Research

The Physics and Astronomy department at Lehman College is very active in research in theoretical physics, particularly in the areas of condensed matter physics, high-energy physics and quantum optics/quantum information. All faculty members are distinguished researchers and mentors with a large number of publications and citations in major peer reviewed journals. Research is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Research Corporation, the U.S. Army and the Professional Staff Congress, CUNY. There are current research collaborations with the City College at CUNY, Columbia University, Illinois State University, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, New York University, University of Barcelona, Université de Versailles, York University.
  • Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics
    • Distinguished Professor Eugene M. Chudnovsky (GI-229)
      Magnetism and superconductivity, including quantum tunneling of the magnetic moment; quantum dynamics of the magnetic flux in superconductors; molecular nanomagnets; and magnetic and superconducting qubits.
    • Associate Professor Dmitry Garanin (GI-329)
      Collective spin-phonon relaxation with coherence effects in dynamically correlated dense paramagnets such as crystals of molecular magnets; spin tunneling; many-body dynamics of magnetic nanoparticles and magnetic elements.
    • Graduate students Reem Jaafar and Jaroslav Albert
  • Theoretical High-Energy Physics
    • Associate Professor Daniel Kabat (GI-136)
      String theory and quantum gravity with applications to cosmology and black holes, including holographic descriptions of bulk gravitational physics, string dynamics at high temperature, modified theories of gravity and the cosmological constant.
    • Professor Dimitra Karabali (GI-131)
      Nonperturbative aspects of gauge theories, such as confinement and mass gap, matrix models, noncommutative field theories, higher dimensional quantum Hall systems, bosonization.
  • Theoretical Quantum Optics/Quantum Information
    • Professor Christopher Gerry (GI-134)
      Properties and methods of generating nonclassical states of light, high-resolution interferometry with light and atoms, cavity quantum electrodynamics, quantum information processing, fundamental tests of quantum mechanics.
    • Postdoctoral Research Associate: Dr. Adil Benmoussa

Representative posters of the faculty and students:

Photos from the Doctoral Student Orientation Day at the Graduate Center