Jenn Kreft
Graduate Research Assistant, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics
		kreft@chaos.ph.utexas.edu Office: RLM 14.204, (512)-232-1732
		Research Interests: Granular Materials Pattern Formation Non-equillibrium Phenomena Statistical Physics

Experience: Graduate Research Assistant Center for nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas at Austin (March 2003 - Present) Graduate Research Assistant Experimentalphysik V, Universität Bayreuth Bayreuth, Germany (Oct. 2004 - Dec. 2004) Graduate Teaching Assistant University of Texas at Austin (Sep. 2002 - May 2003) Graduate Teaching Assistant Physics Department,. San Francisco State University (Jan. 2001 - Aug. 2002) Education: Pursuing Ph.D. (Physics) University of Texas at Austin (2003-) Graduate Advisor: Jack B. Swift B.S. (Microbiology; minor in Chemistry) Dept. of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida (1997)

Research: I use a molecular dynamics (MD) based simulation to study the dynamics of driven granular materials. This simulation was developed to reproduce the Faraday wave patterns observed in experiments. I have researched the role fluctuations, or noise, plays in the onset of these patterns initially as part of a project to compare continuum and MD based simulations. I have also studied the velocity distributions in granular gases, an important input when deriving continuum equations for grains. Currently, I am furthering the investigation to determine the factors contributing to the noise in grains. In collaboration with researchers from the University of Bayreuth, I am investigating the solid-fluid phase transition in particles shaken both vertically and horizontally. Affiliations: Center for Nonlinear Dynamics Department of Physics Publications: Please visit the Center's publication site for the full text of the following articles as well as others on granular materials. J.S. van Zon, J. Kreft, D. Goldman, D. Miracle, J.B. Swift, H. Swinney, "Crucial role of sidewalls in velocity distributions in quasi-2D granular gases", Physical Review E, 70, 040301,4 (2004). J. Bougie, J. Kreft, J.B. Swift, H. Swinney, "Onset of Patterns in an Oscillated Granular Layer", to appear in Physical Review E.