Nine undergraduate physics students from UNI had the unique experience of presenting original research and engaging with some of the brightest minds in science at the American Physical Society Global Physics Summit in Denver, Colorado, during the spring 2026 semester.

Hear from Physics major Connor Cunningham, who attended the conference, on what he learned from the experience.

1. What was your biggest takeaway from attending the APS Global Physics Summit?

My biggest takeaway from the conference is how deep the field of physics is. While I have attended similar conferences in the past, my understanding of physics has matured since then, and I was able to better appreciate the scale of the work that physicists all over the world accomplish. 

2. How did it feel to present your research at an international conference?

Presenting research at a global conference means getting to meet people from all over the country and the world who are interested in your research. We presented our research to interested faculty and students, often learning with them when they had relevant questions, and we chatted with our collaborators at Texas Tech and Auburn that we rarely get to meet in person. 

3. Can you briefly describe your research project in simple terms?

Our project focuses on CrSBr, a material that has particular interest in the field of spintronics. We deposited a thin layer of nickel (Ni) on the material, and we studied the vibrational properties of the material both with and without the thin layer of Ni using a technique called Raman spectroscopy. The purpose of our work was to analyze what happens when we use metal as an electrical contact with CrSBr, a necessary step if this material is to be used for spintronics applications. 

4. What was the most exciting or memorable moment from the trip?

One important aspect of these conferences is building connections with other students and faculty. For me, this included getting to tour the lab of a nearby university that I will potentially be a graduate student at. I met both current graduate students and the professor who leads the group and got to learn about the projects I may be working on. 

While in Denver, we also took time to enjoy Colorado. This included a half-day trip to Boulder, where we hiked among Boulder’s famous Flatirons and walked around Pearl Street in downtown. This experience was very memorable, and it helped give my brain a rest from the mental strain of academic talks. 

5. Did attending the conference change how you think about your future career or graduate school plans? How so?

This conference and the other two I have attended have helped me to narrow my focus of what I want to conduct research on in and after graduate school. I have a good idea now of what topics I’d be very interested in pursuing and what topics I’d prefer to stay away from. 

6. What was it like interacting with professional physicists or students from other universities?

I enjoyed interacting with faculty and students from other universities, whether they were our collaborators who I already knew, those who were interested in our research, or those whose research I was interested in. Everyone loves to explain their research and are more than willing to talk to you about it or explain things if you have questions. 

7. How did UNI prepare you for an experience like this?

UNI has prepared me for experiences like this by giving me a solid base of physics knowledge to understand the research and by giving me the opportunity to actually conduct the research. These two opportunities in combination create powerful learning capabilities, allowing me to use my classroom knowledge to aid my more focused and technical research experience. 

8. What would you say to a prospective student considering studying physics at UNI?

If you are a student considering UNI for physics, know that you will be incredibly well supported if you choose UNI. The department and faculty have supported me both academically and professionally, and our donors have offered generous financial assistance. The department has the personal feeling characteristic of a smaller program, but has the experiences and facilities usually reserved for larger institutions. These combine to provide any student the opportunity to conduct research almost as soon as they arrive on campus; I began research my first semester here! 

9. Why do you think opportunities like this are important for undergraduate students?

Opportunities like attending large conferences are important for undergraduate students because they allow students to gain an understanding of what physics looks like outside of your institution. At the beginning of your undergraduate studies, your knowledge of the expanse of physics is limited. Attending these conferences helps you widen that knowledge and find what you want to pursue after you graduate. 

10. What are your future goals? How has UNI helped prepare you for them?

I plan to attend graduate school starting this fall, and after obtaining my PhD, I want to become a professor. UNI, through its emphasis on undergraduate research and mentorship from faculty, has helped me to prepare for these goals by giving me the experience and knowledge required to succeed as a student, physicist, and teacher.