Brice C. Smith
Assistant Professor and Chairman of Physics

     In graduate school my focus was on soft condensed matter and biological physics. While at MIT I studied the mechanical properties of self-assembled biological structures on both experimental and theoretical grounds. The system I focused on was a model for the bile in the human gallbladder in which the crystallization of cholesterol leads eventually to the formation of gallstones. In particular I was interested in exploring the properties of a spring-like helical structure that forms as an intermediate step along the pathway to crystallization.

     Following graduate school I worked for the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, a non-profit research institute dedicated to applying science in the public interest. While there I authored or co-authored numerous reports on technical and environmental issues surrounding nuclear power and nuclear weapons production and on the economics and technical viability of renewable resources to meet our energy needs. In May 2006, I published my first book, entitled Insurmountable Risks: The Dangers of Using Nuclear Power to Combat Global Climate Change.

     I joined the physics department at SUNY Cortland in the Fall of 2006. At Cortland I am continuing my research on the environmental and health impacts of radioactive wastes. I am also continuing to explore issues relating to the U.S. and global energy systems, particularly as they relate to nuclear power, renewable energy, and the threat of global warming. I am always interested in working with students on this research. Feel free to contact me at: Brice Smith, SUNY College at Cortland, Cortland, New York 13045.