College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Frederick N. Skiff
Professor and Departmental Chair
Education:
Ph.D., Princeton University, 1985
Office:
207 VAN
Office Phone:
(319) 335-1689
Lab:
504 VAN
10AC VAN
11AC VAN
Lab Phone:
(319) 335-0564
(319) 335-0251
(319) 335-0252
Research Interests:
Laser spectroscopy; plasma physics.
Research:
- Experimental topics include experiments for plasma waves and instabilities, plasma self-organization and sheaths, and laser-induced fluorescence and wave-absorption diagnostics of plasmas
- Student projects are typically experimental with a significant interaction with theory
- Theoretical topics include plasma kinetic theory including waves and nonlinear fluctuations
- There are two labs at Iowa, including: a 3-meter linear magnetized-plasma device and a large multi-dipole discharge. Both are equipped with single-frequency scanning lasers for high-resolution laser spectroscopy. Some students also participate in collaborations on the Large Plasma Device located at UCLA
- Beyond interactions with group members, students participate in the plasma seminar and interact with Departmental theoretical and experimental plasma, space physics, and astronomy faculty
- Students develop skills including data analysis, high-resolution laser spectroscopy, designing and building apparatus, electronics, computation
- Previous assistants have found employment in academia, national laboratories, and in industry