Dr. Jorge López
2023 Conference
Dr. Jorge López Gallardo, distinguished as the Schumaker Chair in the Department of Physics at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), has carved an illustrious path in the realms of nuclear and surface physics, among other scientific disciplines. His academic journey began at UTEP, where he completed his undergraduate studies, and culminated in a doctorate from Texas A&M University.
Following his doctoral achievements, Dr. López Gallardo embarked on postdoctoral research at two renowned institutions: the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1985, and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in Berkeley, California, in 1987.
Throughout his career, Dr. López Gallardo has been at the forefront of research, contributing to projects at the Cyclotron Institute of Texas A&M University, the Niels Bohr Institute, the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, and other esteemed institutions worldwide. His expansive research portfolio encompasses nuclear physics, materials spectroscopy, astrophysics, and a profound commitment to education across all levels, from kindergarten to university. A testament to his contributions to the scientific community, Dr. López Gallardo has been honored as a “Fellow” of the American Physical Society (APS) and recognized as a Corresponding Member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences. His accolades include the prestigious PAESMEM prize from the White House, commendations from Nature magazine, the Bouchet Award from the APS, and several others.
Beyond his research papers, which number in the hundreds, Dr. López Gallardo’s literary contributions include the seminal works “Phase Transformation in Nuclear Matter” and “Surface Spectroscopy for Engineers and Scientists.” He has also penned books on the scientific analysis of electoral data in Mexico and edited two additional volumes. Notably, his passion for non-strictly scientific writing was ignited during his time in Denmark, leading to contributions to Spain’s El País newspaper and subsequent columns in prominent Mexican publications such as Novedades, La Jornada, Diario de Juárez, and El Reto. His collection, “Science in El Paso del Norte,” encapsulates essays penned between 1988 and 2010, reflecting his diverse interests and profound insights.
XPS Spectroscopy at UTEP
Jorge López
University of Texas at El Paso
jorgelopez@utep.edu
By serendipity, a nuclear theorist has been involved in studies of materials surfaces with undergraduate students. In this talk, XPS is briefly introduced and several studies (ranging from cleaning water with tea leaves all the way to determining the temperature achieved in the Columbia shuttle explosion) are presented and used to remark the benefit of its use to train undergraduate students in research.