Curtis Taylor Peterson


Education

Master of Science in Physics

University of Colorado Boulder

May 2022


Bachelor of Science in Physics, Summa Cum Laude

Arizona State University

Honors Thesis Title: “Numerical Simulations of Heavy Quark Exotica”

Committee: Richard Lebed, Andrei Belitsky

May 2019

Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Summa Cum Laude

May 2019

Arizona State University

Research & Teaching


National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow

June 2020 - present

  • Exploring the application of the gradient flow transformation to calculations of beta-functions and operator anomalous dimensions from high-performance numerical simulations of lattice quantum field theory. Part of this work is done with the Lattice Strong Dynamics (LSD) collaboration.

  • Working on calculations of the hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to the muon’s anomalous magnetic moment from numerical simulations of lattice quantum chromodynamics as part of my work with the Fermilab/MILC collaboration.

Teaching Assistant

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Colorado Boulder

Aug. 2019 - May 2020

  • Led three recitation sections for General Physics I in the Fall of 2019

  • Led two recitation sections for General Physics II and graded for General Physics III in the Spring of 2019

Student Research Intern

Los Alamos National Laboratory

June 2019 - Aug. 2019

  • Engaged in computational research in the Theoretical Division

NASA Space Grant Fellow

Aug. 2018 - May 2019

Arizona State University

  • Worked on the calculation of exotic hadron mass spectra from numerical solutions of coupled-channel Schroedinger equations within the framework of the dynamical diquark model

Student Research Intern

May 2018 - Aug. 2018

Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Engaged in computational research as part of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Computational Physics Summer Workshop

NASA Space Grant Fellow

Aug. 2017 - May 2018

Arizona State University

  • Worked on numerical simulations of astrophysical jets and the kind of environmental conditions that would lead to them creating Fermi Bubble-like morphological structures

Student Research Assistant

May 2017 - Aug. 2017

Purdue University

  • Studied the phenomenon of critical slowing down in models of biochemical feedback using a mapping to the mean-field Ising universality class. Research conducted at a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates program.

Learning Assistant

Aug. 2016 - Dec. 2017

Arizona State University

  • Aided classroom teaching and recitation sections for University Physics I in the Fall of 2016 and 2017 and University Physics II in the Fall of 2017

Student Research Assistant

June 2016 - Aug. 2017

Arizona State University

  • Worked on numerical simulations of advection-diffusion-reaction systems with oscillatory chemical reactions (much like the famous Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction). Research performed as part of the Mentoring Through Critical Transition Points summer research program.

Publications


For a full list, please see my InspireHEP or Google Scholar pages. Below are a few selected publications. It is worth mentioning that authorship order in high energy physics is always alphabetical.

Fermilab/MILC collaboration. “Light-quark connected intermediate-window contributions to the muon g−2 hadronic vacuum polarization from lattice QCD”. Submitted to Physical Review D (PRD).

Hasenfratz, A., Peterson, C.T., van Sickle, J., Witzel, O. “Continuous β function from weak coupling to the confining regime of SU(3) Yang-Mills theory and its application to the Λ parameter”. In preparation.

Giron, J.F., Lebed, R.F., Peterson, C.T. “The Dynamical Diquark Model: First Numerical Results”. Journal of High Energy Physics (JHEP).

Conference & Workshop Presentations


“Gradient flow anomalous dimensions for ten-flavor SU(3) gauge theory”. 39th International Lattice Symposium. Bonn, Germany. Oral Presentation. Aug. 2022.

“Determination of the continuous beta function of SU(3) Yang-Mills theory”. 39th International Lattice Symposium. Zoom/Gather @ MIT. Oral presentation. July 2021.

“Finite Temperature Study of a 4+6 Mass-Split System". 40th International Conference on High Energy physics. Zoom @ Prague, Czech Republic. Oral presentation. Aug. 2020.

“On the Nature of Advection-Diffusion-Reaction Systems Exhibiting Long-Term Limit Cycles or Stable Asymptotic States at a Bifurcation Point”. Joint Mathematics Meeting 2018. San Diego, CA. Oral presentation. Jan. 2018.

“On the Analysis of Time-Dependent Biochemical Systems Via the Utilization of Ising Mean Field Parameters". American Physical Society Four Corners Meeting. Fort Collins, CO. Oral presentation. Oct. 2017.

“Periodic Advection-Diffusion-Reaction Systems”. Joint Mathematics Meeting 2017. Atlanta, GA. Oral presentation. Jan. 2017.

Honors, Grants & Awards


National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship

April 2020

Barrett Honors College Outstanding Researcher

June 2019

NASA Space Grant Fellowship

Aug. 2018 & Aug. 2017

Barry Goldwater Scholarship Honorable Mention

April 2018

Molecular Imaging Corporation Endowment

April 2016

Leadership Scholarship Program

June 2015

Professional Membership & Collaborations


US Quantum Chromodynamics Collaboration

April 2021 - present

Fermilab/MILC (FNAL/MILC) Collaboration

Sept. 2020 - present

Lattice Strong Dynamics (LSD) Collaboration

Aug. 2021 - present