According to the fundamental theory of how protons and neutrons form atomic nuclei, these particles are expected to melt into a soup of quarks and gluons known as the quark gluon plasma (QGP) at the high densities and temperatures that are created in relativistic heavy ion collisions. At the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory, a new phase of matter has been discovered. With its unprecedented reach in energy, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) explores new regions of this phase transition and will reveal its signatures. The PI's research investigates the properties of this new state of matter at high density and temperature in a quantitative manner through a study of internal probes.Intellectual Merit: Jets are collimated sprays of decay products of hard-scattered quarks and gluons. Because their expected yields are calculable using the well understood theory of strong interactions, they provide calibrated probes of QGP. Since their propagation through the QGP is affected by strong interactions, an energy loss measurement of jets is an ideal probe to study the key features of this new state of matter. The PI's research group at Rutgers will determine the fundamental properties of this dense and hot matter via various complimentary jet measurements by utilizing the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at LHC. Broader impacts:The PI proposes a three-tiered approach to cultivate a diverse and competitive work force via integration of active research and education. She will encourage female middle and high school students to pursue university education in STEM fields by bringing them to Rutgers for full-day sessions of demos and experiments, recruit undergraduate physics majors by incorporating cutting-edge LHC research into her introductory physics courses and by organizing Women in Physics Conferences at Rutgers, and mentor women and minority students and include them in all phases of research.
|Effective start/end date||5/1/14 → 4/30/19|
- National Science Foundation (National Science Foundation (NSF))