Physics (Internal)
Research Interests:
Neutrinos
Neutrino masses and mixing have provided direct evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model of Elementary Particles. Neutrinos experience a very different mixing compared to the quarks, and recently, hints of underlying symmetries in the neutrino mixing matrix have been exposed. Both the absolute neutrino mass scale and the ordering of neutrino masses remains unknown, and the evidence of non-zero mass prompts the question of whether neutrinos are their own antiparticles (Majorana fermions) or distinct from their antiparticles (Dirac fermions). Along with questions of their intrinsic properties, the weakly interacting nature of neutrinos means they can provide unique insight into the fusion cycles of the Sun and the complex mechanisms behind the core-collapse explosions of galactic supernovae.
Selected Publications:
“7Be Solar Neutrino Measurement with KamLAND,” A. Gando, et al. (The KamLAND Collaboration), Phys. Rev. C 92, 055808, 2015
“Search for the proton decay mode p→νK+with KamLAND,” K. Asakura, et al. (The KamLAND Collaboration), Phys. Rev. D 92, 052006 2015
“Laboratory Studies on the Removal of Radon-Born Lead from KamLAND’s Organic Liquid Scintillator,” G. Keefer, C. Grant, A. Piepke et al. (The KamLAND Collaboration), Nuclear Instrumentation and Methods in Physics Research A, 769 (2015), 79-87.
“A compact ultra-clean system for deploying radioactive sources inside the KamLAND detector.” T. I. Banks, et al. (The KamLAND Collaboration), Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A , 769 (2015), 88-96.
“Improved measurements of the neutrino mixing angle θ 13 with the Double Chooz detector.” Y. Abe, et al. (The Double Chooz Collaboration), JHEP 10 (2014) 086.
For a full list of publications, please see the attached CV.
Education:
Postdoctoral Fellow 2012 - 2016 University of California, Davis
Ph.D. 2012 University of Alabama
B.S. 2004 University of Wisconsin, La Crosse
Honors/Awards:
Fermilab Intensity Frontier Fellow 2015
Nuclear Science and Security Consortium Postdoc Fellow 2012