Chun Shen

666 Hancock Street · Detroit, MI 48201 · (631) 889-9367 · chunshen@wayne.edu
I am a theoretical physicist. My expertise lies in high energy nuclear theory and relativistic fluid dynamics. I am interested in understanding many-body behaviour of strongly interacting matter.
Research Interests
  • Precision fluid dynamical modelling of quark-gluon plasma at finite baryon density
  • Jet and electromagnetic tomography in strongly-coupled systems
  • Rapid thermalization and out-of-equilibrium physics of many-body QCD
  • Gluon saturation and 3D imaging of nucleus at high energy
Apart from being a physicist, I am interested in learning new computation skills and data science techniques. I also enjoy swimming, baseball, rock climbing, and kayaking. At leisure time, I like to read Japanese manga and follow a few Japanese animation series.
My Scientific/programmer profiles:
News:
  • Mar. 2022: Event-by-event vortical QGP simulations! Sahr leads a systematic study of Λ polarization at the RHIC! link
  • Mar. 2022: Smallest QGP droplets? We study the collective behavior in ultra-peripheral Pb+Pb collisions at LHC! link
  • Feb. 2022: First Bayesian inference on proton shape fluctuations with HERA data! link
  • Jan. 2022: Our paper on "Constraining the Nucleon Size with Relativistic Nuclear Collisions" was accepted by Phys. Rev. Lett.! link
  • Jan. 2022: Our paper marks "Multimessenger heavy-ion collision physics"! link
  • June 2021: I was awarded the 2021 Early Career Award by the Department of Energy link
  • Oct 2020: I posted an invited review by Nuclear Science and Techniques link

Research

I welcome students at all levels who are interested in doing research in high energy nuclear theory, in particular related to topics of relativistic heavy-ion collisions (relativistic hydrodynamics, jet energy loss and medium response, hadron interactions, and critical point phenomena).

Highlights: (full paper list)

Bayesian inference of the fluctuating proton shape

Statistical contraints on proton shape

Recent development of hydrodynamic modeling in heavy-ion collisions

Invited Review

The state-of-the-art extraction of shear and bulk viscosity of hot QCD matter

The JETSCAPE Collaboration

Event genertors for relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Topical Collaborations

BEST Collaboration
JETSCAPE Collaboration

Teaching

  • Methods of Theoretical Physics 2

    Wayne State University

    This is an entry-level core course for the first year graduate students. Course website

    Fall 2018 & 2019

  • Methods of Theoretical Physics 1

    Wayne State University

    This is an undergraduate course to grasp essential mathematical tools for theoretical physics. Course website

    Fall 2020 & 2021

Experience

Assistant Professor

Wayne State University

I am currently holding a tenure track position at Wayne State University adjuncted with the RIKEN BNL Research Center (RBRC).

Aug. 2018 - Present

Goldhaber Fellow

Brookhaven National Laboratory

I worked as a distinguished postdoc fellow at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) on theoretical modeling of relativistic heavy-ion collisions.

Sept. 2016 - Aug. 2018

Postdoctral Fellow

McGill Univerisity
Oct. 2014 - Sept. 2016

Research Assistant

The Ohio State University
Sept. 2009 - Aug. 2014

Education

The Ohio State University

Doctor of Philosophy
Major: Theoretical Physics (GPA: 3.99/4.0)

Advisor: Prof. Ulrich Heinz

Thesis: The standard model for relativistic heavy-ion collisions and electromagnetic tomography
Sept. 2009 - Aug. 2014

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Bachelor of Science
Major: Applied Physics (GPA: 3.86/4.0)

Advisor: Prof. Lie-Wen Chen

Thesis: Nuclear Surface Property and Its Isospin Dependence
Sept. 2005 - Jun 2009

Awards

  • IUPAP Young Scientist Prize in Nuclear Physics 2019

    International Union of Pure and Applied Physics

    Citation: "For his groundbreaking contributions to the field of high energy nuclear physics, and in particular his development of a comprehensive code package dynamically simulating all stages of relativistic heavy-ion collisions of importance for the investigation of strongly-coupled quark-gluon plasmas." link

    Feb. 2019

  • Goldhaber Fellow

    Brookhaven National Laboratory

    The most prestigious postdoc fellowship offered by Brookhaven National Laboratory, which is awarded to candidates with exceptional talent and credentials who have a strong desire for independent research at the frontiers of their fields. link

    April 2016

  • J. Robert Oppenheimer Fellow (declined)

    Los Alamos National Laboratory

    The most prestigious postdoc fellowship offered by Los Alamos National Laboratory, which recognizes individuals whose research aligns with the Laboratory’s mission and who have demonstrated outstanding ability in research.

    Jan. 2016

  • APS Dissertation Award in Nuclear Physics

    American Physics Society

    Citation: "For his successful prediction of anisotropic flow in Pb+Pb collisions at the LHC, his elucidation of the ‘direct photon flow puzzle', and his contributions to the development of a computational tool of viscous fluid dynamics enabling precision studies of relativistic heavy-ion collisions.” link

    Oct. 2015

  • Chinese National Award for Outstanding Ph.D. Students Abroad

    Chinese Government

    This prestigious award recognizes top Chinese Ph.D. students across all fields of study around the world who study abroad without receiving financial support from the Chinese government.

    Jan. 2014

  • Elizabeth Clay Howald Presidential Fellowship

    The Ohio State University

    This prestigious award recognizes outstanding scholarship and research ability at The Ohio State University across all fields of study, and provides recipients the opportunity to devote full time to the dissertation research. I was one of the only two recipients awarded such a named Presidential Fellowship in the 2012 Fall competition.

    Oct. 2012

  • Outstanding Academic papers by students (OAPS)

    Shanghai Jiao Tong University

    This program recognizes outstanding academic researches by undergraduate students across all fields in Shanghai Jiao Tong University and provides a platform for international communication. I was the only recipient in physics in the 2009 competition.

    April 2009
IP Address