Dr. Bain is a theoretical nuclear/particle physicist with a deep interest in physics education research (PER). Previously, he worked on problems in Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) and the development of techniques for performing high precision calculations to probe the nature of the strong nuclear force. His work centered on uncovering how bound states of heavy quark/anti-quark pairs called quarkonia, are formed and how the inner structure of jets, collimated sprays of radiation ubiquitous at particle colliders, can be used to distinguish between the different ways quarkonia are produced.
As an Instructional Assistant Professor at UH, Dr. Bain works on identifying teaching methods that improve student outcomes and developing inquiry-based/active-learning curricula for college physics courses. Dr. Bain is also interested in studying how science can be effectively communicated with broader audiences through a variety of outlets. He is actively involved in multiple science communication and outreach initiatives such as the ComSciCon national and local workshop series.
