Alumni Spotlight – Peter Diemer
Dr. Peter Diemer graduated from the Wake Forest Ph.D. program in 2016 and now works as the lead physicist for ohsnap, a phone accessory manufacturer. While a graduate student at Wake he worked in the laboratory of Professor Oana Jurchescu conducting research on organic semiconductors. In an interview with Professor Jurchescu, Dr. Diemer shares what he’s been up to and how his time at Wake has effected his career journey.
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Prof. Jurchescu: What are you doing now, career-wise?
Dr. Diemer: I am currently the Lead Physicist at ohsnap, located in Apex, NC. At ohsnap, we make accessories for phones and every-day life, such as incredibly thin, magnetic grips for your phone, wireless chargers, phone stands, minimalist wallets, and more to come! I advise the design team on the high-level technical limitations and opportunities. Specifically, I tackle the compatibility of our products with wireless charging (leaving our grip on the phone while still being able to wirelessly charge through it). This includes FEA modeling of oscillating magnetic fields and the resulting induced currents with the intention of understanding the interaction of placing our product in between two coupled wireless power transfer coils. Further, I design and fabricate test-beds for life-cycle testing (folding/bending/pulling until failure) and wireless charging monitoring (probing the 3D coil alignment space while measuring power transfer and rising temperature).
Prof. Jurchescu: What did you do right out of Wake Forest?
Dr. Diemer: I had the pleasure of working with Prof Oana Jurchescu in a post-doc appointment for 2 years after I graduated. I continued much of the same type of work I had been a part of during my graduate studies (novel fabrication techniques of organic semiconductor devices). After the post-doc, I joined Operational Medicine Division (a part of Wake Forest Innovations) where I was the technical lead on developing special effects used to enhance the realism of military medical training. This included programmable lighting/sound/pyrotechnic effects that would be triggered during the training to mimic battlefield conditions.
Prof. Jurchescu: How did Wake Forest Physics help you get where you are today?
Dr. Diemer: My work has been fairly eclectic in the variety and type. As such, it is difficult to draw direct correlations to subject matter I learned while in the Physics Department and what my career work has involved. Instead, while in Wake Forest Physics, I enjoyed the freedom to try new research avenues while also building up my understanding of fundamental physics. This combination has allowed me to jump into new projects, find my footing, and grow in confidence as it develops.
Prof. Jurchescu: Do you have an anecdote you would care to share either from your time at Wake Forest Physics or from afterward relevant to Wake Physics?
Dr. Diemer: I’ll include two here: due to my tall stature, I was uniquely qualified to be the chronograph adjustment technician for the Jurchescu Lab. Every change in daylight savings (or a dead battery), it was my duty to change the clocks in the lab and Prof Jurchescu’s office–all without the need for a step-stool. While very simple, I took pride in being able to fulfill a need and use a gift/talent as an act of service to others.
I did not get accepted into the physics PhD program at first. Without an undergraduate physics degree (I have a BSE in Engineering Physics), it was difficult to convince the faculty in charge of admissions to take a chance on someone without the proper background. To that end, I resigned from teaching high school science in order to audit classes at WFU (to prove I had “the right stuff”). In the meantime, Prof Jurchescu had offered to let me get my feet wet by doing some research work in her lab. However, the department didn’t have any room in the next round of admissions to admit any new students. Fortunately, Prof Jurchescu had received a grant in the eleventh hour, giving me the opportunity to join the graduate program. I can’t thank her enough for seeing some potential in me and providing the path forward! Thank you so much Oana!
Prof. Jurchescu: Is there anything you would like to share with prospective or current students?
Dr. Diemer: The education and training you receive in physics will translate into knowledge and skills applicable to many fields–even careers not directly in physics. If you are considering anything remotely technical/engineering/scientific based, you can’t go wrong with studying physics. The Wake Forest Physics Department is an amazing place to do so. The faculty and staff are experts and willing/able to invest their time to see students flourish and grow. Finally, be ready to put in the work. Your diligence will pay off in the long run.