Christopher M. Orban

Christopher M. Orban is an Associate Professor at The Ohio State University Marion Campus in the Department of Physics. His research spans plasma physics, cosmological simulations, and innovative physics education methods. He leads the STEMcoding Project and develops free VR apps through the BuckeyeVR Initiative.

• Academic Rank: Associate Professor
• Department: Physics
• University: The Ohio State University
• Campus: Marion Campus

Research Interests: Orban investigates high-intensity laser-plasma interactions for ion acceleration, develops computational tools for astrophysical simulations, and pioneers the use of virtual reality and programming exercises in physics education. His work bridges theoretical modeling with experimental validation.

• Laser-Produced Plasmas
• Cosmological Perturbation Theory
• Virtual Reality Education
• Computational Thinking
• Code Validation (FLASH, Gadget2)
• Electromagnetic Field Simulations

Notable Contributions: He developed open-source educational tools like the Arduino-based pressure sensor and created browser-based physics simulations using classic video games. His 2020 High Energy Density Physics paper validated FLASH code for astrophysical jet modeling, while 2019 Physics Education work explored computational thinking in introductory courses.