Research Initiation Award: Subatomic Physics at Virginia Union University

历史黑人学院和大学本科项目(HBCU-UP)研究启动奖(RIA)为HBCU的STEM教员提供支持，让他们在自己的家乡机构、NSF资助的中心、研究密集型机构或国家实验室进行研究。RIA项目有望帮助教师进一步提高研究能力和效率，改善其所在机构的研究和教学，并让本科生参与研究体验。在国家科学基金会的支持下，弗吉尼亚联合大学(VUU)，一所私立的、文科的HBCU，将进行旨在了解中子结构函数的研究。这个项目将通过扩大学生的研究机会和加强系的研究基础设施来支持新设立的物理课程。教育和研究经验将有助于VUU努力扩大代表不足的群体对物理学的参与，并帮助学生为研究生院和国家的STEM工作做好准备。拟议中的研究的目标是建立一个合作的亚原子物理实验计划，有助于对中子的基本理解。PI将进行缓慢的控制工作，对中子的基本结构进行高影响和高度期待的测量。此外，PI将比较已公布的带电轻子和中微子在较重目标上的散射结构函数数据，以更好地模拟如何观察到不同于电磁带电轻子和电弱探测器的原子核。具体地说，PI将有助于缓慢的控制软件开发，这是监测和存档与计划中的勉强脱离壳层核子结构(BONuS12)实验的气体氚气体目标相关的数据所必需的。PI还将开展工作，完善铅-82的结构功能。总体而言，该计划将在国际亚原子物理界创建VUU研究存在，并提升HBCU的地位，吸引更多的物理学学生。该项目将与托马斯·杰斐逊国家加速器设施(杰斐逊实验室)合作进行。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities-Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) Research Initiation Awards (RIAs) provide support to STEM faculty at HBCUs to pursue research at their home institution, at an NSF-funded Center, at a research intensive institution or at a national laboratory. The RIA projects are expected to help further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness, to improve research and teaching at his or her home institution, and to involve undergraduate students in research experiences. With support from the National Science Foundation, Virginia Union University (VUU), a private, liberal-arts HBCU, will conduct research aimed at understanding the neutron structure function. This project will support the newly-established physics programs by expanding research opportunities available to students and enhancing the department's research infrastructure. The education and research experiences will contribute to VUU's efforts to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in physics and also help prepare students for graduate school and the Nation's STEM workforce.The goal of the proposed study is to establish a collaborative experimental subatomic physics program that contributes to the fundamental understanding of the neutron. The PI will undertake slow controls work for a high-impact and highly anticipated measurement of the fundamental structure of the neutron. In addition, the PI will compare published structure function data from charged lepton and neutrino scattering on heavier targets to better model how nuclei may be observed differently from electromagnetic charged lepton and electroweak probes. Specifically, the PI will contribute to slow controls software development necessary for monitoring and archiving data associated with the gas deuteron gas target for the planned Barely Offshell Nucleon Structure (BONuS12) experiment. The PI will also conduct work to refine the structure function for Lead-82. Overall this program will create a VUU research presence in the international subatomic physics community as well as elevate the status of this HBCU and attract more students in physics. This project will be conducted in collaboration with the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab).