Justin Browne

Experience

2022–2026

Software Developer, SolidCAM

• Led development of an automatic testing system.
• Researched and developed toolpath generation algorithms for CAM software.
• Experimented and collected data to guide algorithm development.
• Developed algorithms needed for direct toolpath editing by the user.

2011–2021

Graduate Research Assistant, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory

• Conducted nuclear physics research, focusing on nuclear astrophysics.
• Designed and executed experiments to investigate nuclear phenomena, analyze data, and draw conclusions.
• Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and technicians to plan and execute experiments.
• Developed and implemented data analysis algorithms and software tools to process and interpret experimental data.
• Maintained and calibrated experimental apparatus.

2010

Undergraduate Research Assistant, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory

• Developed a micro-channel plate detector based beam intensity detector.
• Worked on the development of the Active Target Time Projection Chamber.

2007–2011

Undergraduate Research Assistant, University of Notre Dame

• Worked on stable beam experiments to study the ¹²C(¹²C,n)²³Mg reaction, using the FN Tandem Van de Graaff accelerator.

Skills

• Programming Paradigms: Some programming fields I have experience in are systems programming, data formats, and data manipulation.
• Attention to Detail: I try to ensure that a system not only works, but works in the right way.
• Version Control: I have a good understanding of the git data model and like to keep a clean, understandable history.
• Programming Languages: I have experience with many programming languages. Those I have the most experience with are Rust, C++, C, Python, and Javascript.
• Simulations: I've used and built physical simulation programs, such as astrophysical models and computational fluid dynamics.
• Low-Level Programming: I have designed and built electronic circuits and computers from basic parts, and have programmed the computers with machine and assembly code.
• Data Acquisition and Analysis: I have built the hardware and software systems needed for collecting data and the software for analyzing that data.
• CAD/CAM: I have experience with CAD and CAM systems, including SolidCAM, Solidworks, Siemens NX, Autodesk Inventor, and FreeCAD

Education

2021

Michigan State University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, East Lansing, MI
Ph.D. in Physics
Thesis: https://d.lib.msu.edu/etd/49592

2013

Michigan State University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, East Lansing, MI
M.S. in Physics

2011

University of Notre Dame, Department of Physics, Notre Dame, IN
B.S. in Physics

Publications

• K. Hermansen et al. "β-decay measurements near the N=40 island of inversion to quantify cooling of accreted neutron star crusts" (2026) Phys. Rev. C 114, 015806
• A. Lauer-Coles et al. "³⁴Ar(α,p)³⁷K reaction rate from proton scattering on ³⁷K and its impact on properties of modeled x-ray bursts" (2026) Phys. Rev. C 114, 025801
• J. Browne et al. "First Direct Measurement Constraining the ³⁴Ar(α,p)³⁷K Reaction Cross Section for Mixed Hydrogen and Helium Burning in Accreting Neutron Stars" (2023) Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 212701
• S. Hallam et al. "Exploiting Isospin Symmetry to Study the Role of Isomers in Stellar Environments" (2021) Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 042701
• J. Browne "Measurement of ³⁴Ar(α,p)³⁷K using the JENSA Gas Jet Target" (2021) DOI: 10.25335/w4c3-9e32
• W.-J. Ong et al. "β Decay of ⁶¹V and its Role in Cooling Accreted Neutron Star Crusts" (2020) Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 262701
• Z. Meisel et al. "Nuclear mass measurements map the structure of atomic nuclei and accreting neutron stars" (2020) Phys. Rev. C 101, 052801(R)
• C. Wolf et al. "Constraining the Neutron Star Compactness: Extraction of the ²³Al(p,γ) Reaction Rate for the rp Process" (2019) Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 232701
• K. Schmidt et al. "Status of the JENSA gas-jet target for experiments with rare isotope beams" (2018) Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 911, 1
• A. Kankainen et al. "Measurement of key resonance states for the ³⁰P(p,γ)³¹S reaction rate, and the production of intermediate-mass elements in nova explosions" (2017) Phys. Lett. B 769, 549
• W.-J. Ong et al. "Low-lying level structure of ⁵⁶Cu and its implications for the rp process" (2017) Phys. Rev. C 95, 055806
• D. W. Bardayan et al. "The new JENSA gas-jet target for astrophysical radioactive beam experiments" (2016) Nucl. Instrum. Meth. B 376, 326
• Z. Meisel et al. "Time-of-flight mass measurements of neutron-rich chromium isotopes up to N=40 and implications for the accreted neutron star crust" (2016) Phys. Rev. C 93, 035805
• A. Kankainen et al. "Angle-integrated measurements of the ²⁶Al(d,n)²⁷Si reaction cross section: a probe of spectroscopic factors and astrophysical resonance strengths" (2016) Eur. Phys. J. A 52, 6
• Z. Meisel et al. "Mass Measurement of ⁵⁶Sc Reveals a Small A=56 Odd-Even Mass Staggering, Implying a Cooler Accreted Neutron Star Crust" (2015) Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 162501
• B. Bucher et al. "First Direct Measurement of ¹²C(¹²C,n)²³Mg at Stellar Energies" (2015) Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 251102
• Z. Meisel et al. "Mass Measurements Demonstrate a Strong N=28 Shell Gap in Argon" (2015) Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 022501
• C. Langer et al. "Determining the rp-Process Flow through ⁵⁶Ni: Resonances in ⁵⁷Cu(p,γ)⁵⁸Zn Identified with GRETINA" (2014) Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 032502
• D. Suzuki et al. "Resonant α scattering of ⁶He: Limits of clustering in ¹⁰Be" (2013) Phys. Rev. C 87, 054301
• D. Suzuki et al. "Prototype AT-TPC: Toward a new generation active target time projection chamber for radioactive beam experiments" (2012) Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 691, 39
• D. Suzuki et al. "Test of a micromegas detector with helium-based gas mixtures for active target time projection chambers utilizing radioactive isotope beams" (2011) Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 660, 64