Wesley C. Gillis
Assistant Professor of Physics
About
Ph.D. (Nuclear Engineering), Georgia Institute of Technology
M.S. (Nuclear Engineering), Georgia Institute of Technology
B.S. (Nuclear and Radiological Engineering), Georgia Institute of Technology
My research focuses on neutrinos, radiation detection, photosensors, nuclear signatures, international safeguards, and applications of deep learning. As a member of the nEXO collaboration, I contribute to the research and development of a next-generation underground experiment designed to explore the fundamental nature of the neutrino. In my lab, we study the detection mechanisms, hardware design, and data analysis of vacuum ultraviolet light signals in liquid xenon to pursue one of the most significant unanswered questions in physics today: Is the neutrino its own antiparticle?
Current Courses
Short Term 2026
Independent Study
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a …
Fall Semester 2026
Introductory Physics of Living Systems I/Lab
An introduction to physics designed for students majoring in life sciences and/or interested in pre-health studies. Topics include geometrical optics, Newtonian mechanics, acoustics, fluids and thermal physics. Class meetings integrate group-based laboratory investigations, simulations and problem s…
Laboratory Physics/Lab
Students investigate selected experiments relevant to the development of contemporary physics and the practice of experimental physics research. They are introduced to the use of electronic instruments and computers for data acquisition and analysis, techniques of error analysis, and the practice of…
Senior Thesis
An independent study program for students working on a research problem in a field of interest, culminating in the writing of a senior thesis. Students register for PHYS 457 in the fall semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both PHYS 457 and 458.