William C. Kerr

William C. Kerr is a Professor in the Department of Physics at Wake Forest University. He specializes in theoretical solid-state physics, statistical physics, and computer simulations of phase transitions and soliton effects in condensed matter. His research includes studies on martensitic phase transformations, nucleation rates in extended systems, and semiclassical electron dynamics. He has advised graduate students like Andrew J. Graham and Matthew Rave, collaborating on topics such as Berry phase effects, electron-phonon interactions, and quantum transport. His work integrates theoretical frameworks with computational methods to explore phenomena like elastic compatibility in materials and topological effects in electron dynamics.

Research Highlights

• Developed phase space formulations of Langevin and Fokker-Planck equations for stochastic systems.
• Investigated nucleation mechanisms in elastic strings using Kramers' problem solutions.
• Explored Berry phase contributions to electron dynamics in periodic potentials and spin-orbit coupling effects.
• Collaborated with Los Alamos National Laboratory on martensitic texture evolution models and Courant Institute on lattice dynamics.

Teaching

Teaches advanced undergraduate and graduate courses including Quantum Physics I/II, Condensed Matter Physics, and Statistical Mechanics (PHY 770).

Professional Activities

Contributed to journals such as Physical Review E, European Physical Journal B, and collaborated with researchers across institutions to advance nonlinear dynamics and materials science.