This research at USC is multidisciplinary investigating fundamental issues that inhibit implementation of smaller, compact, lightweight pulsed power. Todays pulsed power systems are often too bulky for several directed energy applications. An important aspect of our research is to reduce the size of the switches, as well as their housekeeping systems, used in such applications. We research new ways of generating the short high-voltage pulses necessary for pulsed power applications. >> Learn more...

One area of research is the ignition of fuel for applications including turbine engines and pulse detonation engines. Transient plasma discharges, wherein short bursts of plasma in the formative, or corona, phase, with small total energy per pulse but highly energetic electrons within the pulse, show promise for improved ignition and combustion. Research is underway to investigate the underlying physical processes and test their applicability to practical combustion devices. >> Learn more...

This work is to engineer systems for ultrashort pulse technology to be applied to important bioengineering problems including cancer therapy, and to learn dose-response characterization of the sub-cellular changes within cells. Results to date demonstrate induction of apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in Jurkat T lymphocytes, using tailored sequences of pulsed electric fields. >> Learn more...

The purpose of the Catalyst Workshop is to provide a means for scientists and engineers to become more knowledgeable about the initiation of motion picture projects. The Catalyst Workshop encourages those scientists and engineers interested in working in entertainment to learn how to write and submit scripts.The Workshop is supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, for the purpose of increasing interest in science and engineering, and strengthening the basis for scientific and engineering disciplines. >> Learn more...