Komalavalli Thirunavukkuarasu
- komalavalli.thirunav@famu.edu
- PHONE
- 850-599-3925
- OFFICE
- Physics
308B Humphries Science Research Building
Office hours vary each semester. Please refer to your course syllabus. A virtual or
in-person appointment can be scheduled in advance via email.
Fall 2023: Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
PHY 2048 General Physics I - MWF 1:25 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.
PHY 2049 General Physics II - MWF 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Komalavalli Thirunavukkuarasu (KT) is an Associate Professor at the Department of
Physics, Florida A&M University (FAMU). She is an experimental physicist with a doctorate
from the University of Augsburg, Germany, and a recipient of the prestigious Feodor-Lynen
Fellowship award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and Emerging Researcher
of the Year 2021 at FAMU. She is also affiliated with the National High Magnetic Field
Laboratory and FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.
Her research focuses on low-energy spectroscopy on functional materials at extreme
conditions. She studies quantum materials such as molecular magnets, carbon-based
nanostructures, multiferroics, etc., using THz, IR, Raman, and EPR spectroscopies
at low temperature, high pressure, and/or high magnetic fields. As of 2023, KT has
acquired more than $3.5M in research funding as PI and Co-PI from the National Science
Foundation, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Energy. She has mentored
several high school, undergraduate, and graduate students in materials research. KT
is part of several mentoring initiatives and is very passionate about science education
and communication. KT continues to actively participate in university, professional,
and community service activities that improve the scientific environment for young
students and researchers, especially, the underrepresented minorities.
- Functional and Quantum materials
- Experimental condensed matter physics
- Spectroscopy (under extreme conditions such as high magnetic fields, low temperatures, and high pressures)
- Scholarship of teaching and learning
- Equity in STEM
- Mentoring and science communication
-
University of Augsburg, Germany - 2009
Ph.D. in Physics -
University of Stuttgart, Germany - 2004
M.Sc. in Physics -
Institute of Technology Madras, India. - 2003
M.Sc. in Physics -
University of Madras, India - 1999
B.Sc. in Physics
- Associate Professor - 2022-Present
Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL
Affiliate appointments:
FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Tallahassee, FL, USA
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab), Tallahassee, FL, USA. -
Assistant Professor - 2016-2022
Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL -
Visiting Associate-in-Research - 2015
MagLab, Tallahassee, FL -
Postdoctoral research associate - 2012-14
MagLab/Florida State University (FSU), Tallahassee, USA. -
Postdoctoral scientist - 2009 – 2012
II. Physics Institute, University of Cologne, Germany. -
Graduate research assistant - 2006-2009
University of Augsburg, Germany -
Research assistant - 2003-2006
1. Physics Institute, University of Stuttgart, Germany. -
Patent Abstracts Technical Editor - 2000-2001
Domex Technical Information, Chennai, India.
- 2021 Emerging Researcher Award - Florida A&M University, FL, USA
- 2012 Feodor-Lynen Fellowship - Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany
- PHY 2053 College Physics I
- PHY 2054 College Physics II
- PHY 2048 General Physics I
- PHY 2049 General Physics II
- PHY 2053L College Physics I lab
- PHY 2048L General Physics I lab
- PHY 2054L College Physics II lab
- PHZ 6426 Condensed Matter Physics I (Graduate level)
- PHZ 6427 Condensed Matter Physics II (Graduate level)
- PHZ 4404 Condensed Matter Physics (undergraduate level)
- PHY 4932 Seminar II
- PHY 6110 Supervised Teaching
- PHY 6918 Supervised Research
- PHY 5971 Thesis
