New Electroweak Sectors in the eve of the LHC

“该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。“粒子物理学的新时代即将开始。Tevatron和LHC很快就会开始探索电弱对称性破缺机制的尺度。在标准模型中，这种机制依赖于一个基本标量希格斯粒子的存在，希格斯粒子应该在这些新的加速器中被发现。这个项目的方向是探索新的和新颖的机制，解决最小模型中的某些困难。这些机制都涉及对希格斯扇区的修改，要么通过添加新的对称性，如超对称性，要么假设希格斯不再是基本对象，而是基础理论的复合物。这些不同的模型进行了研究，从理论和唯象的角度来看，特别强调将放在对撞机信号，以便准备时，新的数据是可用的。由于预期的新数据，该项目还需要实验和理论研究人员的合作，例如已经在圣母大学进行的合作，因此将对实验LHC计划产生更广泛的影响。 能够并愿意交流我们即将做出的惊人发现是任何科学工作的重要组成部分。PI将与QuarkNet合作，QuarkNet是NSF资助的高中教师和学生外展计划。这种更广泛的影响将确保参与的高中教师和学生理解他们在QuarkNet中所做工作背后的理论。

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."A new era for particle physics is about to begin. The Tevatron and the LHC are soon going to start probing the scale where the mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking has to show up. In the Standard Model this mechanism relies on the existence of a fundamental scalar, the Higgs, which should be discovered at these new accelerators. This project goes in the direction of exploring new and novel mechanisms that resolve certain difficulties in the minimal model. These mechanisms all involve a modification of the Higgs sector, either by adding new symmetries, like supersymmetry, or supposing that the Higgs is no longer a fundamental object but a composite of an underlying theory. These different models are studied from both the theoretical and phenomenological point of view and a particular emphasis will be put on the collider signals in order to be prepared when new data is available. Because of the new data that is expected, this project requires also collaboration of experimental and theoretical researchers, such as that already in place at the University of Notre Dame, and will therefore have a broader impact on the experimental LHC program. Being able and willing to communicate the amazing discoveries that we are about to make is an important part of any scientific work. The PI will collaborate with QuarkNet, an NSF-funded outreach program for high school teachers and students. This broader impact will make sure that the high school teachers and students involved understand the theory that is behind the work they do in QuarkNet.