Particle Physics and Cosmology: Theory Meets Data

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This grant supports the research activities of Professors Jonathan Bagger, David E. Kaplan, Marc Kamionkowski, and Kirill Melnikov at Johns Hopkins University.The interests of the Johns Hopkins theory group touch on most of the dominant areas in modern theoretical high-energy physics and cosmology. In this project, the theory group aims to tackle central problems at the juncture of theory and experiment in particle physics and cosmology. It plans to advance new ideas for cosmological observations and particle physics searches, develop and exploit new calculational tools needed to discriminate new physics from Standard Model backgrounds, and propose new mechanisms and models that may ultimately help in the grand synthesis of nature's laws. This project is also envisioned to have significant broader impacts. This proposed research will provide a training ground for graduate students and postdocs. The Hopkins group also plans to continue their work disseminating the results of physics research in order to attract young students into STEM careers. Bagger has produced a planetarium show in collaboration with the Maryland Science Center that has been viewed by over 85,000 people in four countries, and plans to continue his activities in this direction. Kaplan co-hosted a season of the "Known Universe" on the National Geographic Channel; he also plans to continue creating a feature-length documentary to capture the ramp-up, start-up, and first significant data release of the LHC. All four PI's also plan to continue working with the Hopkins QuarkNet program, aimed at connecting Baltimore high school teachers and students with physicists engaged in cutting-edge research.