December 1, 2025
Photo of Ramin and Images showing intricate fluid-wake patterns left behind by a sphere rolling down in a viscous liquid (from Varghese Mathai's research lab)

Physics senior Ramin Gasimli has been recognized with the UMass Rising Researcher prize awarded to a select group of undergraduate students across campus who "excel in research, challenge their intellect, and exercise exceptional creativity".  Ramin’s research provides a modern twist on the centuries-old Brachistochrone challenge of Bernoulli and Newton, uncovering how the fastest and most energy-efficient paths of descent behave within viscous fluids."