Prize Recipient

Benjamin Lee Augenbraun
Williams College

"For high-precision measurement of the DC Stark shift in the two-step 5P1/2 —> 6S1/2—> 6P1/2 transition in atomic indium."

Benjamin Augenbraun received his B.A. in physics from Williams College in 2015. He worked with Prof. WIlliam Wootters on a theoretical project in quatum chaos and then joined Prof. Tiku Majumder's atomic physics group. In the Majumder lab, Augenbraun worked implemented a two-tone frequency modulation shceme, resulting in a precision measurement of the scalar polarizability of an excited state (6p1/2) of atomic indium with an uncertainty of approximately 1%. His senior honors thesis project used laser spectroscopy to measure the shift in spectral lines induced by application of large DC electric fields (up to 20 kV/cm) to the atoms. Augenbraun was awarded a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship in 2014 and the Howard P. Stabler Prize in Physics in 2015. Augenbraun is currently a first-year PhD student at Harvard University. Ultimately, he hopes to continue his research career in an environment where he can also pursue his passion for teaching.

Michael S. Turner (Chair), Malcom R. Beasley, Allen Goldman, Elizabeth McCormack, Amy R. Graves, James Eckert, John P. Cumalat, James S. Langer