UNH Research

10/08/2026

10/08/2026

10/07/2026

A UNH physicist has scored a highly competitive Department of Energy Genesis Mission grant to explore using artificial intelligence to better understand spin and the fundamental structure of matter, addressing questions at the heart of modern nuclear physics.

Nathaly Santiesteban’s project, which she’ll conduct with UNH physics colleagues Karl Slifer and Elena Long, was one of just 278 selected from over 5,000 proposals to the Genesis Mission, which aims to accelerate breakthroughs and double the nation’s scientific productivity with AI-enabled workflows.

“This research addresses a fundamental question: How does matter acquire the properties we observe? Most visible matter is made of protons and neutrons, yet we still do not fully understand how their internal components produce properties such as spin,” says Santiesteban, assistant professor of physics and astronomy. She will use the polarized-target laboratory at UNH as the project’s primary testing site.

UNH Engineering & Physical Sciences

09/28/2026

The University of New Hampshire's Department of Physics and Astronomy is hosting the New England Fall Astronomy Festival (NEFAF) in October.

09/25/2026

09/18/2026

Just look at that oyster mic — you know this will be fun!

09/18/2026

What if a N.H. farm could raise crops and generate solar power on the same acre?

Meet Ellie Malesiada '27G, a master's student in environmental economics who is trying to figure out whether it makes financial sense for farmers in the Granite State to install solar panels above their crops and animals.

Working with Constantine Spandagos, assistant professor of natural resources, Ellie is building the first financial framework for agrivoltaic adoption in the state.

Her work follows two parallel tracks. She interviews solar developers, town energy and agricultural commission members, and agricultural loan providers across New Hampshire. She also uses a dynamic model to test the financial viability of agrivoltaics under the state’s specific agricultural, policy, and economic conditions.

If the numbers hold up, farmers could see improved income and reduced costs, rural communities could gain better energy access and resilience, and the state could move closer to its clean energy and energy independence goals.

Ellie came to UNH from Athens, Greece, after a fully funded master's position opened a door she had been waiting on for years. From there, her research opened the rest.

"What started as a research project became my social network, my local guide, and my community," Ellie says. "Science, it turns out, is a pretty great way to make a new place feel like home."

Thanks for sharing this work with us, Ellie! We're inspired by your efforts to clear a path for a more sustainable future.

Ellie's research is supported by the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station.

UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture UNH Research UNH Graduate School