Dr. Mehta's teaching interests cover a broad range, from introductory physics labs to the most advanced theoretical courses for Physics Majors. He has been a leading innovator in our department, including a major investment in developing and implementing a tutorial ("workshop") approach for student-centered learning. He mentored a summer project with a Noyce Summer Intern who plans a career in physics teaching.
Dr. Mehta's research is focused on quantum few-body systems. It may seem surprising, but there is still a great deal we do not understand about the quantum interactions of small numbers of nuclei, atoms, and molecules. Dr. Mehta works to develop better mathematical approximations and superior computer codes to study systems of, for example, a few ultracold atoms. He is investigating certain behaviors of both fermion and boson systems. The specific techniques he is developing include improved Born-Oppenheimer, Hartree-Fock, and hyperspherical Green's function calculations.