Neutrino Physics at MIT

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)提供资金的。它将资助麻省理工学院的中微子研究，作为搜索超越标准模型物理的签名的工具。在过去的十年里，中微子研究提供了大量有趣的结果，包括费米实验室的MiniBooNE实验的结果。随着我们研究中微子领域现有的线索并寻找更多线索，下一个十年有望同样令人兴奋。这位PI正在进行一系列新的实验，及时组织起来，在多年内产生令人兴奋的数据流。第一个是法国的Double Chooz实验，该实验寻求测量混合矩阵参数theta-13，这是至关重要的。如果它非常小，这可能意味着某种新的对称性。此外，它的价值将推动未来实验的设计，这些实验的目标是灵敏地测量中微子的质量等级和CP(电荷宇称)破坏。该小组正在为外部否决权和缓慢监测探测器分组作出重大贡献。第二个是MicroBooNE实验，它将解决在MiniBooNE中观察到的低能量过剩的有趣问题，以及Lar探测器的研发。这个小组的责任将是光电管。在更广泛的影响领域，该组织参与了教育和外联活动，重点是公共讲座，与科学作家合作，并指导年轻人，特别是妇女。康拉德曾与女高中生和本科生合作，许多人留在了这个领域。他们现在已经达到了教职员工的水平。这正在改变这一领域的面貌。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). It will fund neutrino studies at MIT as a tool to search for signatures of Beyond the Standard Model Physics. Over the past decade, neutrino studies have provided a wealth of interesting results, including those from the MiniBooNE experiment at Fermilab. The next decade promises to be equally exciting, as we study the existing clues from the neutrino sector and search for more. This PI is pursuing a set of new experiments, organized in time to produce an exciting flow of data over many years. The first is the Double Chooz Experiment in France, which seeks to measure the mixing matrix parameter theta-13, which is of fundamental importance. If it is very small, this may indicate some new symmetry. In addition, its value will drive the design of future experiments whose goals are sensitive measurements of the neutrino mass hierarchy and CP (Charge-Parity) violation. This group is making substantial contributions to the outer veto and slow monitoring detector sub-groups. The second is the MicroBooNE experiment which will address the interesting question of the low energy excess observed in MiniBooNE, as well as R&D for LAr detectors. This group's responsibility will be the phototubes. In the area of Broader Impacts, the group is involved in education and outreach, focusing on public lectures, working with science writers and mentoring young people, especially women. Conrad has worked with female high school and undergraduate students, and many have stayed in the field. They are now reaching the level of faculty positions. This is changing the face of the field.