Biography
Dr. Michael Johnson is the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and a Professor of Physics. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Virginia, and came to UCF in 1990 following postdocs at the University of Kentucky and Indiana University. His research is in theoretical condensed matter physics. He has investigated integrable one-dimensional quantum systems, nonlinear optical properties of solids, fractional statistics, and pattern formation in complex fluids. His recent work focuses on electronic properties in highly correlated and nanoscale systems, including quantum dots in the fractional quantum Hall regime and high-current non-equilibrium electron transport.
Research Areas
Mesoscopics, particularly high-current electron transport. Fractional quantum Hall effect, including edge properties, dots, and fractional statistics. Quantum dots: quantitative studies using density functional theory. Pattern formation in complex fluids. Stochastic processes in markets. This research effort has the main theme of seeking a microscopic understanding of electronic properties in highly correlated systems. The tools used are both analytical and numerical. Nonlinear transport, for instance, can be approached using concepts of nonequilibrium statistical mechanics such as Keldysh-Green’s functions. Some understanding of fractional Hall systems can be gained by exact many-electron diagonalizations, while quantum dot studies are large-scale computational efforts.
