Catherine Kallin and her collaborators have been studying microwave measurements on high-temperature superconductors, and using the data to determine the electrical and magnetic properties of these superconductors and to understand why the materials are superconductors at all. "Our traditional understanding of superconductors, which were discovered in 1911, strongly suggests that superconductivity shouldn't exist above 30 degrees Absolute (-243 degrees Celsius)," explains Dr. Kallin. But "high-temperature" superconductivity (above 30 degrees Absolute) was discovered in 1986, and in subsequent years the temperature escalated to the present record of 160 degrees Absolute (-113 degrees Celsius). "There's a large body of evidence that points to electron-electron interactions as the cause of high-temperature superconductivity. But we're just now starting to address the question of what this means for the electrical and magnetic properties of these materials." It was only by chance that Dr. Kallin, now recognized as one of the top condensed matter theorists in the world, got into physics. In high school she dropped physics after Grade 10. It was a community college course in "physics for poets" that piqued her interest in the subject and led her to the honours physics program at the University of British Columbia. Dept. of Physics, McMaster University. Recipient 1996 Steacie Memorial Fellowship.
Sources: NSERC
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