Yeshiva College Students Research Published in Peer Reviewed Scientific Journal Mar 18, 2010 -- A group of Yeshiva College students had their physics research published in the peer reviewed online scientific journal Entropy. The students, Mordecai Segall YC ’12, Mordechai Kornbluth YC ’12, and Roman Sandler YU/Columbia ’11/13 BA/BS, are listed as co-authors together with Dr. Fredy Zypman, professor of physics at Yeshiva College, with whom they collaborated during the research process. The students created a virtual model of the molecular interactions between two sliding surfaces to investigate the emergent effects of the simulated friction. Included in their findings was the discovery that, despite the randomness of the initial molecular distribution of surface height, eventually order emerged and the surface stabilized. “Our research involved two steps,” expl “At this early stage of their career their productivity was that which is usually expected from senior undergraduate or even graduate-level students.” ained Segall. “First, we used computers to simulate the effects of friction on a surface, and second, we performed a statistical analysis of the evolution of the surface over time.” Though scientific interest in friction goes back a few centuries, only in the past decade, with the advent of new nanometric imaging probes, has it become possible to study connections between microscopic dynamics and macroscopic everyday friction. The results found by the students are not only of fundamental interest to the scientific community, but they also have practical implications to the field of material science, since a better understanding of friction mechanisms results in better machine design in engineering applications. “It was very rewarding for me to meet weekly with these students throughout the semester,” said Dr. Zypman. “At this early stage of their career their productivity was that which is usually expected from senior undergraduate or even graduate-level students.” Mordechai Kornbluth expressed his excitement over the outcomes of the studies and the trio's collective appreciation for Dr. Zypman’s guidance. “It’s exciting to be able to work on something that no one else has encountered, even as an undergraduate, and to be on the front lines, so to speak. We were fortunate to have Dr. Zypman guide us in the research process, explaining everything clearly and consistently taking an interest in our development. In many large colleges, undergraduates don’t have the opportunity to interact with a mentor in this fashion, and we benefited immensely from having this opportunity.” The three students are all planning on continuing their studies in the sciences at the graduate level.