Virginia C. Long
Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor
Virginia Long followed a non-traditional career path en route to joining
the Colby Physics Department in 2000. She obtained a B.A. in Religion at
Williams College in 1977 and spent several years learning carpentry and
house building before returning to school in undergraduate physics at the
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She finished her Ph.D. in
experimental condensed matter physics in 1996 and did post doctoral
research for three years at the State University of New York at Binghamton.
At Colby, Virginia uses optical spectroscopic techniques over a wide frequency range (far infrared to near ultraviolet) to study vibrational and electronic properties of a variety of materials. She is interested in polymer/fullerene blends and charge transfer salts of C60 that exhibit unusual properties due to cooperative effects between the fullerene (C60) balls and polymer chains or due to the additional charge on the fullerene molecule. Interactions between C60 and the polymers are expected to cause a symmetry reduction of the C60 balls that will be apparent in its far infrared vibrational spectrum. Likewise, extra charge on the C60 molecule causes a distortion that affects the vibrations. Other materials of interest are the "spin gap" compounds, which have fascinating magnetic properties due to their low dimensionality. By measuring the optical reflectance as a function of temperature and magnetic field, Virginia hopes to shed light on the electronic structure and how it relates to magnetic characteristics of these systems. Virginia studies the effect of an applied magnetic field during week-long experiments at the National High Magnetic Field Lab in Tallahassee, FL.
A newcomer to the state on Maine, Virginia is excited about exploring its
possibilities for hiking, birdwatching, and cross-country skiing. She also
plans to see what vegetables she can grow in her garden.
