"Thoughts on My Physics Life in Progress"

Premala Chandra, Professor
Rutgers University

Abstract: 

In this talk I hope to convey my excitement and enthusiasm for materials-based research. I have enjoyed doing physics in academic and industrial environments including Bell Labs, Exxon, NEC, Yale, UC Santa Barbara, and Princeton.  I'll begin by talking about my background, including my Indian family, my Polish grandmother and my childhood in New Jersey, emphasizing the support I've had along the way. I'll also talk about how sports have helped me to overcome serious illness, to develop a solid work ethic and to manage life's inevitable setbacks and obstacles. Then I'll discuss two current research projects, one applied and the other motivated by recent puzzling measurements on an exotic material. I'll end with some specific suggestions for young women physicists based on my personal experiences.