Tim Tharp

Dr. Tim Tharp is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at Marquette University, specializing in plasma physics with a focus on antimatter studies, fusion power, and magnetic reconnection. He contributes to the ALPHA collaboration at CERN, aiming to test fundamental symmetries through antihydrogen spectroscopy and gravitational studies. Additionally, he investigates laboratory-scale magnetic reconnection phenomena and develops vacuum-compatible hardware for high-energy physics experiments.

• Education: Ph.D. in Plasma Physics from University of Wisconsin-Madison (2012), researching fusion via the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) experiment

Dr. Tharp's scientific endeavors span three major domains:

• Antimatter Physics: Trapping and studying antihydrogen to test CPT symmetry and gravitational behavior
• Plasma Physics: Investigating magnetic reconnection across solar phenomena, Earth's magnetosphere, and fusion experiments
• Materials Science: Evaluating 3D-printed components for ultra-high vacuum applications

Scientific contributions include

• 2025: ALPHA-2 apparatus design
• 2024: Gravity effects on antimatter
• 2023: Multispecies beamline development

As Dean's Sustainability Fellow, he leads Marquette's decarbonization initiatives while directing the Applied Physics program and modernizing advanced physics laboratories. His mentorship has guided over ten undergraduate researchers through projects involving vacuum testing, electromagnetic diagnostics, and antihydrogen production.