1. Who are you doing research with this summer and what kind of research project are you doing ?

The research for the summer will be done with Dr. Roberto Ramos from the physics, math, and statistics department of USciences. Our work will involve low temperature studies of exotic materials and their electronic properties. We will be understanding the properties of Josephson junctions and point-contact spectroscopy to study materials.

2. What do you find fascinating in the research that you’re doing ?

Research with condensed matter and materials holds value both presently and for future goals. It provides a wonderful opportunity to explore what research as a physicist entails and what the materials science field can offer as a future career. I will gain experience with devices that materials scientists deal with and understand the patience it takes to study new materials and how we can classify them. It is also exciting to know that, we as researchers, are pioneering the path for these new materials to potentially benefit technological advancements later on. As an undergraduate, I am enthusiastic to be working with meaningful groundwork that has the potential to be used in the world.

3. What skills are you learning through the USURF experience ?

The USURF opportunity benefits me because I am learning the necessary skills to becoming a materials science researcher. These skills include: dedication, patience, higher-level understanding, coding (Python, Jupyter), further understanding of programs (LabVIEW, Excel), handiness, organization/preparedness, and much more. This program provides both direct and latent skills that benefit me personally and socially.

4. What are the challenges you’re encountering in your research ?

Patience is the biggest issue that I personally have in the lab. I would not consider it an issue but rather an obstacle that can test one’s self to see how dedicated they can be to the research. That being said, it takes patience to prepare a sample, test its resistance, perform system checks, cool down and de-pressurize the system, take temperature scans of the sample, use python to plot the data, and collectively display the data in a personal presentation. This issue I find easy to cope with and also a fun challenge when working in the lab.

5. How is your USURF experience impacting the way you view your field ?

Research under the USURF Program has allowed me to gain extensive insight into the materials science field. From the program so far, I have found that experimental research will definitely be a projected career for me. I personally enjoy making the samples and operating the devices that test each sample. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment and a sense of involvement. I overall love the idea of furthering science and technology and I believe materials science is a field where I can do just that.

6. Tell us something interesting about yourself.

A personal fun fact is that I was not born in the United States, but rather, I was born in Bulgaria; a country in Europe. I was three years old when I came over and I have been a U.S. citizen ever since. Also, another fun fact, my name is incorrectly spelled on my birth certificate. Legally, my actual name is “Luck”, but for the time being, it is “Luke”.