Zachary Barcikowski gives presentation to American Physical Society

APS meeting draws world's top physicists

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Zachary Barcikowski

LOCK HAVEN, PA (04/01/2011)(readMedia)-- As the world's leading physicists assembled in Dallas, Texas, March 21-25, for the 2011 meeting of the American Physical Society (APS), Lock Haven University had a major presence. One of the presenters was Zachary Barcikowski, a sophomore and an Applied Physics major at Lock Haven University.

As his presentation at APS 2011 March meeting, Mr. Barcikowski gave a poster presentation on his research titled "Pt Nanostructures Self Assembled on P doped Si(100) Under Ambient Conditions: AFM ad EDX Study," which focuses on research of chemistry and physics of self assembly of the platinum nanostructure on the Si clean surface. He conducted his research in the nanotechnology program under Dr. Indrajith Senevirathne, assistant professor in the Geology and Physics Department.

Dr. Senevirathne explained that "Platinum nanostructure systems are important in biomedical engineering due to their chemical inertness and charge transfer properties. Studying the self assembly, which is a bottom up manufacturing technique, of such systems are important due to the economy and versatility such techniques present."

A resident of Stewartstown, Pa., Zachary Barcikowski is the son of Carl and Sherry Barcikowski.

Dr. Senevirathne said, "Mr. Barcikowski has enormous drive and passion for science. These traits will serve him well as a scientist in the future."

Attendance at the APS March meeting typically includes more than 12,000 of the top scientists in physics and applied physics research throughout the world. The attendance always includes a few Nobel Prize winners in Physics or/and Chemistry.

Each year since 2009, LHU nanotechnology students have been presenting their research at the APS conference. The record began in 2009 with a single LHU student presenter, and in 2010 there were 6 LHU student presenters. This year, there were 9 LHU student presenters. Dr. Indrajith Senevirathne and Dr. Anamika Gopal, assistant professors of Physics, directed the trip to Dallas. Dr. Senevirathne has been taking student presenters to the APS March meetings since 2009.

Lock Haven University is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), the largest provider of higher education in the commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Nearly 405,000 system alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.