Physics Alumni Profile
Mallory Traxler
Class of 2007
As a doctoral student at the University of Michigan, Mallory Traxler understands the importance of completing undergraduate research. "Participating as a lab assistant and being involved in two REUs [research experience for undergraduates] have made me confident in my skills in the lab. This is important for the work I'm doing now on the atom laser project."
At Michigan, Mallory works under Georg Raithel, whose projects all involve atomic, molecular, and optical physics. "The goal of the atom laser is to make a coherent stream of atoms, similar to how laser light is a coherent stream of photons. The idea for the project is to make a Bose Einstein condensate in a magneto optical trap and then magnetically guide it through a long tube, evaporatively cooling it as it travels. This creates a temperature gradient along the guide, which results in hydrodynamic flow at high densities. Now we are working on a future design for the project."
After earning a PhD, Mallory's goal is to be a physics professor. "I'm glad my UE professors encouraged me to be involved in both research and teaching experiences. The University of Evansville is an excellent place to study physics as an undergraduate. The professors really care about the students and do everything they can to make sure that each one succeeds in what they are most interested."
