spacer
spacer
Department of Chemistry and Physics
LSUS Home LSUS Directory Search LSUS A-Z LSUS Home
spacer
Department of Chemistry and Physics - LSUS - Science Building, Room 112 - (318) 797-5246 - chemistryphysics@lsus.edu
Department of Chemistry and Physics - LSUS - Science Building, Room 112 - (318) 797-5246 - chemistryphysics@lsus.edu
spacer
LSUS Photos
spacer
 
Faculty
spacer spacer
Cynthia J.  Sisson, Ph.D.
Sisson, Cynthia J.    (1994)
Chair Chemistry & Physics, Professor of Physics
Ph.D. University of South Carolina
Office:
SC 112B
Phone:
(318) 797-5246
E-mail:
cynthia.sisson@lsus.edu
Vita:
Click here to view Vita Requires the Free Adobe Acrobat Reader

I received my undergraduate degree in Physics with a Computer Science minor at New Mexico Tech, then went on to get a PhD in Computational Condensed Matter Physics at the University of South Carolina in 1993. After teaching at Appalachian State University for a year, I joined my husband Paul at LSUS in 1994. In 2003 I became Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics.

As a computational physicist, I am particularly interested in using Monte Carlo simulations to model a variety of systems.  My original work involved models of phase transitions in simple two-and three-dimensional crystalline systems using the Heisenberg model, t-J, and Hubbard models.  More recently I have been developing Monte Carlo simulations of the diffusion of near-infrared photons in human tissue. This research has the ultimate goal of producing a new non-invasive, non-ionizing modality for imaging the brain – in particular blood oxygenation within the brain (important for the diagnosis of stroke) and CSF thickness (possibly useful in the diagnosis of edema in the brain).

I am also actively involved in Physics Education Research and the premise of scientific teaching – bringing the rigor and research methods of science into investigations of learning and teaching.    I am a mentor & team leader for the FIRST4 project (https://www.msu.edu/~first4/), teaching best practices in the classroom to post-docs. In my own research, I am currently investigating ways to use technology to increase student problem solving skills and overall success in introductory physics courses. 

 


spacer
   
Requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click on the logo below to download itRequires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click on the logo below to download it.
Click here to download the FREE Adobe Reader
   
Department of Chemistry and Physics
College of Sciences
Science Building, Room 112
(318) 797-5246 (p) / (318) 797-5090 (f)
chemistryphysics@lsus.edu
spacer
spacer
spacer
spacer
Last Updated 11/04/2004