Faculty

Research/Areas of Interest: Biological Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, Quantum Mechanics My research interests cover a broad array of topics in biological physics, condensed matter physics and quantum mechanics. In biological physics our group is performing both experimental and theoretical work to uncover fundamental physical principles that underlie the formation of functional neuronal networks among neurons in the brain. One of the primary challenges in science today is to figure out how as many as 100 billion neurons are produced, grow, and organize themselves into the truly wonderful information-processing machine which is the brain. We combine high-resolution imaging techniques such as atomic force, traction force and fluorescence microscopy to measure mechanical properties of neurons and to correlate these properties with internal components of the cell. Our group is also using mathematical modeling based on stochastic differential equations and the theory of dynamical systems to predict axonal growth and the formation of neuronal networks. The aim of this work is twofold. On the one hand we are using tools and concepts from experimental and theoretical physics to understand biological processes. On the other hand, active biological processes in neuronal cells exhibit a wealth of fascinating phenomena such as feedback control, pattern formation, collective behavior, and non equilibrium dynamics, and thus the insights learned from studying these biological systems broaden the intellectual range of physics. I am also interested in the foundations of quantum mechanics, particularly in decoherence phenomena and in applying the theory of stochastic processes to open quantum systems. My interests in condensed matter physics include quantum transport in nanoscale systems (carbon nanotubes, graphene, polymer composites, hybrid nanostructures), as well as scanning probe microscopy investigations of novel biomaterials.

Research/Areas of Interest: Food systems, farm history/heritage, myth and ritual, tourism, industrial heritage, culture-led redevelopment

Research/Areas of Interest: Animal Behavior: Recognition systems, evolution of sociality, parasite and host relationships, behavioral & chemical communication, invasion genetics

Research/Areas of Interest: German language and culture teaching as a vehicle to intercultural citizenship, second language acquisition, and teacher language education.

Research/Areas of Interest: Physical Organic Chemistry. Research interests include use of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in studies of the stereochemistry and conformations of organic molecules, computer applications in teaching and research, and organic synthesis. Projects have included the study of nonchair conformations of cyclohexane derivatives, the influence of electrostatic interactions among polar groups upon conformational equilibria, and conformational studies of molecules of biological interest. Much of this work required the synthesis of organic compounds with deuterium and carbon-13 at specific locations for use in the determination of NMR coupling constants and relaxation times, and are interpreted in terms of conformational equilibria. Experimental conformational energies were also compared with those calculated by use of the methods of computational chemistry. Other projects have involved the use of computers in teaching organic chemistry. The most ambitious of these projects was designed to develop an interactive computer program for teaching of organic synthesis.

Research/Areas of Interest: Dr. Stopka's current research focuses on the intersection of opioid use disorder, overdose, and infectious diseases (HCV, HIV, STIs, COVID-19). He employs GIS, spatial epidemiological, qualitative, biostatistical, and laboratory approaches in multi-site, interdisciplinary studies and public health interventions. He currently leads and contributes to clinical trials and observational studies funded by the NIH, CDC, and SAMHSA to assess the effectiveness of a mobile, telemedicine-based HCV treatment and harm reduction model for rural opioid users in Northern New England, to reduce opioid overdose deaths by 40% in Massachusetts, and to evaluate the overdose prevention impacts of administration of medication for opioid use disorder in houses of correction. Dr. Stopka is also Co-PI of the Tufts research priority group focused on equity in health, wealth, and civic engagement. He teaches courses in GIS and spatial epidemiology, research methods for public health, and epidemiology. He enjoys mentoring research assistants, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty in ongoing research studies and collaborative publications.

Research/Areas of Interest: Development and Growth, Urban Economics

Research/Areas of Interest: Creative Nonfiction, Journalism, Nuclear Weapons History, Climate Change, Anthropocene, Environment, Mental Illness, Secrecy

Research/Areas of Interest: Medieval Latin Philosophy; Classical Arabic Philosophy; History and Philosophy of Logic; Aristotle; Avicenna

Research/Areas of Interest: Environmental health, environmental epidemiology, air pollution, exposure science, data analytics

Research/Areas of Interest: Medieval art, architecture, and visual culture in Europe and the Byzantine-Slavic cultural spheres; image theory; historiography; patronage; monasticism; cross-cultural interactions

Research/Areas of Interest: Mesoamerican Archaeology, Ceramic Analysis, Rise and Fall of Complex Societies My research interests are in the social mechanisms involved in the development and demise of complex societies, concentrating on Mesoamerica. The central theme behind my research is to gain a better understanding of the processes involved in the establishment and collapse of social hierarchies and how these are expressed in the archaeological record. I examine these issues though a contextual analysis of material culture (specifically pottery) from a number of different sites. As the ceramicist for the Programme for Belize Archaeology Project in the Three Rivers Region of northwestern Belize, I am in the process of developing a regional chronology for the area which involves the analysis of ceramics recovered from a number across the region(ranging from isolated finds to large cities such as La Milpa) and dating from the Middle Preclassic (900 B.C.) to Terminal Classic (A.D. 900). I am also the Associate Director of the St. George's Caye Archaeological project where we are excavating the remains of the first capital of Belize. This project is focused on historic period occupation where we are finding some of the forefathers of Belize that were associated with the Battle of St. George's Caye in 1798 when the Baymen fought off the Spanish. A significant part of this public archaeology project involves working closely with the local community on the island to carry out research that is of importance to them and to share our findings.

