Chris Search: An Unorthodox Physicist

 Katie Bloomer 

Chris Search, a physics professor at Stevens Institute of Technology, began his personal introduction with a bang by announcing that, while he might be unorthodox, he is certainly not a crackhead. This statement was reflective of his quirky personality as a physicist with strong opinions on physics and the field of science as a whole. 

Growing up, Search’s father was a Catholic priest and Search was raised as a member of the church. As a psychologist who was especially well versed in science, his father influenced Searches' love for science. However, parental influence only lasts so long and Search admits that the commonality of atheism within the physics community contributed to his later rebellion against the church, declaration of being an atheist, and attendance of a technical school. This rebellion was only temporary and Search now connects his belief in God with his knowledge of physics. Search explained that many physicists and other scientists often see the beauty and perfection in the world as proof that there is a God, which is his personal belief. Search explained that his initial interests in science mainly involved cosmology and astronomy. This later expanded to a love of the field of physics as a whole and his eventual job as a professor. 

Prior to becoming a professor, Search spent much time learning about topics involving and surrounding his interests. He began with a Bachelor of Science degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute studying physics, his main passion. Then Search continued on to earn his Master's degrees in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Physics all at the University of Michigan. Finally, he earned his PhD in Applied Physics. 

As for his views on current matters in physics, Search believes that scientists need to focus on theories that are actually able to be tested or otherwise proven as he sees this as a fundamental aspect of physics. Given this, he feels string theory is a waste of time that makes physics as a whole look bad by falsely broadcasting that physics can be done without any experimentation. He would advise anyone studying string theory to end their “research” immediately because it is a waste of time with a lack of potential. According to Search, not only are string theorists making physics look bad and wasting their own time, but they are also suppressing potential breakthroughs that could be more valuable than pointless theorizing. Chris Search’s strong views on string theory were perhaps some of his most unorthodox due to his level of passion against the theory. 

Additionally, Search believes in the Big Bang, but only due to lack of other realistic theories about the beginning of the universe. He is greatly unsatisfied with the lack of evidence to support it. His opposition to science without experimentation is that it can result in molding information to fit the desired narrative. Test results are less likely, although still possible, to mold. 

As for theories that do have potential, Search stated that the lack of progress in physics is due to a lack of easily discoverable things. The 20th century was a peak for science because there was a lot of low hanging fruit which led to the boom of discovery. We are in need of new technology to advance progress, but it is difficult to know when that will happen. 

Overall, Chris Search is a physicist who emphasizes the importance of testable theories as the foundation of physics.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Molecules, Models, and Magic: The Exciting World of Computational Chemistry

Vrinda Modi I often spend time in a little cubicle in McLean in the freezing corporate cold wrapped in a blanket in the Hoboken summers sipping on free coffee from the office above. It almost always tastes like chalk, but the routine is so embedded in me. Hence, this is the perfect opportunity to talk a little more about my research in computational chemistry here at Stevens and the advances I expect in the next few years. This field excites me because it bridges my interest in chemistry with modern computing techniques, a powerful tool for advancing our understanding of chemical reactions and molecular interactions. This means we are a dry lab – running simulations on computers. No chemicals, no PPE, just models and algorithms. But why does computational chemistry exist in the first place, especially when chemistry is so rooted in physical matter? The answer is efficiency. Modeling molecules on a computer saves us from ordering chemicals, waiting for deliveries (a delay in chemistry t...
Read more

Scaling the Potential of Vertical Farming Going into 2025 and Beyond

Image
  Matthew P Kearney Scaling the Potential of Vertical Farming Going into 2025 and Beyond      Vertical farming may seem like something out of a futuristic movie, but they are very real in today’s agricultural industry. Vertical farming may promote a stronger relationship between urbanization and sustainable crop production. Based on recent innovations across agriculture and technology, vertical farming has the potential to revolutionize our current farming system. Through the development of vertical farming-based production lines, cities and otherwise unfarmable areas can be provided with fresh, local, and pesticide-free produce. Vertical farming and other adaptations of agriculture are not new ideas, but instead a historic and human process.      These technologies are ready to meaningfully address global food security through the technological and computational advancements in agriculture. Vertical farming has a promising future, which becomes a case...
Read more

Knot Your Average Problem: How do Tongue Ties Impact Oral Myofunctional Health?

Image
  Hadia Hussain      Knot Your Average Problem: How do Tongue Ties Impact Oral Myofunctional Health? Sitting in the nursery of the dental office where I worked, I reviewed Baby V’s medical history and reports from the Emergency Department at Jersey City Medical Center. I found it odd that, despite multiple visits and clear signs of malnutrition, no physician had been able to diagnose the cause. Baby V, at a low weight of 12 pounds was struggling with difficulty nursing and bottle feeding, excessive gassiness, colic, clicking sounds when feeding, milk dribbling out of the mouth, and mouth breathing—but doctors had dismissed these signs, labeling him as "healthy."  It didn’t make sense as his low weight raised serious concerns.  According to Pediatric specialists Jenny Olson, DNP, and Sarha DeVrieze, ARNP, at the UnityPoint Clinic, a 9-month-old baby boy should weigh anywhere in between the range of 17 to 25 pounds. Baby V's situation was clearly a ...
Read more