Vernita Gordon, associate professor of physics, has been selected as a fellow of the American Physical Society, it was announced Thursday.
Gordon was recognized “for fundamental contributions to the understanding of the role of physical properties in the development of bacterial biofilms and the interactions of biofilms with the immune system,” according to the APS website.
The APS Fellowship Program was created to recognize members who may have made advances in physics through original research and publication, or made significant innovative contributions in the application of physics to science and technology.
Fellowship is a distinct honor signifying recognition by one's professional peers. Each year, no more than one half of one percent of the society’s membership is recognized by their peers for election to the status of Fellow of the American Physical Society.
Gordon has used the principles of physics to study bacterial biofilms – sticky, dense mats of bacteria which often become resistant to antibiotics and the human immune system. By combatting biofilms through physical methods, Gordon said that bacteria can be attacked from multiple angles that make it very difficult for bacteria to adapt. Her research team has also examined how the human immune system interacts with bacterial biofilms and how medical interventions could make it easier for the immune system to tackle these infections. 
