The Next Generation of Physicists

Undergraduate Research Highlights

For many undergraduate physics majors, summer isn't just a break from classes—it is an open runway to dive headfirst into cutting-edge research. Last summer, several of our undergraduate students took full advantage of these opportunities, pursuing world-class research across the globe and right here at K-State.

National and International Experiences

Graham Dirks

Our students expanded their horizons far beyond Manhattan, making significant contributions to major international research and national laboratories.

• Graham Dirks was awarded a prestigious Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, this highly competitive, 10-week program provided an immersive, in-person research experience. Graham worked directly alongside a SLAC scientist on a project tailored to the laboratory's cutting-edge program, culminating in an authored research paper and a professional presentation.
• Noah McPherson, a dual physics and chemical engineering major, spent his summer as a visiting researcher at the University of Adelaide in Australia. Participating in a unique study abroad and research experience, Noah traveled across the globe to contribute to an impactful project focused on establishing a global hub for energy sovereignty for Indigenous peoples. By combining his technical backgrounds with sustainable energy solutions, Noah helped lay the groundwork for a more equitable energy future.

Hands-On Mentorship in the REU Program

Closer to home, the department’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program brought together bright minds for collaborative physics research. Among the standout participants were undergraduate physics majors Zander Holdsworth and Vanessa Sanders, who dove deep into experimental and molecular physics projects.

Joining the cohort in a unique, local capacity was Manhattan High School senior Nutsa Samushia—daughter of physics faculty member Lado Samushia and Nino Matcharadze. Nutsa joined the lab spaces as an unofficial participant in the REU program, getting an early, immersive taste of university-level research. Nutsa will attend Stanford in the fall. By welcoming both dedicated undergraduates and a talented local high schooler, the program highlighted the department's vibrant mentorship pipeline and its commitment to fostering the next generation of scientists.

Sharing Findings on Campus

The hard work invested over the summer and academic year culminated in two major presentation milestones on campus, giving students vital experience in science communication.

Fall Undergraduate Research Colloquium

Five of our researchers took the stage at the department's fall colloquium to present formal talks to an audience of faculty and peers, marking a major academic milestone:

• Graham Dirks – Photomultiplier Tube Calibration for the XLZD Prototype Dark Matter Detector
• Dawn Huddleston – Mu2e Front-End Board Electronics Diagnostics
• Vanessa Sanders – Investigating the Molecular Fragmentation of $\text{COOD}^+$ Ions
• Zander Holdsworth – Experimental Methods and Laser Induced Electron Diffraction
• Nutsa Samushia – Optimization of Attosecond Photoionization Dynamics Calculations for RABBIT with C4

K-State Research Week Symposium

Dawn Huddleston

Several students also showcased the research they pursued during the academic year alongside faculty mentors at the university-wide Undergraduate Research Symposium:

• Graham Dirks (Mentored by Andrew Ivanov) – Compact Muon Solenoid experiment (CMS) Readout Chips (CROCv2) Wafer and Chip-level Testing and Validation
• Dawn Huddleston (Mentored by Rachel Levitt) – Redditor Reality vs Speedrunner Subversion: Video Game Mechanics as a Site for Queer Worldbuilding
• Vivian Nguyen (Mentored by Suprem Das and Aarthi Kannan) – Mxene-Based Electrochemical Sensors for Phosphate Detection
• Vanessa Sanders (Mentored by Itzik Ben-Itzhak) – Investigating the Fragmentation Dynamics of $\text{COOD}^+$ Ions and their Comparison to $\text{HCO}_2^+$

From coding complex algorithms and aligning laser optics to fabricating electrochemical sensors, these students perfectly highlighted the incredible range of hands-on research happening at the undergraduate level. The department congratulates all of our student presenters and thanks our faculty mentors for their invaluable guidance!