Sep 6 2013
Much like the particles he studies, University of Cincinnati graduate student Fady Bishara is an object in motion. He moved to the U.S. from Egypt at 17 years old, studied engineering in Cleveland and moved to Cincinnati a few years after graduation for a job. While here he decided to move from engineering to study theoretical physics.
Throughout his collegiate years, he worked in the on-campus manufacturing center and landed a co-op with Parker Hannifin, which led to a full-time job after graduation. He became the liaison engineer for General Electric in 2006, Parker Hannifin’s Gas Turbine Fuel System Division’s biggest customer. That position brought him to Cincinnati to work close to GE’s offices. Soon after, Bishara decided to pursue his MS in engineering, which he received in 2010. While working on that degree, Bishara began working on a PhD degree in theoretical physics at UC’s McMicken College of Arts and Sciences.
Curiosity led Bishara to focus on quantum mechanics. While studying for his MS in engineering, Bishara registered for a one-year course in the subject. The course covered the history of the Quantum Field Theory, which describes the interactions between the fundamental building blocks of the universe.
“In theoretical physics, you can discover new principles and predict new particles before they are discovered. This can explain many effects that we take for granted in our day-to-day lives,” said Bishara. “I was hooked!”
Earlier this summer, Bishara’s passion for physics paid off – he received a fellowship from the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory to pursue his thesis research during the 2013-2014 academic year. Bishara will receive a stipend, travel allowance and tuition assistance.
"I am very much looking forward to the exciting opportunity I will have at Fermilab in the upcoming year,” Bishara said. “I believe this will be a productive and strong contribution to my academic career. I plan to focus on both dark matter and Higgs physics with the goal of publishing a paper on each topic by the end of my fellowship.”
Source: http://www.uc.edu/