Group Members

We are looking for new Ph.D. students, master students, and undergraduates to join the team (see openings) !

Jump to graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty, undergraduate students, alumni.

Graduate Students, Postdoctoral Researchers, and Faculty

Brian R. D’Urso

Assistant Professor, joined MSU in September, 2017
email: durso@montana.edu

  • Bachelor of Science in Physics, California Institute of Technology
  • Ph.D. in Physics, Harvard University

Paul Nachman

Affiliate Research Professor
email: paul.nachman@montana.edu

  • Bachelor of Arts in Physics, Carleton College
  • Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago

Bradley Slezak

Postdoctoral Researcher
email: bradley.slezak@montana.edu

  • Bachelor degree in Computer Engineering, University of Pittsburgh
  • Ph.D. in Physics, University of Pittsburgh

Walter Klahold

Postdoctoral Researcher
email: wak19@pitt.edu

  • Bachelor of Science in Physics, Millersville University
  • Master of Science in Physics, University of Pittsburgh
  • Ph.D. in Physics, University of Pittsburgh

Charles Lewandowski

Graduate Student
email: charles.lewandowski@student.montana.edu

  • Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Bachelor of Science in Physics, University of Pittsburgh

Tobias Nelson

Graduate student
email: tobias.nelson@student.montana.edu

  • Bachelor of Science in Physics and Minor in Mathematics, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Undergraduate Students

Silas Andrews

Undergraduate student
email: <>

Dakota Chapman

Undergraduate student
email: dakota.chapman@student.montana.edu

Emilyn Kracher

Undergraduate student
email: <>

Alumni

Jen-Feng Hsu

Graduate student in the D’Urso Lab - 2016, now postdoc with the Frolov group at the University of Pittsburgh
Role: First to develop magneto-gravitational trap, trap diamond microcrystals.
email: jeh114@pitt.edu

Elliot Jenner

Graduate student in the D’Urso Lab - 2015
Role: Studies of nanostructured and superhydrophobic materials.
email: <>

Shonali Dhingra

Graduate student in the D’Urso Lab - 2015, now postdoc
Role: Growth of graphene, fabrication of graphene nanomechanical devices, and use of NV centers in diamond for QND measurements.
email: <>