Kaitlin O'Neill from Massapequa Park presents her research
Adelphi University student Kaitlin O'Neill, from Massapequa Park, will be presenting her research at the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities' (cicu) Independent Sector Undergraduate Research Exposition on January 22 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany. The event will showcase a wide variety of quality student research projects from a selective group of independent colleges and universities. Students were chosen by a faculty review panel to participate in the research project display day. The oneday event will feature a display of student research posters, special presentations, and networking opportunities. Students also will meet with legislators throughout the day. O'Neill is a senior majoring in physics, with plans to become a high school physics teacher. The title of her project is Quantum Entangled Photons and Complementarity. With the help of her Professor Sean J. Bentley, she explored complementarity, a fundamental principle of quantum theory which states that you can observe any quantum object (in this case a photon, or "particle" of light) acting as either a particle or a wave, but never both at the same time. In particular, she created an experiment using quantum entangled photons (pairs of photons alike in all ways, first discussed in 1935 by Einstein) to see if either (a) they would allow one to by-pass complementarity or (b) what mechanism would reinforce complementarity. Her ultimate finding, which she is preparing for publication, is that complementarity is reinforced, but strangely in a way that can be explained through classical arguments.
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