Shila Garg

Emeritus Faculty

Dr. Shila Garg
Senior Director of India Initiatives2010 – Present
Interim Provost2009 – 2010
Dean of the Faculty2002 – 2009
Chair of Physics1996 – 2002
2014 – PresentEmerita Professor of Physics
2000 – 2014Professor of Physics
1993 – 2000Associate Professor of Physics
1987 – 1993Visiting Assistant Professor of Physics
1981 – 1987Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physics

Teaching

Fall 2013
Physics 220: Electronics for Scientists Robot Project
Physics 301: Mechanics

Fall 2012
Physics 203: Foundations of Physics
Physics 301: Mechanics

Fall 2005
Physics 203: Foundations of Physics

Spring 2004
Physics 220: Electronics for Scientists

Spring 2003
Physics 204: Foundations of Physics

Spring 2002
Physics 204: Foundations of Physics
Foundations of Physics labPhysics 350: Quantum Mechanics
Senior Independent Study (2) 

Fall 2001
Physics 205: Modern Physics
Modern Physics Lab
Physics 220: Electronics for Scientists
Electronics for Scientists Lab
Physics 400: Tutorial, Thermal PhysicsSenior Independent Study (2) 

Spring 2001
Thermal Physics (302)Junior Independent Study (401)General Physics (102) LabSenior Independent Study (3) 

Fall 2000
General Physics (101) lab
Modern Physics (205) and labModern Optics (303)Senior Independent Study (3) 

Spring 2000
Foundations of Physics (204) and labs
Quantum Mechanics (350) 

Dr. Garg worked with 2012 summer research students Matt Schmitthenner and Theresa Albon at Kent State University’s Liquid Crystal Institute.

Research Activities

Recent Publications (* indicates undergraduate co-author):

  1. Tsang-Min Huang, Kathy McCreary*, Shila Garg, Thein Kyu, Induced Smectic B phase in Binary Nematic Liquid Crystal Mixture of 5CB and MBBA Journal of Chemical Physics,” 134, 124508 (2011).
  2. Iain Crawford, Shila Garg, John Neuhoff, Undergraduate Research as Faculty Development: The College of Wooster Experience,” CUR Quarterly, Vol. 28, Spring 2008.
  3. S. Garg, K. Purdy*, E. Bramley*, I. Smalyukh and O. Lavrentovich, Electric-field induced nucleation and growth of focal conic and stripe domains in smectic A liquid crystal, Liquid Crystals 30, 1377 (2003).
  4. S. Garg and T. Spears*†, Dielectric Properties of a Nematic Binary Mixture, Molecular Crystals Liquid Crystals 409, 335-342 (2004)
  5. A.C. Rauch*, S. Garg, and D.T. Jacobs, “Phase transitions in a nematic binary mixture,” J. Chem. Phys. 116, 2213-2218 (2002). 
  6. S. Garg, C. Ditchman*, N. Schiffrik*, and U.D. Kini, “Electric Field Induced Transient Effects in a Nematic Liquid Crystal in the Presence of a Stabilizing Magnetic Field,” Molecular Crystals Liquid Crystals 328, 581 (1999).
  7. S. Garg, E. Bramley*, and U.D. Kini, “Electric Field Induced Walls in the Bend Geometry of a Nematic Liquid Crystal,” Molecular Crystals Liquid Crystals325, 209 (1998).
  8. S. Garg, S. Wild*, B. Zurn*, S. Saeed*, and U.D. Kini, “Frequency Variation of Periodic Distortion Thresholds in a Nematic,”  Liquid Crystals 24, 501 (1998).
  9. S. Garg, S. Saeed*, S. Wild*, E. Bramley* and U.D. Kini, “Frequency dependent threshold in bend geometry of 5CB,” Molecular Crystals Liquid Crystals302, 379 (1997).
  10. S. Garg, S. Saeed*, and U.D. Kini, “Effect of a Stabilizing Magnetic Field on the Electric Field Induced Freedericksz Transition in 5CB,” Physical Review E51, 5846 (1995).
  11. S. Garg, K. Crandall*, and A. Khan*, “Bend and Splay Elastic Constants of Diheptylazoxybenzene,” Physical Review E 48, 1123 (1993).

