Chris Lobb received his B.A. in 1974 from Rutgers College and his Ph.D. in 1980 from Harvard University. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and a recipient of the Invention of the Year Award. His teaching honors include the Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching, Certificate of Teaching Excellence and Distinguished Scholar-Teacher Award.

Research Area:

• Condensed Matter Experiment
• Quantum Science and Technology

Research Projects:

• Quantum computing using superconducting device
• Phase transitions in superconductors

Centers & Institutes: Quantum Materials Center; Joint Quantum Institute;

• Physics 171: Introductory Physics Mechanics and Relativity
• Physics 273: Introductory Physics: Waves
• Physics 401: Quantum Physics I
• Physics 402: Quantum Physics II
• Physics 404: Introduction to Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

• Two Physics Students Named Merrill Presidential Scholars

Chuan S. Liu, a plasma theorist who studied laser plasma interaction, particularly laser acceleration of charged particles in plasmas, served in several leadership positions at the University of Maryland, including Chair of the Department of Physics, Director of the East-West Space Science Center, Director of the Institute for Global Chinese Affairs and interim Dean of the Graduate School. From 2003-06, he served as President of the National Central University of Taiwan. Upon his retirement from the University of Maryland in 2014, he accepted a three-year position at the University of Macau. 

Research Area:

• Plasma Theory

Centers & Institutes: East-West Space Science Center

• John S. Toll Endowed Lecture in Physics Honors a Culture of Excellence, Curiosity and Collaboration

Theodore Kirkpatrick earned his Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from Rockefeller University in 1981. His research work is in the general area of strongly correlated and disordered electronic systems at low temperatures. Their prime objective of this project is to understand the phase transitions and other collective phenomena in such systems. One particular goal is to further develop and apply an effective field theory that has been developed by them and which allows for a systematic treatment of electronic systems with static impurities. The methods employed to study this problem include effective field theories, renormalization group techniques, and many- body perturbation theory. Specific systems for which this project is relevant include magnets with impurities, superconductors, and doped semiconductors. The conclusions drawn from these studies will be of interest to those concerned with the electrical and magnetic properties of matter.

Research Area:

• Condensed Matter Theory

• Physics 161: General Physics: Mechanics and Particle Dynamics
• Physics 260: Vibrations, Waves, Heat, Electricity and Magnetism
• Physics 625: Non-Relativistic Quantum Mechanics