Research Activities

Recent Publications (* indicates undergraduate co-author):

1. S. Garg, K. Purdy*, E. Bramley*, I. Smalyukh and O. Lavrentovich, Electric-field induced nucleation and growth of focal conic and stripe domains in smectic A liquid crystal, Liquid Crystals 30, 1377 (2003).
2. S. Garg and T. Spears*†, Dielectric Properties of a Nematic Binary Mixture, Molecular Crystals Liquid Crystals 409, 335-342 (2004)
3. A.C. Rauch*, S. Garg, and D.T. Jacobs, "Phase transitions in a nematic binary mixture," J. Chem. Phys. 116, 2213-2218 (2002).
4. S. Garg, C. Ditchman*, N. Schiffrik*, and U.D. Kini, "Electric Field Induced Transient Effects in a Nematic Liquid Crystal in the Presence of a Stabilizing Magnetic Field," Molecular Crystals Liquid Crystals 328, 581 (1999).
5. S. Garg, E. Bramley*, and U.D. Kini, "Electric Field Induced Walls in the Bend Geometry of a Nematic Liquid Crystal," Molecular Crystals Liquid Crystals 325, 209 (1998).
6. S. Garg, S. Wild*, B. Zurn*, S. Saeed*, and U.D. Kini, "Frequency Variation of Periodic Distortion Thresholds in a Nematic," Liquid Crystals 24, 501 (1998).
7. S. Garg, S. Saeed*, S. Wild*, E. Bramley* and U.D. Kini, "Frequency dependent threshold in bend geometry of 5CB," Molecular Crystals Liquid Crystals 302, 379 (1997).
8. S. Garg, S. Saeed*, and U.D. Kini, "Effect of a Stabilizing Magnetic Field on the Electric Field Induced Freedericksz Transition in 5CB," Physical Review E 51, 5846 (1995).
9. S. Garg, K. Crandall*, and A. Khan*, "Bend and Splay Elastic Constants of Diheptylazoxybenzene," Physical Review E 48, 1123 (1993).

Recent Student Presentations at Conferences (* indicates undergraduate co-author):

1. David Merriman* and S. Garg, "Investigating the Elastic Properties of N4 Through Freedericksz Transition" Nat'l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2003).
2. Tom Spears* and S. Garg, "Dielectric Interactions in a Nematic Binary Mixture" Nat'l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2002).
3. Joshua Martin* and S. Garg, "Binary Mixtures of Calamitic and Discotic Liquid Crystals" Nat'l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2002).
4. Chris Templeman* and S. Garg, "Two-Dimensional Granular Couette Shearing Cell" Nat'l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2001).
5. Amy Lytle* and S. Garg, "A Structural and Optical Study of Evaporated Droplets Containing DNA" Nat'l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2001).
6. Joshua Martin* and Shila Garg, "Dendritic Growth in Nematic Liquid Crystals" Nat'l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2000).
7. Sean English* and Shila Garg, "Liquid Crystalline Behavior of DNA Fragments" Nat'l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2000).
8. Chris Templeman* and S. Garg, "Investigation of Electric Field Induced Wall and Zigzag Structures in the Nematic Liquid Crystal 5CB" Centennial Meeting, American Physical Society (March 1999).
9. A. Christine Rauch* and S. Garg, "Phase Separation of Binary Nematic Liquid Crystal Mixtures" Centennial Meeting, American Physical Society (March 1999).
10. K. Purdy*, E. Bramley*, and S. Garg, "Growth of Focal Conic Domains in a Smectic A Liquid Crystal" Nat'l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 1998).
11. C. Ditchman*, S. Garg, and U.D. Kini, "Electric Field Induced Transient and Static Modulated Phase in Nematic Liquid Crystals" National Meeting/American Physical Society (March 1997).
12. S. Garg, S. Saeed*, S. Wild*, E. Bramley* and U. D. Kini, "Frequency Dependent Threshold in the Bend Geometry of 5CB" 16th International Liquid Crystal Conference (June 1996).
13. E. Bramley* R. Craig*, and S. Garg, "Frequency Dependence of Bend Freedericksz Threshold in the Nematic Liquid Crystal 5CB" National Meeting/American Physical Society (March 1996).
14. S. Saeed* and S. Garg, "Frequency Dependence of Thresholds in the Modulated Phase of 5CB" National Meeting/APS (March 1996).
15. S. Wild* and S. Garg, "Threshold Measurements in the Modulated Phase of 5CB" Ohio Section/APS (October 1995).
16. S. Garg and K. Kelley*, "A Nematic Liquid Crystal Subjected to an Oscillating Magnetic Field" Ohio Section/APS (October 1994).
17. S. Garg and A. Ozgenc*, "Nonlinear Effects in Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals" Ohio Section/APS (October 1994).

