Guiding a Generation of Quantum Thinkers

Maren Mossman, PhD, is a Clare Boothe Luce assistant professor of physics and biophysics at the University of San Diego. When Mossman talks about quantum physics, she lights up, whether she’s describing atoms at absolute zero or remembering a student’s “aha” moment during office hours. Mossman brings the wonders of quantum science within reach for her students.

At the heart of her work is USD’s Quantum Hydrodynamics Lab, where her team of student researchers study an ultracold state of matter known as a Bose-Einstein condensate. Created by cooling atoms to just above absolute zero, this state of matter allows scientists to observe quantum mechanics in its purest form.

“When atoms get cold, their quantum behavior becomes visible,” Mossman says. “My research often focuses on using these cold atoms to study the fundamental physics at play in other systems by dressing them up to play different roles, which allows us to imitate systems we can’t otherwise study directly.”

USD students can get involved with Mossman’s research early on, often by their third semester, making meaningful contributions to real experiments. From building apparatuses to analyzing data from national research partners, USD students are not just spectators, they help make things happen.

“My students build components that become permanent fixtures in the lab,” Mossman says. “They design, troubleshoot and collaborate on experiments that prepare them for grad school or industry. Their work matters.”

Outside the lab, Mossman is also a leading voice for inclusion in STEM. She founded USD’s Physics Identity Program to support women and underrepresented students in physics and engineering. In 2024, she led the Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP), now known as the Conference for Undergraduate Women and Gender Minorities in Physics (CU*iP), at USD, and has since become a member of the leadership for the national community of conferences.

Mossman was named a 2024 Cottrell Scholar, one of the nation’s top honors for teacher-scholars, and received a National Science Foundation grant to expand her lab’s capabilities. That funding also supports student research and a public speaker series bringing quantum science to the San Diego community.

Mossman is also a co-investigator on NASA’s Cold Atom Lab aboard the International Space Station. Using data sent down to Earth from the apparatus onboard the station, she investigates ultracold quantum states in microgravity.

Although she collaborates with NASA, she emphasizes that her most meaningful work happens on campus with students.

“Physics is hard,” says Mossman. “But research and labs are where ideas become real. My goal is to help students gain confidence, whether that is building an optical setup, writing code or knowing when to ask for help.”

In USD’s tight-knit physics department, where mentorship matters as much as measurement, Mossman continues to build not only experiments but a legacy of curiosity and community.