Prize Recipient

Paul DeYoung
Hope College

Citation:

"For his research on reaction processes using short-lived nuclear beams and for his outstanding leadership, both in his research group and his institution, in creating an undergraduate research community."

Background:

Education and Employment: 1975 Muskegon Community College (Associates Degree in Science) 1977 Hope College (B.A. in Physics and Mathematics) 1982 University of Notre Dame (Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics) 1982-1985 Postdoctoral Researcher at the Nuclear Structure Laboratory at the State University of New York at Stony Brook 1985-present Hope College (Chairman of the Department of Physics and Engineering since 1995, Promoted to full professor in 1997)

Current Scientific Endeavors: The initial focus of the research done with undergraduates was to study the space-time size of excited nuclei with small-angle correlation techniques (at Argonne, Notre Dame, and the National Superconducting Cyclotron). More recently, and with the expansion of the Hope College Nuclear group when Catherine Mader and Graham Peaslee joined the faculty, the areas of work have shifted and broadened. The main research topics deal with the structure of radioactive nuclei, especially lighter nuclei that possibly have a neutron- or proton-skin structure. Most recently we (with collaborators from Notre Dame, University of Michigan, and LBNL) have studied the fusion-evaporation channels in the 6He+209Bi system and fusion-fission in the 11,12,13C+Au system. Additionally, interdisciplinary studies are underway with local biochemists and environmental scientists. In the first case 14C labeled mutagenic agents and accelerator mass spectrometry are used better define biochemical processes. In the second case, low-background gamma-ray counting provides radio-dating of environmental samples.

Professional Memberships: American Physical Society Sigma Xi (Associate Director of the Baccalaureate College Constituency Group) Council for Undergraduate Research (councilor 1991-2000)

Selection Committee:

Jean P Krisch (Chair), Peter J Collings, Robert Warner ('99 Recipient), Daniel Larson (Vice Chair), Janet Seger