Franziska Bleichert
Miller Fellow, 2010 - 2013
MCB
Host: James Berger
Ph.D. Institution: Yale University
E-mail: fbleichert[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 374D Stanley Hall # 3220

Before each cell division, the genetic content of cells is duplicated by DNA replication. Dr. Bleichert is interested in understanding the initial steps of this process which involve the binding of numerous proteins to DNA to form replication initiation complexes. She will use a combination of X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy to study the architecture and structure of replication initiation complexes, seeking to understand how the structures of these macromolecules determine their functions.

Gregory Bowman
Miller Fellow, 2011 - 2014
MCB
Host: Susan Marqusee
Ph.D. Institution: Stanford University
E-mail: gbowman[at]berkeley.edu
Address: Marqusee Lab, 592 Stanley Hall # 3220

The role that a protein’s dynamics play in its function is an unsolved mystery that is crucial to understanding many biochemical processes. For example, how do membrane proteins transmit extracellular signals into a cell? How do proteins fold into functional shapes? And how can a few mutations allow proteins involved in drug-resistance to degrade novel antibiotics? These questions are representative of the three topics Dr. Bowman would like to address as a Miller Fellow: protein allostery, folding, and evolution. By better understanding these fundamental questions, he hopes to greatly improve our ability to design small molecules and protein therapeutics.

Justin Brown
Miller Fellow, Fall 2011 - 2014
Physics
Host: Holger Mueller
Ph.D. Institution: Princeton University
E-mail: jmbrown[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 366 LeConte Hall, Mueller Lab # 7300

General Relativity has been enormously successful at describing space and time on astronomical distance scales, but remains difficult to observe in the laboratory. Dr. Brown is interested in studying gravitational effects that deviate from simple Newtonian mechanics, Post-Newtonian effects, that are difficult to observe even within our solar system. The interference of cold atomic clouds in an atom interferometer provides a powerful tool for such precision tests of gravity on the laboratory scale.

Adam Day
Miller Fellow, 2011 - 2014
Mathematics
Host: Ted Slaman
Ph.D. Institution: Victoria University of Wellington
E-mail: adam.day[at]math.berkeley.edu
Address: 719 Evans Hall # 3840

Dr. Day’s research is motivated by a desire to understand the mathematical properties of a random outcome. These properties can be investigated by combining the theory of computable functions with probability theory. He is particularly interested in considering the case when the underlying probability distribution cannot be computed.

Claude-André Faucher-Giguère
Miller Fellow, 2010 - 2013
Astronomy
Host: Chung-Pei Ma
Ph.D. Institution: Harvard University
E-mail: cgiguere[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 641B Campbell Hall # 3411

Dr. Faucher-Giguère has broad interests in theoretical astrophysics and cosmology, with particular emphasis on cosmic structure formation. A problem of central importance is to understand how the low-density intergalactic medium evolves from Big Bang initial conditions into the galaxies that we observe today. To address this, he uses a combination of analytical modeling and numerical simulations, and develops ways to relate the theoretical models to observations that can test and inform them.

Matthew Good
Miller Fellow, 2010 - 2013
MCB
Host: Rebecca Heald
Ph.D. Institution: UCSF
E-mail: matt.good[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 311 LSA # 3200

Dr. Good is generally interested in the principles that govern the spatiotemporal regulation of protein networks inside of living cells. As a Miller Fellow Dr. Good, will tackle an intriguing question fundamental to cell growth and division: how are intracellular structures modified to fit within a changing cell volume?

Genevieve Graves
Miller Fellow, 2009 - 2012
Astronomy
Host: Chung-Pei Ma
Ph.D. Institution: UC Santa Cruz
E-mail: graves[at]astro.berkeley.edu
Address: 601 Campbell Hall # 3411

Over the last 13 billion years of cosmic time, galaxies have assembled from smaller components, drawn together by their mutual gravitational attraction. This assembly process (which is dominated by invisible dark matter) can be modeled with computer simulations, but the physics of star formation(which produces the visible galaxies)is too complicated to model. Dr. Graves attempts to bridge the gap by comparing observations from the most extensive spectroscopic survey of galaxies ever undertaken with the results of the largest cosmological computer simulations ever produced. The goal is to achieve a cradle-to-grave understanding of galaxy formation and evolution.

