Michael Pravica

Professor, Physics
Expertise: General Physics, High Pressure Science, Explosives, X-ray Spectroscopies, Accelerator Physics, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Raman and Infrared Spectroscopy, Condensed Matter Experiment, Helium

Biography

Michael Pravica is an expert in general physics. He especially enjoys research focused on the study of matter at extreme conditions of high pressure, high temperature, and high radiation flux.

Pravica — well-known for his community activism and dedication to spreading the joy of science to the masses via television, radio, print media, and public forum appearances — has worked to further the field through development of several innovative concepts. They include: a) A new field of science, dubbed "useful hard x-ray chemistry," wherein high energy, penetrating and focused x-rays are harnessed to initiate novel chemistry in isolated and sealed chambers, and b) Ion Beam Nuclear Transmutation Doping, a novel method to dope wide bandgap semiconductors using penetrating, high-energy protrons initiating nuclear transmutation to create dopant layers.

He has also decades of experience using liquid helium for nuclear magnetic resonance (related to MRI technology).

Education

  • Ph.D., Experimental condensed matter physics, Harvard University
  • M.A., Physics, Harvard University
  • B.S., Physics and applied mathematics (honors), California Institute of Technology

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Michael Pravica In The News

Live Science
While Earth's atmosphere protects us from harmful cosmic rays, other cosmic particles are passing through us every second.
K.V.V.U. T.V. Fox 5
Researchers aim to extend battery life in electric vehicles, phones and laptops instead of sending packs to landfills
Popular Mechanics
New research suggests that fleeting quantum forces leave lasting imprints on the brain, subtly influencing thought, intuition, and the choices we make.
Las Vegas Sun
A UNLV professor is looking to an unlikely source to extend the life of the lithium-ion batteries that have become a part of everyday life: X-rays.

Articles Featuring Michael Pravica

undergraduates
Campus News | June 1, 2026

A collection of top headlines featuring UNLV faculty and students.

Pravica and his X-ray device.
Research | May 26, 2026

UNLV physics lab works on new research harnessing the power of X-rays to extend the lifespan of batteries in electric cars and cell phones.

springtime bees
Campus News | May 1, 2026

A flowery collection of top headlines featuring UNLV faculty and students.

Students on campus.
Campus News | October 6, 2025

A selection of top news headlines featuring UNLV faculty and students.