Undergraduate Research | Matt Reagor

Matt Reagor, a Physics and Mathematics major advised by Carol Tanner of the Department of Physics, started his research as a sophomore, searching for pattern formation by laser-beam filamentation in atomic cesium vapor. An earlier researcher tuned laser beams with sodium atomic vapor, but Reagor is searching for the honeycomb pattern formation in cesium vapor. Cesium is easier to work with because it has the same vapor pressure at slightly higher than room temperature than sodium has at 200 degrees C. Reagor will continue his research in his senior year. Matt is also co-Chief Editor of Scientia – College of Science Journal of Undergraduate Research. "Prof. Tanner taught me in two optics courses, one in lasers & one in quantum optics, and she took me on as an undergraduate researcher in her atomic optics lab about a year and a half ago. So it's safe to say that nearly all the optics I knew before this summer came from her instruction. I'm currently doing summer research at a world class fascility, and my research experience with Prof. Tanner has been instrumental in my being able to contribute to that research right away."