Meet Robert
As a musician, Robert Lirette wanted to understand how sound works, a desire that pulled him through a Bachelor of Science in Acoustics from Univ. of Louisiana at Lafayette (2005), Master of Science in Materials Science at the Univ. of Memphis (2010), and finally a doctoral degree in physics. In his PhD at the University of Mississippi (2019), Lirette studied pure acoustics, investigating how acoustic forces – specifically ultrasonic forces – can manipulate and move fluids via ‘acoustic tweezers’. After finishing his PhD, Lirette continued his acoustics research at UM as a postdoc and professor. He pushed the bounds of his research beyond Earth’s gravitational pull, sending his ‘acoustic tweezer’ experiment to the International Space Station, where moving fluids is a regular challenge thanks to microgravity.
In 2022 he joined the Guided Wave Electromagnetics Group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, Colorado. Now as a senior researcher at NIST Professional Research and Experience Program PREP, Dr. Lirette continues his wide-ranging work improving technologies from cell phones to research tools.
Alumni Spotlight
Can you tell us why you selected UM for your graduate degree?
I selected UM because it is one of the few universities in the US offering graduate-level research in the physics of acoustics. The National Center for Physical Acoustics (NCPA), located on UM campus, is a nationally recognized research center that provides a unique environment for studying acoustics.
I selected UM because it is one of the few universities in the US offering graduate-level research in the physics of acoustics. The National Center for Physical Acoustics (NCPA), located on UM campus, is a nationally recognized research center that provides a unique environment for studying acoustics.
What are some of your proudest accomplishments and/or favorite memories from your time at UM?
My proudest accomplishments were publishing my first paper as the first author and then earning my PhD under the guidance of Dr. Joel Mobley. My work there was on using specifically designed acoustic lenses to manipulate liquids using only sound. Our first paper was on the design and characterization of these lenses. I also really valued the opportunity to travel to conferences and meet other researchers in acoustics during my time as a graduate student at UM.
My proudest accomplishments were publishing my first paper as the first author and then earning my PhD under the guidance of Dr. Joel Mobley. My work there was on using specifically designed acoustic lenses to manipulate liquids using only sound. Our first paper was on the design and characterization of these lenses. I also really valued the opportunity to travel to conferences and meet other researchers in acoustics during my time as a graduate student at UM.
Any words of advice for young people considering studying physics?
Don’t get discouraged when things get difficult or don’t work. Also, a degree in physics can lead to many different careers, and the skills you learn as a student are applicable well beyond just academic and research career paths.
Don’t get discouraged when things get difficult or don’t work. Also, a degree in physics can lead to many different careers, and the skills you learn as a student are applicable well beyond just academic and research career paths.
What has been your journey since graduation from UM? Please tell us about your present position and what you find particularly fulfilling?
After graduating in 2019, I was a postdoc and visiting assistant professor at the University of Mississippi for a little over a year. My postdoc research was mostly on a NASA ISS project led by Dr. Likun Zhang. Then I joined the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where I am still today. Currently, I am a Senior Research Fellow in Electric and Acoustic Measurements of Materials at NIST. I study high-frequency interactions between electric and acoustic waves. I also recently began a new project studying piezoelectric materials for communications devices.
The most fulfilling part of my work at NIST is being a part of a community of nationally recognized scientists working on challenging problems across a wide range of fields. I especially enjoy the opportunity to design and build new instruments to make measurements that weren’t previously possible.
After graduating in 2019, I was a postdoc and visiting assistant professor at the University of Mississippi for a little over a year. My postdoc research was mostly on a NASA ISS project led by Dr. Likun Zhang. Then I joined the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where I am still today. Currently, I am a Senior Research Fellow in Electric and Acoustic Measurements of Materials at NIST. I study high-frequency interactions between electric and acoustic waves. I also recently began a new project studying piezoelectric materials for communications devices.
The most fulfilling part of my work at NIST is being a part of a community of nationally recognized scientists working on challenging problems across a wide range of fields. I especially enjoy the opportunity to design and build new instruments to make measurements that weren’t previously possible.