Davis Arthur

Oustanding Junior: Physics 

My parents and older brother are all Auburn alumni, so I grew up a part of the Auburn family. Since enrolling as a physics major in fall of 2017, I have maintained a 4.0 GPA and been fortunate enough to earn several academic awards including the Howard Earl Carr Scholarship, J.C. and Sally K Hawthorne Scholarship, the Drummond Company Honors Scholarship, the John E. Wiatt and J. Streeter Wiatt Scholarship, the Buris R. Boshell Honors Scholarship, and the Jewel Golden Eubanks ’33 Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship. I have been on the Dean's list each semester since enrolling, and I am a current member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Sigma Pi Sigma Physics Honor Society. 

As a freshman, I began researching under Dr. Laurent in the Auburn Source of Attosecond Pulses Laboratory in January of 2018 and have been a member of his research team ever since. I have also participated in the "This is Research: Student Symposium" twice—most recently to showcase our lab’s progress developing a COLTRIMS spectrometer.

In the summer of 2019, I was selected as a Department of Energy Science Undergraduate Laboratory Intern (SULI) at Oak Ridge National Lab. While in Oak Ridge, I worked to investigate applications of quantum key distribution in electric grid cybersecurity. I was selected to return to Oak Ridge for the summer of 2020, but unfortunately this internship is currently on hold due to Coronavirus concerns. When I do get the opportunity to return to Oak Ridge, I look forward to working on a new project focused on implementing machine learning algorithms on quantum computers.

When I am not in the classroom, I keep myself busy working and volunteering. For the past two years, I have been a Resident Assistant on campus, and this year I began working as a Physics I teaching assistant as well. I have also served COSAM as an Undergraduate Research Ambassador since last fall, and I am a volunteer physics tutor for the Honors College.

When I am not studying, working, or researching, I enjoy cheering for Auburn at various sporting events and playing golf with friends.