Assistant Professor, Physics

Kimberly Riegel is an assistant professor in the physics department at Queensborough Community College.  She studies acoustics, the physics of sound with a focus on noise control.  Before coming to Queensborough Community College she worked as an acoustical engineer in Houston, TX and New York City, working to ensure quiet communities and protecting the hearing of workers.  After she completed her PhD at Penn state in acoustics working on the sonic boom propagation, she did her postdoc work at Vassar College in the physics department studying the acoustical properties of fractal surfaces. Since starting at Queensborough in 2015 she has focused on teaching introductory physics and the physics of sound classes.  She is a faculty mentor for the women in science club which works to promote participation and equality of women in science.

Professor Riegel is also dedicated to providing research opportunity for undergraduates.  Through the physics research classes PH450 and PH900 as well as through mentoring students through the NSF REU at Queensborough and the CRSP program.  She does work with supersonic aircraft using computer simulations to propagate sonic booms in urban areas. She also works with classroom and building acoustics to ensure good acoustic environments for musicians and students.  She believes in the coordination of experimental and numerical projects where utilizing cutting edge numerical tools for numerical simulations which can be validated using real world measurements.