October 06, 2021

By Alaina Uricheck ’24

Samya Zain, professor of physics at Susquehanna University, has published her second physics textbook Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics An introduction for Physicists and Engineers.

“This textbook provides an accessible introduction to thermodynamics and statistical mechanics for both physics and engineering students, using clear explanations, precise language and discussions of how these theories developed over time,” Zain said. “The material has been class-tested and can be considered a core text for undergraduate courses, particularly for students who struggle with the topic, while also valuable supplementary reading for postgraduate students.”

Zain’s latest tome marks her second title in the textbook marketplace. In 2019, Zain became the first Pakistani woman to publish a physics textbook with Techniques of Classical Mechanics: From Lagrangian to Newtonian mechanics.

Zain grew up in Lahore, Pakistan, the youngest of four and the only girl. In seventh grade, she decided she wanted to become a physicist and went on to complete her undergraduate work in physics at the University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan, where she was awarded a national gold medal for having the highest score in the final exam. She came to the United States and earned her master’s degree in physics from the University at Albany-State University of New York in 2001 and her doctorate in experimental particle physics in 2006 before joining Susquehanna’s faculty in 2008.

Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics An introduction for Physicists and Engineers is published by IOP Publishing.