November 12, 2008

Getting to the Nucleus of the Matter
OWU student’s research leads to presentation at national nuclear physics meeting

Nick R. Baker presents his research project, ‘Evidence of Multiple Negative-Parity Band Structure in 71Se,’ at a recent nuclear physics conference in California.

Photo courtesy of Nick Baker

Nick R. Baker, a senior at Ohio Wesleyan University, presented original research during the October conference. The Fremont, Ohio, resident also earned full funding for his travel expenses.

Baker’s project, which is ongoing, examines the nuclear structure of the elemental isotope selenium-71, comparing it to nearby isotopes as a way to predict its behavior. Baker began work during OWU’s 2008 Summer Science Research Program. He is collaborating with faculty mentor Robert A. Kaye, Ph.D., associate professor of physics and astronomy.

“The goal of this project was to see how the structure of the selenium-71 nucleus fits within the existing systematics developed by its neighboring selenium isotopes,” Baker explains in his research abstract. “This work showed that selenium-71 (37 neutrons) appears to exhibit both the individual particle behavior of selenium-69 (35 neutrons) and the strong collective behavior of selenium-73 (39 neutrons).”

Ultimately, Baker adds, he hopes his work will published in a scientific journal or included in a national database accessible by other researchers to help further basic scientific knowledge.

One of the biggest initial challenges of the project, he says, was that “the tools needed for data analysis were not readily available to me at the outset. A large amount of data sorting and program troubleshooting were necessary … to get the data analysis program working correctly.”

In addition to presenting his research in the undergraduate poster session of the Division of Nuclear Physics (DNP) conference, Baker also was selected by the group’s Conference Experience for Undergraduates program to receive full funding to cover his meeting attendance and travel costs. The funding program receives support from the National Science Foundation.

To earn conference funding, Baker was required to submit an abstract outlining his research and provide partial results. Recipients were selected based on the strength of their abstracts and the merits of their research.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for undergraduates,” Kaye says. “I’m happy for Nick. He worked hard and deserves this.”

In addition to presenting at the DNP meeting, Baker also presented his research October 10 at the American Physical Society’s Ohio-Region Section meeting at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

The DNP is comprised of scientists and educators who study fundamental problems related to the nature of matter. Their research sheds light on a wide variety of issues, including the first moments of the universe and the application of nuclei and nuclear techniques to benefit society through advancements in medical care, energy issues, and more.

At Ohio Wesleyan, Baker is a double major in physics and computer science. After graduation, he plans to attend graduate school and, ultimately, work as a researcher.

When choosing a college, Baker says, he visited a couple of other high-profile universities, but just felt Ohio Wesleyan was the right choice for him. “I liked Ohio Wesleyan best,” he says. “I only applied to one school.”

Click here to read more about Baker’s research and all OWU Summer Science Research Program abstracts. (922k PDF*)

– Cole Hatcher

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