Alexander Hayes
Miller Fellow, 2011 - 2014
Earth & Planetary Science, Astronomy
Host: Imke de Pater
Ph.D. Institution: California Institute of Technology
E-mail: alexhayes[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 601 Campbell Hall # 3411

How ubiquitous are the processes which shape planetary surfaces? Are the fluvial processes that carve channels into Titan's icy crust the same as those which have sculpted the Mississippi River? Are the eolian and diagenetic processes which have created and lithified cross-bedded sandstone on Mars the same as those responsible for the beautiful vistas of Zion National Park? Dr. Hayes addresses such questions using spacecraft-based remote sensing to quantitatively study the properties of planetary surfaces. To date, Dr. Hayes has focused on studying the coupling of surface, subsurface, and atmospheric processes on Titan and Mars. Saturn’s moon Titan is the only extraterrestrial body currently known to support standing bodies of liquid on its surface and, along with Earth and Mars, is one of only three places in our solar system which we know to support an active hydrologic cycle. Understanding the nature of these hydrologic systems will teach us about the history of volatile compounds across the solar system and help define Earth's place within it.

Meredith Hughes
Miller Fellow, 2010 - 2013
Astronomy
Host: Eugene Chiang
Ph.D. Institution: Harvard University
E-mail: mhughes[at]astro.berkeley.edu
Address: 513 Campbell Hall # 3411

Planets form in disks of gas and dust orbiting their host stars. Dr. Hughes is interested in observing these circumstellar disks to understand both the physics of the planet formation process and the properties of the youngest planetary systems. Using millimeter-wavelength radio interferometers to observe the cool dust and molecular gas in sharp detail, it is possible to map out the characteristics and conditions of planet-forming regions. In addition, studying the dynamical interactions between young planets and their natal disks can indicate the presence of planets undetectable by other means and place crucial constraints on the masses of these young objects.

August Johansson
Miller Fellow, 2010 - 2013
Mathematics
Host: James Sethian
Ph.D. Institution: Umea University, Sweden
E-mail: august[at]math.berkeley.edu
Address: 725 Evans Hall # 3840

Partial differential equations are used for describing a vast number of various physical phenomena such as heat and fluid flow, elasticity, electromagnetism and acoustics to name a few. Dr. Johansson's research is on developing numerical methods for solving such equations, primarily using finite element methods. He is particularly interested in phenomena that are described by several partial differential equations coupled to each other that may involve different temporal and spatial scales. He is also interested in immersed methods for moving interfaces.

Eric King
Miller Fellow, 2010 - 2013
EPS
Host: Bruce Buffet
Ph.D. Institution: UCLA
E-mail: eric.king[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 383 McCone Hall # 4767

The magnetic fields of planets and stars (such as Earth and the Sun) are generated by turbulent motions occurring in the vast seas of electrically conducting fluids within them. Dr. King's research draws on theoretical, experimental, and computational analogs of geophysical and astrophysical flows to improve our fundamental understanding of this and other natural phenomena.

Mark Laidre
Miller Fellow, 2010 - 2013
Integrative Biology/Anthropology
Hosts: Roy Caldwell, Tery Deacon
Ph.D. Institution: Princeton University
E-mail: mlaidre[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 3060 VLSB # 3140

Without communication, organismal life as we know it would be difficult, if not impossible. How then did communication originate? What forces shaped its evolutionary and developmental trajectory? What cognitive and neural mechanisms enable it? And what Darwinian functions does it ultimately serve? As a biologist Dr. Laidre investigates these questions across a broad suite of organisms, spanning invertebrates to humans. His research examines both the underlying mechanisms and the ultimate function of communication, mixing experiments in the field and laboratory with theoretical modeling and computer simulations. He is especially interested in the evolutionary dynamics of information transmission; in how reliable signaling is maintained in the face of genetic conflicts-of-interest; and in how communication networks produce emergent, novel biological properties. While biology is essential for shedding light on how ecology and evolution have simultaneously shaped and constrained communication, other disciplines have much to contribute as well. Dr. Laidre therefore seeks to integrate into his research the rich insights of other fields, from neuroscience and anthropology to economics and mathematics.

