Michael V. Pak

Dr. Michael V. Pak is an Assistant Professor at the Air Force Institute of Technology's Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Engineering Physics, and affiliated with the Center for Directed Energy (CDE). His research bridges theoretical physics and quantum chemistry, focusing on quantization theory, topological quantum computing, and matter-antimatter interactions. He holds dual PhDs in Quantum Chemistry (Iowa State University, 2002) and Theoretical Physics (St. Petersburg State University, 1996), alongside an MS in Theoretical Chemistry (St. Petersburg State University, 1992).

• PhD, Quantum Chemistry, Iowa State University (2002)
• PhD, Theoretical Physics, St. Petersburg State University, Russia (1996)
• MS, Theoretical Chemistry, St. Petersburg State University, Russia (1992)

Dr. Pak's research explores the quantum theory of multi-component systems, particularly methods to describe positron annihilation in complex environments and temperature-dependent beta decay modeling for nuclear explosion scenarios. His work on topological quantum computing emphasizes Majorana states and fault-tolerant gate operations, while nanowire architectures and Kohn-Sham systems under finite-temperature DFT are also key topics.

His scientific awards include the Department of Energy Research Fellowship (2002), Nobel Foundation Scholarships (1992, 1995), and the V.A. Steklov Mathematical Institute Award (1992). He has published extensively on electron-positron correlation, hydrogen transfer, and quantum computational methods.

At AFIT, Dr. Pak contributes to the Center for Directed Energy, advancing research in quantum theory and computational physics. His teaching interests align with theoretical physics and quantum mechanics education.