First-generation college student hopes to obtain a Ph.D. in physics

POSTED ON Feb 17, 2023

A physics student at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) was honored for research that she presented at the American Physical Society Far West Section’s Annual Meeting.

According to Bradi Zapata of CSUSM News, the American Physical Society Far West Section’s meeting at the University of Manoa Hawai awarded Ashley Corey the prize for best research by an undergraduate student for her presentation, “Characterizing Gate Defined Quantum Dots in a Mesa-Etched Silicon Nanowire”.

“As a passionate physicist and researcher, winning the Steven Chu award for best research conducted by an undergraduate student is surreal,” Corey told CSUSM. “I feel so honored, and it only motivated me to continue working hard. “I’m the first in my family to pursue college and anything STEM related, so winning the award just felt like a confirmation that I’m heading in the right direction.”

As a Hologic Scholar, Corey is part of a pilot program that is helping her continue her Summer Scholar research. Last summer, CSUSM announced it had received a $110,250 grant from Hologic, a Massachusetts-based medical technology company that has a major presence in San Diego, to launch the Hologic Pathway to Success in STEM. The new program will expand Summer Scholars to serve STEM students throughout their college path, from their first year to graduation.

The pathway program provides rising sophomores who are first-generation college students, low-income, from underrepresented groups in STEM or academically struggling with exposure to Summer Scholars programming, lab shadowing, and peer mentorship.

Corey’s project included making single electron transport measurements and investigating gate-defined silicon quantum dots. Her research work this fall is funded by Hologic, CSUSM said.

During the summer of 2022, Corey began measuring a device that was designed to operate as a double quantum dot, which is intended to isolate individual electrons into two separate but coupled regions. Quantum dot devices like these are versatile platforms for studying solid-state physics, nanotechnology, and quantum computing.

Corey is wrapping up her last semester at CSUSM and will be graduating this fall with her degree in applied physics. Her career goal is to obtain a Ph.D. in physics and to one day run her own research lab as a condensed matter experimentalist.