Super-K and T2K awarded Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics

November 09, 2015

More than 1000 physicists from five experiments were awarded a share of the $3M Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. Boston University neutrino physicists contributed to two of the five experiments: Super-Kamiokande and K2K/T2K (K2K and T2K are actually two experiments but were combined). The prize was revealed at a televised award ceremony on November 8, with Super-Kamiokande and K2K/T2K leaders Takaaki Kajita, Yoichiro Suzuki, and Ko Nishikawa representing the collaborations and receiving the awards. The citation: For the fundamental discovery and exploration of neutrino oscillations, revealing a new frontier beyond, and possibly far beyond, the standard model of particle physics.

From 1996 to 2015, the BU Neutrino group has had 19 authors on Super-K and T2K papers, and graduated 7 Ph.D.s (with two more in progress). Support for the research has come from the Department of Energy, Office of Science.

Past and present members of the Boston University Neutrino Group listed as prize winners are:

Flor de Maria Blaszczyk, Shantanu Desai, Fanny Dufour, Matt Earl, Alec Habig, Ed Kearns, Soo Bong Kim, Serge Likhoded, Mike Litos, Mark Messier, Colin Okada (SNO/KamLAND), Jen Raaf, Kate Scholberg, Jim Stone, Larry Sulak, Chris Walter, and Wei Wang.

2005 Neutrino Group Photo

2005 Group Photo. Top: Wei Wang, Aaron Herfurth; center: Larry Sulak, Mike Litos, Jen Raaf, Fanny Dufour, Jim Stone; bottom: Ed Kearns