Dr. Paul DeYoung

The Kenneth G. Herrick Professor of Physics, Department Chair
616.395.7517deyoung@hope.edu
Profile photo of Dr. Paul DeYoung

Dr. Paul A. DeYoung, along with Dr. Belen Monteagudo, oversees 麻豆视频鈥檚 Nuclear Group, which is one of the longest running, continuously funded research programs at Hope. Student researchers in this group have a wide variety of options. The Nuclear Group plays a large role within two internationally recognized collaborations at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams: the Modular Neutron Array Collaboration, which conducts studies of neutron-rich, ultra-short lived nuclei such as 25O, and the Summing NaI group, which investigates the structure of nuclei formed in neutron star mergers and supernovae. Additionally, the Nuclear Group is responsible for work done with the Hope Ion Beam Analysis Laboratory, the college鈥檚 very own particle accelerator. Work with this device includes interdisciplinary studies of PFAS, vacancies in crystal lattices, effects of radiation and space, and trace element measurements of a variety of commercial and research materials.

Since joining the Hope faculty in 1985, Dr. DeYoung has taught nearly every one of the standard physics courses. He also has developed distance learning college physics classes as well as distance learning laboratories to accompany the lecture courses.

Since 2005 he has held an endowed chair as Kenneth G. Herrick Professor of Physics.

Areas of Expertise

Dr. DeYoung鈥 current research includes:

  • Structure of neutron-rich unstable nuclei
  • Decay properties of rare r-process nuclei
  • Ion beam analysis of materials using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE), Particle Induced 纬-ray Emission (PIGE), Nuclear Reaction Analysis (NRA), and Ion Beam Induced Luminescence (IBIL).

His technical expertise includes

  • LABVIEW programming for computer control of instrumentation
  • Mathematical Methods in Physics (FFT, non-linear fitting, GUPIX, SIMRA, and GEOPIXE)
  • Development of realistic simulations of physics laboratory experiments
  • Construction of scintillating detectors for neutron and 尾 particle detection.

EDUCATION

  • Postdoctoral researcher, Nuclear Structure Labratory, SUNY, 1982鈥1985
  • Ph.D., nuclear physics, University of Notre Dame, 1982
  • B.A., physics and mathematics, 麻豆视频, 1977
  • Associate degree, science, Muskegon Community College, 1975

Selected Grants & HONORS

  • 鈥淣uclear Science with Undergraduate Researchers: Studies of Nuclei at the Extremes
    and New Applications of Nuclear Techniques鈥 (3 years),  Belen Monteagudo Co-PI, NSF ($374,577), 2016. 
  • Fellow of the American Physical Society, 2012
  • Exceptional undergraduate researcher within the Natural and Applied Sciences Division at Hope College, 2011
  • 鈥淢RI-Consortium: Development of a Neutron Detector Array by Undergraduate Research Students for Studies of Exotic Nuclei鈥 (the lead proposal for a MoNA Collaboration request from nine undergraduate institutions totaling $1.2 million), NSF ($203,894), NSF ($203,894), 2009
  • Prize to a Faculty Member for Research in an Undergraduate Institution, American Physical Society, 2001

Select Publications

  • -decay Feeding Intensity Distributions of 71,73狈颈,鈥 Physical Review, 2021
  • -decay Feeding Intensity Distributions for 103,104m狈产,鈥 Physical Review, 2021
  • 鈥淣itrogen Beams with a National Electrostatics Corporation Alphatross Source and a 5SDH Accelerator,鈥 Harlow, Journal of Undergraduate Reports in Physics, 2020
  • 鈥淣eutron Unbound Excited States of 23狈,鈥 Physical Review, 2017
  • 鈥淪earch for Excited States in 25翱,鈥 Physical Review, 2017
  • 鈥淧opulation of 13Be in Nucleon Exchange Reactions,鈥 Physical Review, 2015
  • 鈥淪uNSCREEN: A Cosmic-Ray Veto Detector for Capture-Reaction Measurements,鈥 Nuclear Instruments and Methods, 2015

View Dr. DeYoung's other publications on his curriculum vitae.

Outside the College

Dr. DeYoung loves to go bass fishing, He plays the bass guitar with a praise band, and makes adaptive musical instruments and sensory devices for special needs children.

Profile photo of Dr. Paul DeYoung
Dr. Paul DeYoung

Phone Number616.395.7517

VanderWerf Hall Room 230 27 Graves Place Holland, MI 49423-3617
VanderWerf Hall Room 230 27 Graves Place Holland MI 49423-3617