Student Presentations at Conferences (* indicates undergraduate co-author):

  1. M. Schmitthenner*, P.K. Challa, J.T. Gleeson, S. Garg, “Elastic constants and material properties of novel shaped liquid crystals” Nat’l Meeting of the American Physical Society, Baltimore (March 2013).
  2. Theresa Albon*, Wilder Iglesias, Antal Jakli, Shila Garg, “Entanglement and Relaxation of Liquid Crystal Shaped Granular Media” Nat’l Meeting of the American Physical Society, Baltimore (March 2013).
  3. Tsang-Min Huang, Thein Kyu, Shila Garg, Kathy McCreary*, “Phase diagram of a binary liquid crystal mixture involving induced mesophase transitions” Nat’l Meeting of the American Physical Society, New Orleans (March 2008).
  4. David Merriman* and S. Garg, “Investigating the Elastic Properties of N4 Through Freedericksz Transition” Nat’l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2003).
  5. Tom Spears* and S. Garg, “Dielectric Interactions in a Nematic Binary Mixture” Nat’l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2002).
  6. Joshua Martin* and S. Garg, “Binary Mixtures of Calamitic and Discotic Liquid Crystals” Nat’l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2002).
  7. Chris Templeman* and S. Garg, “Two-Dimensional Granular Couette Shearing Cell” Nat’l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2001).
  8. Amy Lytle* and S. Garg, “A Structural and Optical Study of Evaporated Droplets Containing DNA” Nat’l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2001).
  9. Joshua Martin* and Shila Garg, “Dendritic Growth in Nematic Liquid Crystals” Nat’l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2000).
  10. Sean English* and Shila Garg, “Liquid Crystalline Behavior of DNA Fragments” Nat’l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 2000).
  11. Chris Templeman* and S. Garg, “Investigation of Electric Field Induced Wall and Zigzag Structures in the Nematic Liquid Crystal 5CB” Centennial Meeting, American Physical Society (March 1999). 
  12. A. Christine Rauch* and S. Garg, “Phase Separation of Binary Nematic Liquid Crystal Mixtures” Centennial Meeting, American Physical Society (March 1999). 
  13. K. Purdy*, E. Bramley*, and S. Garg, “Growth of Focal Conic Domains in a Smectic A Liquid Crystal” Nat’l Meeting/American Physical Society (March 1998). 
  14. C. Ditchman*, S. Garg, and U.D. Kini, “Electric Field Induced Transient and Static Modulated Phase in Nematic Liquid Crystals” National Meeting/American Physical Society (March 1997).
  15. S. Garg, S. Saeed*, S. Wild*, E. Bramley* and U. D. Kini, “Frequency Dependent Threshold in the Bend Geometry of 5CB” 16th International Liquid Crystal Conference (June 1996).
  16. E. Bramley* R. Craig*, and S. Garg, “Frequency Dependence of Bend Freedericksz Threshold in the Nematic Liquid Crystal 5CB” National Meeting/American Physical Society (March 1996).
  17. S. Saeed* and S. Garg, “Frequency Dependence of Thresholds in the Modulated Phase of 5CB” National Meeting/APS (March 1996).
  18. S. Wild* and S. Garg, “Threshold Measurements in the Modulated Phase of 5CB” Ohio Section/APS (October 1995).
  19. S. Garg and K. Kelley*, “A Nematic Liquid Crystal Subjected to an Oscillating Magnetic Field” Ohio Section/APS (October 1994).
  20. S. Garg and A. Ozgenc*, “Nonlinear Effects in Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals” Ohio Section/APS (October 1994).

Presentations by Dr. Garg (* indicates undergraduate co-author):

  1. Shila Garg and Hanneke Hoekman*, “Dielectric Anisotropy of a Nematic Binary Mixture”, International Conference on 6th Ibero-American Workshop on Complex Fluids and their Applications, Lisbon, Portugal (September 2003).
  2. Invited Talk, “Properties of Liquid Crystals”, James Madison University (July 2003).
  3. Shila Garg and Tom Spears*, “Dielectric Properties of a Nematic Binary Mixture” Internat’l Liquid Crystal Conference, Edinburgh (June 2002).
  4. Shila Garg, Kirstin Purdy*, Erica Bramley* and I. I. Smalyukh, O. D. Lavrentovich “Nucleation And Growth Dynamics Of Focal Conic Domains” International Conference on Pattern Formation and Self-Organization in Nonlinear Complex Systems, Beijing, June 2001.
  5. Shila Garg and Toufic Hakim, “Undergraduate Research In Physics as a Capstone Experience: Framework & Strategies” Ohio Section APS, Kent State Univeristy, April, 2001.
  6. Shila Garg, A. Christine Rauch* and D. T. Jacobs, “Phase Transitions in a Nematic Binary Mixture” American Physical Society meeting, Seattle, March, 2001.
  7. Toufic Hakim and Shila Garg, “Undergraduate Research in Physics as an Educational Tool” American Physical Society meeting, Seattle, March, 2001.
  8. Shila Garg, “Phase Transitions in A Binary Nematic Mixture” – Invited Talk, Case Western Reserve University, April, 2000.
  9. Shila Garg and Joshua Martin*, “Spatiotemporal Chaos in MBBA” International conference on Pattern Formation in Liquid Crystals, Waischenfeld, Germany, September,1999.
  10. Shila Garg, Christopher Ditchman*, Nathan Schiffrik* and U. D. Kini “Electric Field Induced Transient Effects in a Nematic Liquid Crystal in the Presence of a Stabilizing Magnetic Field”, 17th International Liquid Crystal Conference, Strasbourg, France, July 1998. 

