Research

My present research is centered around the ALS Infrared Beamlines. Together with many collaborators, we perferm a wide variety of research using this facility. Topics include Condensed Matter Physics, Cellular Biology, Environmental Science, Bioremediation, Forensic Studies, Chemistry, and Materials Science. My earlier research topics included fullerene materials, high-temperature superconductors, giant magnetoresistance oxides, and spin-Peierls compounds.

Recently I have been working to develop an exciting new high-power terahertz source using coherent synchrotron radiation. We are proposing a new facility employing this revolutionary THz source called CIRCE. Related to developing CIRCE, I am helping to lead a new Terahertz Science and Technology Network.

I have also been recently working on a novel class of materials called metamaterials. Metamaterials are made of sub-wavelength structures which are designed to have electric and magnetic resonances. These can be tuned to yield negative index of refraction and therefore some very intriguing optical properties.

I am the primary contact person for research at the IR beamlines. If you feel you may have a scientific problem for which the beamlines may be of help, please contact me. In addition to maintaining and upgrading beamline facilities, I am always available to help new users make the most of their infrared reaseach.

Publications

I am an author of over 100 research articles (see my List of Publications) and one physics text book, now out in its Second Edition (2009), Solid State Physics: Problems and Solutions by László Mihály and Michael C. Martin.

Experience

September 2002 - present	Staff Scientist/Physicist
October 1998 - August 2002	Scientist/Physicist Advanced Light Source Division Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
June 1996 - September 1998	Postdoctoral Researcher U.C. Berkeley Physics Department and Advanced Light Source, LBNL
May 1995 - June 1996	Postdoctoral Physicist Neutron Scattering Group Physics Department Brookhaven National Laboratory
Ph.D. in Physics, May 1995 M.A. in Physics, May 1992	State University of New York at Stony Brook Department of Physics Thesis Advisor: Prof. László Mihály Ph.D. Thesis: IR Studies of C60 and AxC60.
B.S. in Physics, June 1990 Cum Laude	University of California at San Diego

Other Activities

I created (but no loner work on) the award-winning travlang travel and language web pages. I also wrote and maintain all the IR beamline, CIRCE, and THz Network web pages.

I enjoy skiing, volleyball, travel, and I am the proud father of twin daughters, Megan and Hannah, born April 1999.