Meet our Team
Faculty Advisor
Richard Sandberg
Contact info:
- Office: N261 ESC
- 801.422.1497 (office)
- 801.422.5312 (lab)
- rsandberg@byu.edu
Research Assistants
Active Members
Alumni
Gilbert Lopez
2025
Gilbert (Gil) Lopez was 2025 NSF REU intern from University of Colorado at Boulder. He conducted research developing high resolution scanning coherent imaging (ptychography) for imaging of fusion energy materials. In 2026, he is starting a PhD at Colorado State University in Electrical Engineering.
Gilbert (Gil) Lopez was 2025 NSF REU intern from University of Colorado at Boulder. He conducted research developing high resolution scanning coherent imaging (ptychography) for imaging of fusion energy materials. In 2026, he is starting a PhD at Colorado State University in Electrical Engineering.
Abigail Stringham
2025
Abigail was a 2025 IFE-SURE Intern from BYU-Idaho working with Richard Sandberg to develop hydrodynamic simulations in the FLASH programming suite. In 2026 she is an intern at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Abigail was a 2025 IFE-SURE Intern from BYU-Idaho working with Richard Sandberg to develop hydrodynamic simulations in the FLASH programming suite. In 2026 she is an intern at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Jarom Peterson
Jarom Conducted research through the IFE-SURE program summer of 2025 working with John Ellsworth and Richard Sandberg on charged particle detection from radioactive isotopes for a classroom fusion demonstration.
Aaron Redd
2022-2024
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Honors/Senior Thesis: "A Comparison of Ptychography Programs for Lens-less Imaging with a High Harmonic Generation Source," - now at Arizona State University graduate physics program
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Honors/Senior Thesis: "A Comparison of Ptychography Programs for Lens-less Imaging with a High Harmonic Generation Source," - now at Arizona State University graduate physics program
Matt Ricks
2021-2023
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: "Dynamic probing of the high pressure and temperature phase transitions of Iron on millisecond timescales" - now at Stanford University graduate biomedical physics program
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: "Dynamic probing of the high pressure and temperature phase transitions of Iron on millisecond timescales" - now at Stanford University graduate biomedical physics program
Christian McCombs
2021-2023
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: "Comparison between x-ray free electron laser phase contrast imaging (PCI) andhydrodynamic simulations of void collapse in PETN single crystals" - now at University of California at Berkeley graduate nuclear engineering program
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: "Comparison between x-ray free electron laser phase contrast imaging (PCI) andhydrodynamic simulations of void collapse in PETN single crystals" - now at University of California at Berkeley graduate nuclear engineering program
Jacob Feltman
2020-2023
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: “Hard X-ray, Optical Transient Grating for Probing Ultrafast Dynamics in Solids” - now at Los Alamos National Laboratory
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: “Hard X-ray, Optical Transient Grating for Probing Ultrafast Dynamics in Solids” - now at Los Alamos National Laboratory
Landon Schnebly
2020-2023
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: “Development of Robust Gold Nanoparticle Samples for Bragg Coherent Diffraction Imaging at Modern Beamlines with Increased X-ray Flux" - now at Sandia National Laboratory
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: “Development of Robust Gold Nanoparticle Samples for Bragg Coherent Diffraction Imaging at Modern Beamlines with Increased X-ray Flux" - now at Sandia National Laboratory
Alex Morales
2022
NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) Intern, Brigham Young University – Idaho - now at USC astronautical engineering MS
NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) Intern, Brigham Young University – Idaho - now at USC astronautical engineering MS
Hanna Pavill
2022
NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) Intern, Messiah University - now at Brigham Young University MS Physics
NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) Intern, Messiah University - now at Brigham Young University MS Physics
Naomi Jensen
2021-2022
Physics Major, Brigham Young University
Physics Major, Brigham Young University
Bryce Anderson
2022
Applied Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Capstone Project: “Developing Improvements to the Teaching of Lock-In Amplifiers in Physics 245”
Applied Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Capstone Project: “Developing Improvements to the Teaching of Lock-In Amplifiers in Physics 245”
William Giforos
2021-2022
Physics and Astronomy Major, Brigham Young University
Physics and Astronomy Major, Brigham Young University
Corbin Maciel
2019-2022
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: “A Compilation of Dose Studies in Particle Therapy Treatment for Cancer”, now at UT Southwestern Medical Center graduate bioengineering program
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: “A Compilation of Dose Studies in Particle Therapy Treatment for Cancer”, now at UT Southwestern Medical Center graduate bioengineering program
Nathaniel Blanchard
2020-2021
Physics Major, Brigham Young University
Physics Major, Brigham Young University
David Anderson
2020-2021
Applied Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Capstone Project: “Teaching the Practical Principles of Fourier Optics in an Undergraduate Laboratory.” Now Doctor of Optometry Candidate 2027 at Southern College of Optometry.
Applied Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Capstone Project: “Teaching the Practical Principles of Fourier Optics in an Undergraduate Laboratory.” Now Doctor of Optometry Candidate 2027 at Southern College of Optometry.
Kaylee Nyborg
2021
Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) Intern, now at Brigham Young University MS Physics
Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) Intern, now at Brigham Young University MS Physics
Haley Craney
2020-2021
Physics Major, Brigham Young University
Physics Major, Brigham Young University
Measer Flake
2020-2021,2025
Physics Major, Maeser conducted research using Bragg coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) to image battery nanoparticles in colloraboration with staff scientists at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. He then moved to particle physics research with Dr. Chris Verhaaren. In 2026, he will start a PhD in physics at the University of Nebraska.
Physics Major, Maeser conducted research using Bragg coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) to image battery nanoparticles in colloraboration with staff scientists at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. He then moved to particle physics research with Dr. Chris Verhaaren. In 2026, he will start a PhD in physics at the University of Nebraska.
McKayla Hansen
2020-2021
Applied Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Capstone Project: “Bragg Coherent Diffraction Strain Imaging of Temperature-Varied 14YWT Microcrystals” - now at Progressive Leasing
Applied Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Capstone Project: “Bragg Coherent Diffraction Strain Imaging of Temperature-Varied 14YWT Microcrystals” - now at Progressive Leasing
Ethan Wuthrich
2020
Physics and Astronomy Major, Brigham Young University
Physics and Astronomy Major, Brigham Young University
Susanne Byrd
2020
Physics and Astronomy Major, Brigham Young University - now at Ohio State University
Physics and Astronomy Major, Brigham Young University - now at Ohio State University
Carter Day
2019-2020
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: “Effects of Illumination Shadows in IPSII,” BS 6/2020, Entrepreneur
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: “Effects of Illumination Shadows in IPSII,” BS 6/2020, Entrepreneur
Dallen Petersen
2019-2020
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: “Motorized Mirror Controller with 3D Printed Parts,” BS 4/2020 - Now at Amazon
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: “Motorized Mirror Controller with 3D Printed Parts,” BS 4/2020 - Now at Amazon
Ben Whetten
2019-2020
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: “Wavenumber Error in Interference Pattern Lensless Imaging,” BS 4/2020 - now graduate student in physics at CU-Boulder
Physics Major, Brigham Young University, Senior Thesis: “Wavenumber Error in Interference Pattern Lensless Imaging,” BS 4/2020 - now graduate student in physics at CU-Boulder
Chad Samuelson
2019-2020
Mechanical Engineering Major, Brigham Young University - now at Brigham Young University electrical and computer engineering graduate program
Mechanical Engineering Major, Brigham Young University - now at Brigham Young University electrical and computer engineering graduate program