Dr. Huang Receives First NSF Research Grant at Penn State Lehigh Valley

        Dr. Tai-Yin Huang, Assistant Professor of Physics, recently received the first NSF research grant ever awarded to a faculty member at Penn State Lehigh Valley.  The three-year, $115,000 grant will support Huang's research on gravity waves, as well as cover travel to national and inter-national physics conferences, computers, and funding for two undergraduate research assistants.

        "My research focuses on internal gravity waves and airglow studies," said Huang.  "Chemistry is involved, since major gas species like oxygen and nitrogen are affected almost linearly by gravity waves, and these species react with minor species like ozone and hydrogen."  The gravity waves Huang studies are located about 82 kilometers above the earth.

        "Imagine when you throw a stone in water," said Huang, when asked to describe her work. "You will see ripples forming wave fronts propagating on the surface of the water.  The stone is the source that generates the wave. The water is the medium that carries the wave. By the same token, it is similar in the atmosphere.  The underlying physics is the same; that is, they are all governed by fluid dynamics.  Instead of water, the fluid is the atmosphere. There are a lot of different kinds of waves moving through the atmosphere: internal gravity waves, planetary waves, sound waves, tides. Gravity waves can be generated by sources like thunderstorms, jet streams, nuclear explosions, and earthquakes."

        A theoretical physicist, Huang’s work focuses on analyzing data gathered by ground-based instruments or satellites, and proposing analytical models or formulas and numerical simulations to explain phenomena recorded in the data.

        Dr. Ann Williams, CEO of Penn State Lehigh Valley campus, said the historic grant is great news for Huang, for the campus, and for the students.  "From the moment Tai-Yin arrived at Penn State Lehigh Valley, you could see her intensity about research," said Williams.  "In retrospect, it doesn't surprise me that she has been successful to receive the first NSF grant (at Lehigh Valley).  This is an outstanding opportunity for the Lehigh Valley students. To be able to be involved in this level of research this early in a student's career is just magnificent!"

        Huang’s successful NSF research grant will extend previous research to include the more realistic atmospheric conditions and newly updated chemistry. She is also interested in the study of lightening in relation to gravity waves, temperature, and chemistry.  "The best part of this NSF grant is the opportunity to mentor students and expose them to research on the environment," said Huang.  "I think we all have a responsibility to be citizens of this world and to preserve our resources."

        A native of Taiwan, Huang moved to the United States at the age of 24 and earned her master's and doctorate in physics from the University of Cincinnati.  She worked on physics research full-time, first during a post-doctorate position at York University, Toronto, Canada; and then during a research associate position at Clemson University, South Carolina.  She joined the faculty at Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley College in 2002.

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