Students Participation in Summer Research:


2013 Summer ResearchCarlos Gonzalez-Mendoza (Supported by HHMI)

2012 Summer Research

  1. Theresa Albon (supported by NSF)
  2. Matt Schmitthenner (Supported by NSF)

2005 Summer Research

  1. John Gamble-COW ’08 (supported by NSF-REU)

2003 Summer Research

  1. Kathy McCreary-COW ’04 (supported by NSF-REU)

2002 Summer Research

  1. David Merriman-COW ’04 (supported by NSF-REU)
  2. Hanneke Hoekman-COW ’04 (supported by NSF-REU)

2001 Summer Research

  1. Tom Spears-COW ’04 (supported by NSF-REU)
  2. Anna LaRue-Smith College ’04 (supported by NSF-REU)

2000 Summer Research

  1. Josh Martin-COW ’02 (supported by NSF-RUI), Pattern Formation in Nematic Liquid Crystal Mixtures Under Electrical and Magnetic Field Conditions
  2. Beth Masimore-Juniata College ’02 (supported by NSF-REU), Phase Transitions in Binary Mixtures of Nematic Liquid Crystal
  3. Derek Somogy-COW ’02 (supported by NSF-REU), Optical Properties of Liquid Crystal DNA Lenses

1999 Summer Research

  1. Josh Martin-COW ’02 (supported by NSF-REU), “Spatiotemporal Chaos in MBBA”
  2. Danell Owens-Baldwin Wallace ’00 (supported by NSF-REU), “Phase Transitions of the Liquid Crystal Mixtures 5CB and C7”
  3. Christy Rauch-COW ’99 (supported by NSF-RUI), “Mixtures of Dissimilar Nematic Liquid Crystals”

1998 Summer Research

  1. Steven Troyer-Goshen College ’00 (supported by NSF-REU), “Magnetic Freedericksz Transition of the Nematic Liquid Crystal CCN 47 int he Presence of a Stabilizing Electric Field”
  2. Paul Rebillot-COW ’99 (supported by NSF-REU), “Electrical Conductivity Anisotropy in 5CB Liquid Crystals
  3. Chris Templeman-COW ’01 (supported by NSF-REU), “Wave Distortions in Nematic Liquid Crystals”

1997 Summer Research

  1. Nathan Schiffrik-COW ’99 (supported by NSF-REU), “Transient Effects in a Nematic Liquid Crystal Due to an Electric Field”
  2. Kirstin Purdy-Carnegie Mellon ’99 (supported by NSF-REU), “Growth of Focal Conic Domains in Smectic-A Liquid Crystals”
  3. Sridhar Chandramouli-COW ’00 (supported by COW Sophomore Research Program), “Measurement of Electrical Conductivity in Nematic Liquid Crystals”

1996 Summer Research

  1. Manon Grugel-COW ’99, (supported by College of Wooster and NSF-REU), “Conductivity Measurements in Nematic Liquid Crystals”
  2. Delaney DeMay-COW ’97, (supported by NSF-REU), “Examining the liquid crystalline phases of a mixture of lecithin, bile salt and cholesterol”
  3. Ben Zurn-Hamline University ’97, (supported by NSF-REU), “Hysterisis Measurements in the Thresholds of the Modulated Phase in 5CB”

Sophomore Research

  • David Merriman (2002).
  • Joshua Martin (2000).
  • Amit Singhal (1999).
  • Joshua Martin (1999).
  • Geoff Bonvallet (1997).
  • Sean English (1997).
  • Manon Grugel – Conductivity Measurements in Nematic Liquid Crystal 5CB (1996).