerged under the sea permanently,” he said.

They relocated to Port Blair to rebuild, which is where he spent most of his childhood. Despite having limited internet access until the age of 18, Chadda discovered his passion for physics while living in Port Blair.

“I learned physics mainly from books, my brother, my father, and some truly inspiring teachers.”

Once he decided to pursue physics, his brother – who was already pursuing a PhD in the United States – served as his mentor.

“When I expressed my desire to become a physicist, he encouraged me, saying, ‘If you're serious about pursuing physics, you should aim for the best—come to the USA.’"

From there, the brothers crafted a list of top universities for physics in the United States, and 91��ý was on the list.

Pursuing interstellar dust research

During his second year, Chadda pursued a research project on interstellar dust with Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (APS) Assistant Professor David Malaspina after being awarded support through the CU STEM Routes program. The project took shape – and significantly expanded – over the course of two years.

“My research project aimed to deepen our understanding of the dynamics of interstellar dust (ISD) within our solar system, particularly how the interplanetary magnetic field lines of the sun influence these charged dust particles that travel across our solar system,” said Chadda.

Describing the project further, Chadda said “First, we analyzed dust impact data from three different spacecraft. This analysis revealed signatures of solar rotation, indicating that the charged dust particles are influenced by the Sun's interplanetary magnetic field lines.”

“Following this, I developed a 2D test particle model based on the fundamentals of physics and solar physics—specifically, Newton's laws of motion and Maxwell's equations. The simulations from this model produced results that closely mirrored the data we had previously analyzed, thus allowing us to describe the method of modulation of ISD within our solar system under the influence of the sun’s rotation.”

Chadda’s work led to a research discovery, and he is first author on a publication being submitted to peer-reviewed journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

“Throughout his project, Shivank consistently pushed to expand his analysis, to try new techniques, and to explore further,” Malaspina said. “Shivank’s drive and dedication paid off when he uncovered a physical phenomena that had never before been reported: the rotating magnetic field of the Sun becomes imprinted on the flow of interstellar dust through the solar system. Shivank’s hard work enabled this discovery.”

Research project earns top honors

Chadda’s outstanding research project earned him a summa cum laude designation from the College of Arts & Sciences Honors Program, and the Physics Honors Council Representatives selected him to receive one of two Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Awards awarded this semester.

Professor John Cumalat lauded Chadda’s research accomplishments. Cumalat served on his honors defense committee as the Physics Honors Council Representative.

"It is extremely rare for an undergraduate to identify a phenomena that hasn't yet been observed by the broader community, but it is further unusual to have the student develop a simple model to explain the observation,” said Cumalat. “Both Shivank and his advisor Professor David Malaspina deserve special recognition for an outstanding honors project."

Shivank was elated when he heard the news.

“Growing up in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where I was surrounded by nature but isolated from much of the modern world, including the internet, this achievement felt monumental,” he said. “This award acknowledged my identity as a physicist – as someone who aspired to be a physicist from a young age.”

What’s next?

After spending four years at 91��ý, Chadda is planning to return to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to work on organic farming and help with his dad’s construction business.

“India is facing a significant challenge due to the use of pesticides, overuse of fertilizers, and inefficient farming methods, resulting in low-quality produce that can occasionally be dangerous for human consumption,” said Chadda. He plans to help solve this challenge by “developing a technology-driven, water-optimized large-scale agricultural farm and starting a brand to sell organic produce at a reasonable cost.”

Shivank Chadda was recognized for this award at the Spring 2024 Physics Recognition Ceremony on May 10, 2024.

Off

Traditional

White