Welcome!
Welcome to the website for Hester Laboratory! We are an experimental condensed matter physics laboratory based at Brock University in St. Catharines, ON.
​
Our research is focused on the synthesis and understanding of new quantum materials - particularly those that may exhibit the elusive quantum spin liquid state. Our primary expertise lies in crystal growth and neutron scattering. Checkout the Research Interests page for more details.
​
Our group also has a strong interest in utilizing 3D printing for condensed matter physics education, research communication, and developing laboratory tools. We make all of our files available for free on Printables (including all 14 Bravais lattices) and you can find more details in the Resources page.
​
We are always looking for motivated graduate and undergraduate students to join our research group, so don't hesitate to reach out to us!
Figure: Triplon and magnon excitations measured using the Cold Neutron Chopper Spectrometer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This data informs us about the strength and symmetry of the magnetic interactions in new materials.
News
April 2024
In a joint proposal between Gavin and Prof. Jianbo Gao of the Chemistry Department, we were awarded a Global Impact Postdoctoral Award from Office of the Vice-Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies for interdisciplinary development of highly efficient and low-cost photovoltaic technology!
​
Sebastien Duguay was awarded a Brock University Match of Minds Award! Sebastien will be working on synthesizing new quantum materials and developing a ultrasound Bragg diffractometer for teaching scattering theory. Congrats Sebastien!
January 2024
Carter Fortuna and Rachit Kapoor join the research group! Carter is a high school student who will be helping synthesize new materials and develop some basic models using quantum computers. Rachit joins us from the University of Delhi and is the first graduate student in the group. Welcome Rachit and Carter!
October 2023
Renovations of our laboratory space have finally been completed! Now it is time to move in equipment and start growing some crystals!
August 2023
Sam and Sebastien gave poster presentations at the first FMS Undergraduate Research Symposium at Brock University. Sam presented a poster titled Neutron Spectroscopy of Crystal Field Excitations in Yb2Si2O7 and Sebastien presented a poster titled 3D Printing Crystal Structures for Education and Outreach.
June 2023
Gavin was invited to the Quantum Materials Young Investigators Workshop at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and gave a talk about our latest work on Yb2Si2O7.
May 2023
Sebastien Duguay and Sam Studdy join the laboratory as undergraduate researchers. Welcome Sam and Sebastien! Sam's work is being funded by a Brock University Match of Minds Award!
January 2023
Gavin started his new position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Brock University. We are open to new collaborations and actively looking for motivated graduate and undergraduate students to work with!
Contact
Information
Brock University
Department of Physics
1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way
St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1