Atomic Physics Seminars

Dr. Eric Imhof leads quantum sensor development at Northrop Grumman, a multinational aerospace and defense company. As principal investigator, his programs are advancing the Rydberg RF receiver, NMR gyroscope, atomic clocks, spin-polarized magnetometers, and more. His most recent publications have appeared in the Journal of Applied Physics, Physical Review A, Review of Scientific Instruments, and Physical Review Applied.

This successful career was not obvious from his performance as an undergraduate physics student at UVA from 2008-2011. Rejected by the traditional academic route, he was forced along a tenuous and uncertain path through military graduate schools, space vehicle labs, and missile defense research centers before earning his PhD. Along the way, mentors, advocates, and unexpected friends kept the dream alive.

Now, as someone who interviews and hires physicists, he has a unique take on the skills physics students should develop and how traditional postgraduate training often leaves significant gaps. He will discuss what he looks for in applicants and his recommendations for how to find a meaningful, productive career path in physics.