Chang Liu
Miller Fellow, 2009 - 2012
Bioengineering
Host: Adam Arkin
Ph.D. Institution: The Scripps Research Institute
E-mail: ccliu[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 309B Hildebrand # 3220

I am interested in creating biological components that control the parameters of evolution. These can be used for practical things like the generation of protein therapeutics in the laboratory; at the same time, they can be used to further our understanding of biology's design principles and evolutionary theory. I am also interested in developing methods that enable the straightforward creation of gene circuits and their subsequent evolution toward novel systems-level functions.

Kirk Lohmueller
Miller Fellow, 2010 - 2013
Integrative Biology
Host: Rasmus Nielsen
Ph.D. Institution: Cornell University
E-mail: k.lohmueller[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 3060 VLSB # 3140

Dr. Lohmueller studies patterns of genetic variation in human populations. He is developing and implementing computational techniques to analyze large-scale genomic datasets with the goal of understanding how population history and natural selection have shaped genetic diversity. His work is important for understanding human history, medical genetics, and forensic science.

Scott Morrison
Miller Fellow, 2009 - 2012
Mathematics
Host: Vaughan Jones
Ph.D. Institution: UC Berkeley
E-mail: scott[at]math.berkeley.edu
Address: 970 Evans Hall # 3840

Dr. Morrison is interested in the interplay between low dimensional topology (knots, surfaces and 3-manifolds) and algebra. He works on algebraic classification problems (e.g. fusion categories) using topological and combinatorial techniques. Conversely, he uses rather algebraic constructions (Khovanov homology and blob homology) to develop new invariants of 3- and 4-dimensional manifolds.

Eric Neuscamman
Miller Fellow, 2011 - 2014
Chemistry
Host: Martin Head-Gordon
Ph.D. Institution: Cornell University
E-mail: eneuscamman[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 419 Latimer Hall, c/o Martin Head-Gordon Group # 1460

Dr Neuscamman's research focuses on the theoretical treatment and computer modeling of strong electron interactions in molecular and solid state environments. In a typical molecule or solid at equilibrium, the formation of bonding and anti-bonding orbitals usually prevents strong interactions between electrons, making the electronic structure relatively easy to describe. Unfortunately, many important systems such as catalytic protein cores, high temperature superconductors, and chemical reaction coordinates lack this simplifying structure and contain large numbers of strongly interacting electrons. This research seeks to create accurate models of these systems by combining the strengths of advanced theoretical models and massively parallel computation.

Rachel Pepper
Miller Fellow, 2011 - 2014
IB and CEE
Hosts: Mimi Koehl, Mark Stacey
Ph.D. Institution: Harvard
E-mail: rachel.pepper[at]berkeley.edu
Address: IB: 3060 VLSB, #3140, CEE: 760 Davis Hall, #1710
3140

Dr. Pepper is interested in problems at the intersection of fluid mechanics and biology and in exploring research that lends insight both to underlying physical mechanisms and to biological functions, strategies, and evolution. In particular, she studies the fluid flows that microscopic organisms create and inhabit using experiments, theory, and simulations.

Nicholas Piro
Miller Fellow, 2009 - 2012
Chemistry
Host: Christopher Chang
Ph.D. Institution: MIT
E-mail: piro[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 532A Latimer Hall # 1460

The availability of inexpensive, renewable fuels will be vital to the future of a healthy planet and population. Important to new technologies will be chemical catalysts that can form and break bonds for the synthesis and utilization of these fuels. Dr. Piro's work will focus on the synthesis and study of molecular catalysts that carry out reactions of small molecules, such as H₂, O₂ and CO₂, that are relevant to these processes. A key feature of this work will be the use of inexpensive, earth-abundant metals (including iron, cobalt, and nickel) to carry out these challenging transformations.

Daniel Rabosky
Miller Fellow, 2009 - 2012
Integrative Biology
Host: John Huelsenbeck
Ph.D. Institution: Cornell University
E-mail: drabosky[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 3060 VLSB # 3140

One of the most striking features of the natural world is the disparity in diversity among groups of organisms: some groups contain an impressive array of different species and morphologies, yet many other groups are just as noteworthy for what they lack in diversity. Dr. Rabosky studies evolutionary radiations across a variety of organisms, timescales, and geographic settings in order to make sense of this variation. His research combines empirical analyses of diversification in Australian lizards and other taxa (including marine phytoplankton and birds) with the development of new mathematical and computational techniques for modeling evolutionary data.

