Prof. O'Bannon is a theoretical physicist whose research is focused on strongly-interacting materials with unusual properties, some of which have potentially revolutionary applications. Examples include: graphene, which could provide the basis for a new generation of electronics, topological insulators, which could provide the basis for quantum computing, and high-temperature superconductors, which could provide the basis for energy-efficient power transport. Despite decades of effort, we still do not have theories of such materials. Prof. O'Bannon therefore takes a radical new approach, based on a combination of two methods, called defect conformal field theory and holography. His current research is focused on graphene, as well as various systems in nuclear and particle physics.
- Structure of Physics I (CP2220)
- B.A. in Physics and the Writing Seminars, the Johns Hopkins U. 2002
- Master in Physics, University of Washington, Seattle 2004
- Ph.D. in Physics, University of Washington, Seattle 2004
- 2013-21 University Research Fellowship from the Royal Society of London
- 2017 Dean’s Award, University of Southampton. For contributions to equality and diversity at the university
- 2017 Outstanding Referee, American Physical Society. Referee for PRL, PRX, PRD (also NPB, JHEP, PLB, CQG, IJMPA, EPJC, JPG)
- 2014-15 Junior Research Fellowship, Balliol College, University of Oxford
- 2002-07 Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship
- 2002 Donald E. Kerr Memorial Award, the Johns Hopkins University. Outstanding undergraduate physics major
- 2002 Three Arts Club Award, the Johns Hopkins University. Outstanding undergraduate Writing Seminars major
- SUNY Old Westbury Social Justice Fellow
Gauge-gravity duality, holographic duality, conformal field theory, strongly-coupled systems in condensed matter and particle physics
- Wednesday 3:50 - 5:20
- Thursday 11:20 - 12:50