Research/Areas of Interest: Political Theory

Research/Areas of Interest: Music and identity, music and spiritual experience, music and advocacy, and the impact of technology on the transmission of tradition.

Research/Areas of Interest: Moral philosophy, practical rationality, moral psychology, action theory

Research/Areas of Interest: International Relations

Research/Areas of Interest: Statistics

Research/Areas of Interest: Macroeconomics; Economic growth

Research/Areas of Interest: Physical Chemistry, Surface Science, and Nanoscience. The Sykes group utilizes state of the art scanning probes and surface science instrumentation to study technologically important systems. For example, scanning tunneling microscopy enables visualization of geometric and electronic properties of catalytically relevant metal alloy surfaces at the nanoscale. Using temperature programmed reaction studies of well defined model catalyst surfaces structure-property-activity relationships are drawn. Of particular interest is the addition of individual atoms of a reactive metal to a relatively inert host. In this way reactivity can be tuned, and provided the energetic landscapes are understood, novel bifunctional catalytic systems can be designed with unique properties that include low temperature activation and highly selective chemistry. Newly developed curved single crystal surface are also being used to open up previously inaccessible areas of structure sensitive surface chemistry and chiral surface geometries. In a different thrust, the group has developed various molecular motor systems that are enabling us to study many important fundamental aspects of molecular rotation and translation with unprecedented resolution.

Research/Areas of Interest: French Language; Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition; Integration of Technology into Second Language Acquisition; Hybrid Courses (face-to-face and online learning)

Research/Areas of Interest: Modern Literature (American, British), Modern Intellectual History (American, British), Aesthetics, Literary Theory

Research/Areas of Interest: International Relations, Security Studies, International Relations Theories

Research/Areas of Interest: Matrix completion, compressive sensing, distance geometry

Research/Areas of Interest: Spatial Cognition, Language, Memory

Research/Areas of Interest: The response of societies and their governments to cross-border health threats; social theory and the development of sociological approaches to political problems: eg. the 'new institutionalism' in sociology and political science; the impact of cultural frameworks and social institutions on population health; the comparative historical study of epidemics; the generation and international transfer of scientific knowledge; risk regulation in the face of scientific uncertainty and globalization.

Research/Areas of Interest: To each point on a curve, one can often associate in a natural way a line or plane (or higher dimensional linear variety) that moves with the point in the curve. This set of linear spaces is called a vector bundle. Vector bundles appear in a variety of questions in Physics (like the computation of Gromov-Witten invariants) . Moreover, they provide new insights into old mathematical problems and have been used to give beautiful proofs to long standing conjectures as well as striking counterexamples to some others.

Research/Areas of Interest: Latin American Studies, with an emphasis on the Andean Region Critical theory applied to medicine, psychology and anthropology Gender studies Domestic, structural and political violence Human rights and international humanitarian law Truth commissions, transitional justice and reconciliation The politics of post-war reparations Comparative peace processes Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programs for ex-combatants US counter-narcotics policy

Research/Areas of Interest: Memory and Aging

Research/Areas of Interest: American Literatures in English; African, African-American & African Diaspora Studies; Colonial & Post-Colonial Discourse/ Race & Empire/ Black Radical Traditions; Cultural Studies; Body Politics / Gender & Sexuality Studies; Philosophy and Critical Theory

Research/Areas of Interest: Organic Materials Chemistry Our group applies the philosophy of physical organic chemistry to organic materials, in the forms of polymers, crystals and surfaces. Specifically, we investigate new materials that show macroscopic changes in properties upon exposure to external stimuli. Our main focus has been new materials that respond to light, which has a unique combination of characteristics: i) easy control over where light goes and when it goes there (spatiotemporal control), ii) easy control over intensity and energy, and iii) the ability to pass through many solid materials that traditional chemical reagents cannot. Our research has focused in three separate areas. 1. Photochemical control of charge. As interactions between charges dictate much of molecular behavior, controlling charge can yield control over matter. We have developed a series of materials in which light switches the charge-based interactions between polymer chains from attractive. By combining this top-down fabrication approach of with the bottom-up fabrication method of layer-by-layer assembly, we have developed thin films in which photochemical lability is confined to individual nanoscale compartments, yielding photo-delaminated free-standing films and multi-height photolithography. 2. Using functional side chains to control conjugated materials. Conjugated materials hold great promise for applications including solar cells and displays. We have focused on expanding the role of the side-chains of these materials, which occupy up to half of their mass but are typically reserved only for solubility. Early work in our group focused on integrating photolabile side chains for negative conjugated photoresists. This has evolved to using the non-covalent interactions of aromatic side-chains for controlling interactions between molecules, and therefore their material properties, including the use of mechanical force to control luminescence—mechanofluorochromism. 3. Singlet-oxygen responsive materials. Singlet oxygen (1O2) is a critical reactive oxygen species in photodynamic therapy for cancer as well as in damage to plants upon overexposure to light. Its photochemical production is also chemically amplified through a photochemical reaction, which is the lynchpin of several commercial bioanalytical technologies. Through a combination of fundamental physical organic chemistry and materials chemistry, we have luminescent conjugated polymer nanoparticles as probes for 1O2 in water that shows improved limit of detection over the commercially available luminescent probe for 1O2.

Research/Areas of Interest: Performing Physical Comedy - Clown Acting Shakespeare Directing Theatre Careers in Theatre Actor's Mask Work Tai Chi & Qi Gong Tao Te Ching