Marietta College Physics faculty member wins Doc Brown Young Investigator Award
Marietta, OH (04/17/2024) — Marietta College is proud to announce that Dr. Joseph Smith, Assistant Professor of Physics, has been awarded the 2024 Doc Brown Young Investigator Award by the Eastern Great Lakes Section (EGLS) of the American Physical Society (APS).
The Doc Brown Young Investigator Award is bestowed annually, usually at the spring meeting, to recognize young faculty for outstanding research. Awardees receive a cash prize and a section commendation.
The award is named in honor of the late Dr. Robert Brown, a respected physicist and educator who made significant contributions to the field. To be eligible, nominees must be Ph.D. lecturers, tenure-track faculty, or tenured faculty who are EGLS APS members working at an institution in the EGLS region, and within six years of their initial appointment. They must also have at least one publication or conference presentation with undergraduate co-authors from their present institution and be nominated by a tenured faculty member in their department.
"It is an honor to receive the Doc Brown Young Investigator Award," Smith said. "I would like to thank all of the senior capstone, Investigative Studies, and summer ASCENT/Rickey research students I've worked with for making this possible."
Dr. Smith, who joined Marietta College in 2021, is a computational physicist specializing in the simulation of intense laser-matter interactions. He routinely runs simulations utilizing hundreds to thousands of processors at the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) and top systems nationwide.
His recent projects include the optimization of laser-driven ion acceleration, code development to model laser-induced damage of optical components, and scientific code comparisons. He is also interested in physics education research and the development/evaluation of new instructional tools such as virtual reality.
Located in Marietta, Ohio, at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers, Marietta College is a four-year liberal arts college. Tracing its roots to the Muskingum Academy, founded in 1797, the College was officially chartered in 1835. Today, Marietta College serves a body of 1,200 full-time students. The College offers over 50 majors and is consistently ranked among the top regional comprehensive colleges by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Marietta was selected seventh in the nation according to the Brookings Institution's rankings of colleges by their highest value added, regardless of major.
###
Media Attachments
Marietta College
Tom Perry, Vice President for Communication & Brand Management, (740) 376-4408, perryt@marietta.eduShare this Story
Recent News
- Investing in the future: more than $2.6 million in Marietta College campus improvements this summer
- $150K grant provides a tuition-free bridge to an Ohio teaching career for veterans and military personnel
- New Leadership and the Law professional development program launches July 9 at Marietta College
- Pioneer parents make substantial gift to transform student career outcomes
- 2025 National College Baseball Hall of Fame Class includes Marietta College standout Joe Thomas '97
- Leaving a Legacy - Ensuring a Vibrant Future
- Marietta College professor Tina Thomas named AAPL Program Director of the Year
- Marietta College Hosts Juneteenth National Independence Day Celebration
- Summer Exploration Camps at Marietta College offer activities for 15- to 17-year-olds
- Marietta College esports wraps up season with national tournament play