|
A short biographical sketch Bob Hirosky joined the UVa faculty as an assistant professor of Physics in 2000. His research interests are in elementary particle physics. In a nutshell this kind of research seeks to learn more about the “nature of Nature.” What are the fundamental building blocks of everything? And what are the forces that bind it all together, defining the behavior of matter from subatomic to galactic scales? An experimentalist by trade, Bob frequently travels to the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago to collaborate on experimental work at the Tevatron Accelerator, literally a giant ring-shaped atom-smashing machine, four miles around. This is one of the few places (outside of science fiction sets) where anti-matter beams and Einstein's theory of relativity for moving at near light speeds are common fare. Presently his research focus is shifting towards experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva, Switzerland. This much more powerful machine will illuminate even deeper secrets of the natural world. Alas, anti-matter beams won't be necessary here, sorry about that Dan Brown!
Bob studied at the University of Rochester in New York State and held research positions at the Supercomputer Computations Research Institute, Florida State University and at the University of Illinois, Chicago before coming to UVa. He is thrilled to have come full circle back to the classroom. Both years of fruitful collaborations with other scientists and a strong interest in visual and performance arts color Bob's ideas about work and teaching. His measure of a successful class is one that takes the techniques and mechanics under study and with them strikes out to learn something about uncharted territory. Fundamental research in science is by any measure a profoundly creative process. It is about reinterpreting the familiar or exploring the unfamiliar. It is about finding ways of redefining common experiences and examining those that are unique.
Department Committees (academic years):
Awards and Fellowships:
Professional:
|