Adam Retchless
Miller Fellow, 2011 - 2014
ESPM
Host: Rodrigo Almeida
Ph.D. Institution: University of Pittsburgh
E-mail: adam[at]retchless.us
Address: 137 Mulford Hall, c/o Rodrigo Almeida # 3114

Many organisms can grow in a diverse range of environmental conditions, even when some of those conditions would kill closely related organisms. Dr. Retchless investigates the genetic basis of this phenomenon in the bacterial plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa, which not only grows within multiple host species (causing disease in several crops), but also colonizes the foreguts of insects so that it can be transmitted to uninfected plants. To understand the genetic basis of adaptation to multiple environments, Dr. Retchless is comparing strains of X. fastidiosa that grow in different plants and modeling evolutionary processes that could cause bacteria to gain or lose the ability to grow on a host species of plant.

Joshua Ruderman
Miller Fellow, 2011 - 2014
Physics
Host: Yasunori Nomura
Ph.D. Institution: Princeton
E-mail:
Address: 366 LeConte Hall, c/o Yasunori Nomura # 7300

The Large Hadron Collider, that is now running at CERN, may soon discover new dynamics and uncover new symmetries of our Universe. Dr. Ruderman is interested in developing new theories of particle physics that can be tested at the Large Hadron Collider. More generally, he would like to understand how experiments can teach us about solutions to long-standing problems of particle physics, such as the origin of mass and the particle nature of dark matter.

Mikhail Shapiro
Miller Fellow, 2011 - 2014
Bioengineering & Molecular and Cell Biology
Hosts: David Schaffer, Ehud Isacoff
Ph.D. Institution: MIT
E-mail: mikhails[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 278 Stanley Hall # 3220

The brain is a complex system comprising billions of interconnected, specialized cells whose collective function gives rise to human consciousness, while malfunction leads to neurological and psychiatric disease. Understanding how this system works requires the ability to precisely sense and manipulate its activity. Dr. Shapiro is developing new technologies that will provide non-invasive access to the brain at a molecular level, and plans to apply such technologies to basic neuroscience and treatment of disease. His key methods include genetic and protein engineering, magnetic resonance and ultrasound imaging and infrared radiation.

Yogesh Surendranath
Miller Fellow, 2011 - 2014
Chemistry
Host: Paul Alivisatos
Ph.D. Institution: MIT
E-mail: yogeshs[at]berkeley.edu
Address: Alivsatos Group # 1460

The development of a new generation of technologies for the capture and conversion of sunlight and its storage in the form of chemical fuels relies on the ability to control the transfer of charge at nanostructured interfaces. Dr. Surendranath’s work will focus on the synthesis of novel nano-sized catalyst-functionalized semiconductor heterostructures to uncover the key principles governing unidirectional charge flow at interfaces. In particular, the work will target multi-component architectures capable of generating H2 and O2 from sunlight.

Melissa Wilson Sayres
Miller Fellow, 2011 - 2014
Statistics and Integrative Biology
Host: Rasmus Nielsen
Ph.D. Institution: Penn State University
E-mail: mwilsonsayres[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 367 Evans Hall, c/o Rasumus Nielsen # 3140

Dr. Wilson Sayres is actively working to understand the evolution of sex chromosomes (X and Y in mammals), and also interested in using the unique properties of these chromosomes (e.g., that they spend different amounts of time in the male and female germlines, and are subject to different selective pressures) to address how mutations accumulate. To address the first area of interest, she is cataloging and interpreting variation among multi-copy gene families on the Y chromosomes from populations around the world. She is also comparing diversity on the sex chromosomes and non-sex chromosomes across hundreds of individuals to determine how population demography, selection, and sex-specific mutation processes combine to contribute to the accumulation of mutations in the human genome.

Jun Zhao
Miller Fellow, 2010 - 2013
Physics
Host: Robert J. Birgeneau
Ph.D. Institution: University of Tennessee
E-mail: zhao[at]berkeley.edu
Address: 366 LeConte hall # 7300

Dr. Zhao is interested in the magnetic properties of the strongly correlated systems, including Fe based and cuprate superconductors. In particular, he mainly focuses on using neutron scattering to study the magnetic phase transition and spin dynamics of the Fe based superconductors, as well as the spin dynamics in electron doped cuprates.