Curriculum Vitae

Natalia M. Dushkina

Assistant Professor, Ph.D. in Physics
Department of Physics, Millersville University
P.O. Box 1002, Millersville, PA 17551-0302
Tel: (717) 872-3424; Fax: (717) 872-3985

Natalia.Dushkina@millersville.edu
http://mustang.millersville.edu/~ndushkina

FORMAL EDUCATION

• Post Doctoral Fellow, 1995-1997, Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
• Ph. D. in Physics, 1993, Central Laboratory of Optical Storage and Processing of Information, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria. Dissertation title: Application of Total Internal Reflection for Measurements and Control.
• M. Sc. in Quantum Electronics and Lasers, 1984, Faculty of Physics, University of Sofia, Bulgaria.
• B. Sc. Ed. in Physics Pedagogy and Education, 1984, Faculty of Physics, University of Sofia, Bulgaria (second major).
• B. Sc. in Engineering Physics, 1983, Faculty of Physics, University of Sofia, Bulgaria.
• Lycée de la Langue Française (French Language High School), 1974 –1979, Sliven, Bulgaria.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
2004 – present             Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, Millersville University, PA.
2003 - 2004                 Adjunct Instructor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA.
2001 – 2003                Director of Laboratory for Laser Applications, TheGem City Engineering Co., Dayton, OH, USA.
2000 – 2001                Visiting Researcher, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA.
1999 – 2000                Researcher and Lecturer in Optics, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
1997 – 1999                Researcher, Mechanical Engineering Laboratory, MITI, Tsukuba, Japan.
1995 - 1997                 Monbusho Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, Japan.
1988 - 1995                 Researcher, Central Laboratory of Optical Storage and Processing of Information (CLOSPI), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
1985 - 1988                 Consultant to the Ministry of Education, Bulgaria.
1984 - 1988                 High School Teacher in Optics and Lasers, High Technical School of Fine Mechanics and Optics, Sofia, Bulgaria.

PUBLICATIONS
Author of one book, two chapters in a handbook of metrology, two monographs, one patent, 29 publications in international peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings, two reviews, two non-refereed publications, 34 presentations at international, national, regional and local conferences and 10 presentations at seminars and workshops. (For the complete list, please, see List of Publications on p. 6 and Conference Presentations on p. 9)

AREA OF PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS
Optics, Lasers and Material Science: Optical properties of semiconductors, Photorefractive effect, Total internal reflection, Diffraction gratings, Ultrafast nonlinear optical phenomena, Femtosecond laser systems; Nanomaterials, Photoluminescence from nanoparticles, Self assembled nanostructures, Holography; Laser applications, Industrial laser systems, Laser processing of thin foils and semiconductor wafers; Water-jet guided laser technology; Physics education and Physics education research.

CURRENT RESEARCH

• Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). The experiment was set up for undergraduate student research and is used also in the advanced physics lab and Optics course.
• All-Optical Switching in collaboration with Dr. B. Ullrich from the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH.
• Magneto-Optical Properties of Nanostructures in collaboration with Dr. A. R. Lukaszew from the Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Toledo, OH.
• Research in Physics Education.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
• Central Pennsylvania Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers (CPS-AAPT)
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
• International Society for Optical Engineers (SPIE)
• Australian Optical Society
• Union of the Bulgarian Scientists

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reviewer of college physics textbooks for John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and Thomas Brooks/Cole.
• Certified Reviewer at The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence.
• Certified Reviewer for the 2007 – 2008 and 2008 – 2009 Advanced Placement (AP®) Course Audit, Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC), The College Board.
• University of Nebraska, Lincoln, June 12-18, 2006.
• Expert in Optics, Lasers, and Laser Technologies, Millersville University of Pennsylvania Experts List.
• Consultant to the Ministry of Education, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1985 – 1988.