Education
- Ph.D. (HASYLAB/DESY, University of Hamburg, Germany) 1995
- M.Sc. (University of Hamburg, Germany) 1989
Previous Positions
- Professor at University of Saskatchewan (2003 – present)
- Associate Professor at University of Saskatchewan (2000-2003)
- Assistant Professor/Research at CAMD, Louisiana State University, USA (1996-2000)
- Postdoctoral fellow at Tulane University, New Orleans, USA (1995-1996)
Awards
- Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) for Materials Science with Synchrotron Radiation (2012-2018)
- Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) for Materials Science with Synchrotron Radiation (2007-2011)
- Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) for Materials Science with Synchrotron Radiation (2002-2006)
Research Interests
I am an experimental condensed matter physicist. We are using synchrotron radiation to study new materials. The goal is the understanding of the electronic structure in order to design materials with novel electronic, optical, magnetic, photochemical and catalytic properties. This ultimately will lead to new devices. My research program focuses on the study of the electronic structure of complex materials, magnetic systems and biomaterials. These materials are of great theoretical and practical interest because their electronic structure is not merely related to atomic species and position but to ordering of spins, orbitals and charge on the lattice ions. Localization, correlation and exchange effects play important roles and will be accessible through low energy excitations with synchrotron radiation. The accurate description of these effects sets to a large extends the agenda for condensed matter theory as well as for technical applications.
Currently, I am performing my research at the Advanced Light Source at Berkeley, California, US. With the advent of a world-class synchrotron facility in Saskatoon, the Canadian Light Source, brilliant synchrotron light will be available in Saskatoon. An experimental endstation for soft x-ray spectroscopy has been funded. I am leading a team to implement a high-brightness soft x-ray spectroscopy beamline (80-1900 eV), which has been accepted recently by the CLS and the proposal is currently under review with CFI. With the unique capabilities at the Canadian light source, the focus of my research will include the study of magnetic (and nanostructured) materials with polarized synchrotron radiation.
Graduate Student Opportunities
Graduate student positions are available! If you are interested in synchrotron radiation experiments at the Canadian Light Source and the Advanced Light Source at Berkeley, contact me via email for more information.
Teaching
Current Undergraduate Courses
Past Undergraduate Courses Taught
Physics and Technology (PHYS 125.3)