SILVINA MARIA GATICA

PhD in Physics

gatica @ mailaps.org                                                                           www.silvinagatica.com

 

Summary

 

My scientific work is mainly focused on condensed matter theory, particularly in problems related to nanoscience.

 

Education

 

 University of Buenos Aires, Argentina:

 

• 4/1995------------- Ph.D. in Physical Sciences. Advisor: Dr. S. Hernandez. Thesis: “Quantum Dissipative Maps subjected to periodic perturbations”

 

• 12/1988------------B.A. in Physical Sciences

 

Professional Experience

 

• 8/2005 to Present:------------Department of Physics and Astronomy, Howard University.   Lecturer in physics and Research on Adsorption on Nanostructures.

 

• 2/2005 to Present: ------------Computational Science Center, George Mason University. Affiliate Faculty. Numerical study of phases of Argon clusters.

 

• 11/2004 to 1/2005:------------Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University. Numerical study of adsorption on nano-sized pores.

 

• 8/2002 to 11/2004: ------------Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University. Invited Professor. Research in Condensed Matter Theory: Nanotubes: Developed a numerical study of the thermodynamic properties of molecules adsorbed in bundles of carbon nanotubes. Water: Theoretical prediction of the wetting transition of water on many materials. Nanoparticles: Research oriented to design the shape and structure of nanoparticles to reduce the van der Waals attraction. Professor of undergraduate courses

 

• 1995 – 2002: ------------------Department of Physics, University of Buenos Aires and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas, Argentina. Postdoctoral Researcher on Condensed Matter Theory: Helium: Numerical study of Helium films and drops. Instructor of undergraduate courses.

Collaboration with Pennsylvania State University. (1998-2002) Porous Media: Calculation of the phase diagram of adsorption properties of gases in porous media. Nanotubes: Computer simulations of the adsorption of matter in bundles of carbon nanotubes. Slabs: Model and Density Functional prediction of Capillary Condensation transitions of Helium in slabs.

Collaboration with the University of Padova, Italy. Helium Theoretical study of Helium-4 adsorbed on a Rubidium surface.

Collaboration with the University of Valencia, Spain. Helium: Development of a Density Functional theory for magnetized Helium-3.         

 

 

Awards

 

•2000-2002----------------Scientific Member of the National Counsel of Scientific and Technical Research,   Argentina.

 

•1995-1997----------------Recipient of a PostDoctoral fellowship awarded by the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina, to perform research in condensed matter physics

 

•1991-1995----------------Recipient of a Doctoral fellowship awarded by the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina, to perform research in statistical mechanics.

 

Primary Research Interests

 

•Adsorption of atoms and molecules in nanostructures. Novel phases of matter in confined geometries, thermodynamical properties, diffusion behavior, quantum effects, phase transitions.

•Clusters, solid liquid phase changes.

•Nanoparticles: van der Waals forces between atomic clusters, size and many-body effects; aggregation phenomena in fluids.

•Surface physics. Wetting and capillary condensation phenomena. Adsorption on structured surfaces.

•Low temperature physics: Properties of Helium-4 and Helium-3 on surfaces, droplets or nanotubes.

 

Talks and Contributions to Conferences

Invited Talks:

•  “Simulations of Nanoclusters of Rare Gases”, Department of Physics, Howard University, October 2006 (Colloquium)

• “A visit to Nano-World: Molecular Fluids adsorbed in Nanopores”, Department of Physics, Howard University, September 2005 (Colloquium)

• “Adsorbed gases in bundles of carbon nanotubes: theory and simulation”, School of Computational Sciences, George Mason University, February 2005 (Colloquium)

• “4 dimensional BEC of gases inside nanotube bundles”, March Meeting, American Physical Society, Montreal, Canada, March 2004

• “Interactions between nanoparticles: Effect of the coating and the medium”, Particles 2004, Orlando Fl, March 2004.

 

Contributions to Conferences and Seminars

•  “Monte Carlo simulations of Phase Changes in Lennard-Jones nanoclusters”, 2006 American Physical Society March Meeting, Baltimore MD, March 2006.

 

•  “Three-body van der Waals Interactions Between Clusters and Films”, and “ Novel Bose Einstein Condensation of Hydrogen in A Bundle of Nanotubes”, Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers , San Francisco CA, Nov. 2003.

 

•  “Interesting properties of fluids adsorbed inside carbon nanotubes”, Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, Oct. 2003. (Seminar)

 

•  “Effect of the coating on the interactions between clusters”, and “Intercluster interactions in the presence of a medium”, 226th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, New York, Sep. 2003.

 

•  “Peas in a pod: quasi-one-dimensional C60 molecules in a nanotube”, March Meeting, American Physical Society, Austin, TX, March 2003.

 

•  “Wetting of a surface of Rubidium by 4He”, Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, Oct. 2001. (Seminar)

 

•  “Adsorption of gases in carbon nanotubes”, Department of Physics, University of Padova, May. 2000. (Seminar)

 

•   “Axial Phase of quantum fluids in carbon nanotubes” and “Capillary condensation of quantum fluids” 22nd Low Temperature Physics Conference, Helsinki, Finland, 1999.

 

•  “Adsorption in slabs and nanotubes”, Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, Dec. 1998. (Seminar)

 

•  “Systematics of pure and doped 3He droplets”, International Symposium on Quantum Fluids and Solids, Paris, France, 1997.

 

Bibliography