Recent Presentations by Dr. Garg (* indicates undergraduate co-author):

1. Shila Garg and Hanneke Hoekman*, "Dielectric Anisotropy of a Nematic Binary Mixture", International Conference on 6th Ibero-American Workshop on Complex Fluids and their Applications, Lisbon, Portugal (September 2003).
2. Invited Talk, "Properties of Liquid Crystals", James Madison University (July 2003).
3. Shila Garg and Tom Spears*, "Dielectric Properties of a Nematic Binary Mixture" Internat'l Liquid Crystal Conference, Edinburgh (June 2002).
4. Shila Garg, Kirstin Purdy*, Erica Bramley* and I. I. Smalyukh, O. D. Lavrentovich "Nucleation And Growth Dynamics Of Focal Conic Domains" International Conference on Pattern Formation and Self-Organization in Nonlinear Complex Systems, Beijing, June 2001.
5. Shila Garg and Toufic Hakim, "Undergraduate Research In Physics as a Capstone Experience: Framework & Strategies" Ohio Section APS, Kent State Univeristy, April, 2001.
6. Shila Garg, A. Christine Rauch* and D. T. Jacobs, "Phase Transitions in a Nematic Binary Mixture" American Physical Society meeting, Seattle, March, 2001.
7. Toufic Hakim and Shila Garg, "Undergraduate Research in Physics as an Educational Tool" American Physical Society meeting, Seattle, March, 2001.
8. Shila Garg, "Phase Transitions in A Binary Nematic Mixture" - Invited Talk, Case Western Reserve University, April, 2000.
9. Shila Garg and Joshua Martin*, "Spatiotemporal Chaos in MBBA" International conference on Pattern Formation in Liquid Crystals, Waischenfeld, Germany, September,1999.
10. Shila Garg, Christopher Ditchman*, Nathan Schiffrik* and U. D. Kini "Electric Field Induced Transient Effects in a Nematic Liquid Crystal in the Presence of a Stabilizing Magnetic Field", 17th International Liquid Crystal Conference, Strasbourg, France, July 1998.

    Recent Grant Support

    Co-PI: National Science Foundation (REU) Condensed Matterand Nonlinear Dynamics at Wooster	$266,000	3/03 - 2/07
    National Science Foundation (REU) Supplement Developmental Visit to China	$2,000	June 2001
    National Science Foundation (REU)	$165,000	3/00 - 2/02
    National Science Foundation (RUI)	$103,210	10/97 - 10/00
    National Science Foundation (REU)	$142,584	3/97 - 2/00
    National Science Foundation (REU)	$119,625	4/94 - 9/97
    National Science Foundation (RUI)	$122,300	8/90 - 1/94
    National Science Foundation (ILI)	$41,670	8/88 - 1/91

    
    Our department's Research Experience for Undergraduates site information
    
    Recent Students Participation in Summer Research:
    2005 Summer Research
    1. John Gamble-COW '08 (supported by NSF-REU)
    2003 Summer Research
    1. Kathy McCreary-COW '04 (supported by NSF-REU)
    2002 Summer Research
    1. David Merriman-COW '04 (supported by NSF-REU)
    2. Hanneke Hoekman-COW '04 (supported by NSF-REU)
    2001 Summer Research
    1. Tom Spears-COW '04 (supported by NSF-REU)
    2. Anna LaRue-Smith College '04 (supported by NSF-REU)
    2000 Summer Research
    1. Josh Martin-COW '02 (supported by NSF-RUI), Pattern Formation in Nematic Liquid Crystal Mixtures Under Electrical and Magnetic Field Conditions
    2. Beth Masimore-Juniata College '02 (supported by NSF-REU), Phase Transitions in Binary Mixtures of Nematic Liquid Crystal
    3. Derek Somogy-COW '02 (supported by NSF-REU), Optical Properties of Liquid Crystal DNA Lenses
    1999 Summer Research
    1. Josh Martin-COW '02 (supported by NSF-REU), "Spatiotemporal Chaos in MBBA"
    2. Danell Owens-Baldwin Wallace '00 (supported by NSF-REU), "Phase Transitions of the Liquid Crystal Mixtures 5CB and C7"
    3. Christy Rauch-COW '99 (supported by NSF-RUI), "Mixtures of Dissimilar Nematic Liquid Crystals"
    1998 Summer Research
    1. Steven Troyer-Goshen College '00 (supported by NSF-REU), "Magnetic Freedericksz Transition of the Nematic Liquid Crystal CCN 47 int he Presence of a Stabilizing Electric Field"
    2. Paul Rebillot-COW '99 (supported by NSF-REU), "Electrical Conductivity Anisotropy in 5CB Liquid Crystals
    3. Chris Templeman-COW '01 (supported by NSF-REU), "Wave Distortions in Nematic Liquid Crystals"
    1997 Summer Research
    1. Nathan Schiffrik-COW '99 (supported by NSF-REU), "Transient Effects in a Nematic Liquid Crystal Due to an Electric Field"
    2. Kirstin Purdy-Carnegie Mellon '99 (supported by NSF-REU), "Growth of Focal Conic Domains in Smectic-A Liquid Crystals"
    3. Sridhar Chandramouli-COW '00 (supported by COW Sophomore Research Program), "Measurement of Electrical Conductivity in Nematic Liquid Crystals"
    1996 Summer Research
    1. Manon Grugel-COW '99, (supported by College of Wooster and NSF-REU), "Conductivity Measurements in Nematic Liquid Crystals"
    2. Delaney DeMay-COW '97, (supported by NSF-REU), "Examining the liquid crystalline phases of a mixture of lecithin, bile salt and cholesterol"
    3. Ben Zurn-Hamline University '97, (supported by NSF-REU), "Hysterisis Measurements in the Thresholds of the Modulated Phase in 5CB"

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    Sophomore Research
    • David Merriman (2002).
    • Joshua Martin (2000).
    • Amit Singhal (1999).
    • Joshua Martin (1999).
    • Geoff Bonvallet (1997).
    • Sean English (1997).
    • Manon Grugel - Conductivity Measurements in Nematic Liquid Crystal 5CB (1996).
      

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    sgarg@wooster.edu
    Shila Garg