A native of Silver Spring, Maryland, Austin Purves came to New Hampshire for the state’s natural beauty, the skiing, and the renown of the University’s Physics Department. A senior majoring in physics with a minor in mathematics, Austin is predisposed to the theoretical aspects of physics. With his mentor Per Berglund, he explores the nature of string theory by applying certain aspects of string theory to cosmological inflation, the brief, incredibly rapid expansion of the universe after the Big Bang. “People are often surprised to hear that my research can be conducted with only pen and paper,” he said, explaining how one goes about research that is purely theoretical. “Much research in theoretical physics is done with only a piece of chalk in one’s hand.” In addition to his involvement in the Physics Department, Austin also serves as the clarinet section leader in the University of New Hampshire’s Wildcat Marching Band. After graduating in May 2009, Austin plans to attend graduate school and earn his doctorate in physics. “I would love to be a physics professor concentrating on theoretical physics,” he says. “That would be my ideal.”
Per Berglund is an associate professor in the Physics Department at the University of New Hampshire. His research, supported by a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation, specializes in theoretical particle physics with a focus on string theory. At UNH since 2003, Dr.Berglund has taught numerous classes including an Honors course dedicated to the Big Bang Theory and graduate coursework in string theory. He first met Austin Purves in his 2005 Honors course, and they started working together in 2007 on an ongoing research project that uses the concept of the very early universe to assess ideas in string theory. Dr. Berglund also served as a mentor for Austin’s work at the Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (CERN). “Austin has done very well, both on the project we are working on and while at CERN, actively contributing to the success of the projects,” he said. Having assisted and collaborated with several undergraduates before Austin, Dr. Berglund considers the interaction with his students stimulating: “Working with the students has always been a very positive experience for me and, I believe, for the students as well.”
Read Austin Purves’ research article A Summer with the Large Hadron Collider: The Search for Fundamental Physics >>
