Will Raven

Prof. Raven joined the Smith College physics department in 2013. Since then, he has mentored over 70 undergraduate researchers, including 15 senior theses, and is passionate about creating research opportunities for students. He has published 11 peer-reviewed articles since 2018 and secured four NSF grants, including the prestigious CAREER award. He received the American Physical Society 2025 Prize for a Faculty Member for Research in an Undergraduate Institution in recognition of his contributions to undergraduate education and cutting-edge research. He has also won the Smith College Student Government Association’s (SGA) teaching award twice, once as a junior faculty member and once as a senior faculty member.

Prof. Raven, publishing name W.D. Williams, is a dedicated and accomplished researcher in the field of atomic and molecular spectroscopy, with a particular focus on high-precision measurements that test quantum electrodynamics (QED) and provide data critical for nuclear structure theory. His work involves the spectroscopy of neutral light atoms such as beryllium, boron, nitrogen, and oxygen, with a specific emphasis on improving transition frequencies and energy levels to advance theoretical models. Prof. Raven also conducts course-based research on lanthanides, offering students hands-on experience with advanced spectroscopic techniques.

In addition to his research and teaching, Prof. Raven is the author of a forthcoming book aimed at introducing first-year college students to atomic and quantum physics without requiring a background in calculus or physics.

Funding

• 2023 – NSF MRI: PHY-2319917
• 2021 – NSF RUI: PHY-2110311
• 2016 – NSF Early CAREER award: PHY-1555232
• 2014 – NSF MRI: PHY-1428112

Recent Publications

*indicates student author

M.T. Herd, C. Maruko,* M.M. Herzog,* A. Brand,* G. Cannon,* B. Duah,* N. Hollin,* T. Karani,* A. Wallace,* M. Whitmore,* and W.D. Williams, “Spectroscopic study of the 4f⁷ 6s^{2 8}S_7/2 - 4f⁷ (⁸S)6s6p (¹P) ⁸P_9/2 transition in neutral europium-151 and europium-153: absolute frequency and hyperfine structure,”  Journal of the Optical Society of America B, 39, 9 (2022) 
https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.467968

M. T. Herd, E. C. Cook, and W. D. Williams, “Absolute frequency measurement of the 6D_5/2 level of neutral ¹³³Cs using two-photon spectroscopy”, Physical Review A 104, 042812 (2021)
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.104.042812

W.D. Williams, M.T. Herd, E.C. Cook, “Pulsed triple frequency modulation for frequency stabilization and control of two lasers to an optical cavity”, Review of Scientific Instruments 91, 085116 (2020)
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0010085

E.C. Cook, A.D. Vira,* W.D. Williams, “Resonant two-photon spectroscopy of the 2s3d ¹D₂ level of neutral ⁹Be”, Physical Review A 101, 042503 (2020)
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.101.042503

E.C. Cook, A.D. Vira,* C. Patterson,* E. Livernois,* and W.D. Williams, “Testing quantum electrodynamics in the lowest singlet state of neutral beryllium-9”, Physical Review Letters 121, 053001 (2018)
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.053001

 A.L. Win, W.D. Williams, T. Carroll, and C.I. Sukenik, “Catalysis of Stark-tuned interactions between ultracold Rydberg atoms,” Physics Review A 98, 032703 (2018)
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.98.032703

 W.D. Williams, M.-T. Herd, and W.B. Hawkins “Spectroscopic study of the 7p_1/2 and 7p_3/2 states in cesium-133: Hyperfine structure and absolute energy,” Laser Physics Letters 15 (9), 095702 (2018)
https://doi.org/10.1088/1612-202X/aac97e

 C. Patterson,* A.D. Vira,* M.-T. Herd, W.B. Hawkins, and W.D. Williams, “Calibrating an ultra-low expansion cavity for high precision spectroscopy from 439.6 nm – 475.7 nm using molecular tellurium lines,” Review of Scientific Instruments 89, 033107 (2018) 
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5008290