Members
Group photo on Aug 2022 trip to JPL. Top L-R: Andrew, Dustin, Judith, Carlo, Lena, Lee. Bottom L-R: Dr. Mossman, Danielle. Not pictured: Brandon, David, and Shaw.
PI Maren Mossman
Title: Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Physics
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Office: SCST 278
How long have you been at USD? I joined USD in Fall 2020 as the Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Physics.
Where did you do your graduate work? I completed my Masters [2016] and PhD [2019] at Washington State University.
What was your major in undergrad? BS in Physics with minors in Astronomy and Math from Washington State University in 2012.
What is your favorite thing to do in San Diego? I love taking my kids to the Zoo and walking around Balboa playing Pokemon Go with my husband.
What else should should someone know about you? In addition to being an enthusiastic experimentalist, I am an avid coffee drinker, runner, and a mom to two tiny humans, a treeing walker coonhound pup, and two kitties. I am also a passionate advocate for and supporter of women and underrepresented minorities in physics.
Prof. Mossman - Standing inside a Cray-1 supercomputer at NCAR during one of her many research trips to Boulder, CO.
Postbachelor Researchers
Dr. Mossman is currently looking for a full-time postbachelor researcher to work on the Cold Atom Lab project during the 2024-2025 academic year.
Requirements: Bachelors degree in Physics awarded within the last 2 years. Plan to attend graduate school starting in Fall 2025.
Responsibilities: Postbac will be responsible for maintaining computational models in Mathematica and helping to plan experiments. A strong background in python is required for data analysis and experimental planning. Additional responsibilities may include mentoring younger undergraduate students in research and assisting Dr. Mossman in the lab to push forward the progress of the cold atom apparatus at USD.
This is a full-time position with benefits, where postbac is expected to spend up to 37.5 hours per week working on projects connected to the lab. Initial funding will last 46 weeks at a pay rate of $18/hr. Successful candidate will need to complete background check and necessary trainings prior to starting their position.
Undergraduate Researchers
Undergraduate researchers work in the Mossman lab on projects that last between 2-15 weeks, depending on a student's level of commitment. Most students who join the Mossman lab will work on a variety of projects over 1-2 years prior to graduation.
If you are looking for an opportunity to be on the ground-level of some pretty cool research and learn a variety of experimental skills in electronics, optics, electromagnetism, and quantum, then reach out to Dr. Mossman to set up a meeting! You can also come to one of Prof. Mossman's "Coffee and Quantum" hours that occur every week during the academic year.
David Vera (FA22 - Present)
Projected graduation date: Fall '24
What are you working on in the lab? Tunable lens optical testing and setup.
What are you majoring in? Physics and Mathematics, with a minor in philosophy
What is your favorite thing to do in San Diego? Explore the city with my friends and family
Carissa Samonte (SP23 - Present)
Projected graduation date: Spring '26
What are you working on in the lab? Digital Micro-mirror Device (DMD) control, and Cold Atom Lab calculations.
What are you majoring in? Physics and Mechanical Engineering
What is your favorite thing to do in San Diego?
Mark Gin (SP24 - Present)
Projected graduation date: Fall '24
What are you working on in the lab? High current magnetic coil characterization and cooling
What are you majoring in? Physics and Mechanical Engineering
What is your favorite thing to do in San Diego? --
Cameron Colucci (SP24 - Present)
Projected graduation date: Fall '24
What are you working on in the lab? 3D MOT characterization
What are you majoring in? Physics and Mechanical Engineering
What is your favorite thing to do in San Diego? --
Alumni Student Researchers
The following are a list of students who have performed their research projects in the Mossman Lab.
Judith Gonzalez Sorribes (FA21 - SU23)* - BS Physics, Spring 2022 (Masters program in photonics @ University of Barcelona)
Lee Lennon (SP21 - SP 22) - BS/BA Mechanical Engineering, Fall 2022 (US Navy)
Danielle Smith (SU21 - SU23)* - BS Physics, BS/BA Mechanical Engineering, Fall 2022 (Technology Unlimited Group)
Carlo Sanchez (SU21 - SP23) - BS Physics, BS/BA Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2023 (Masters program in engineering @ USD)
Dustin Greenwood (SU22 - SU23)* - BS Physics, BS/BA Electrical Engineering, Spring 2023 (PhD program in physics @ Northwestern)
Brandon Eickert (SU22 - SP23) - BS Physics, BS/BA Electrical Engineering, Spring 2023 (Masters program in aerospace engineering @ MIT)
Shaw Clements (SP23) - BS Physics, BS/BA Electrical Engineering, Spring 2023 (Left Coast Engineering)
Kathryn Anawalt (SP23 - SU23)* - BS Physics, BS/BA Electrical Engineering, Spring 2023 (Boeing)
Andrew Jockelle (SU22 - SP24) - BS Physics, BS/BA Electrical Engineering, Spring 2024 (QHL)
Michael Galik (SU23 - SU24) - BS Physics, Spring 2024 (QHL)
* Worked beyond graduation in the lab
Senior members of the lab, May 2023. L to R Dustin, Shaw, Judith, Mossman, Danielle, Brandon, Kat, and Carlo.
Group picture May 2022.
R to L: Judith, Dr. Mossman, Brandon, Carlo, and Danielle.
Not pictured: Lee, Dustin, Andrew, Shaw and David.
