University of Mississippi Students, Postdocs Contribute to Groundbreaking Physics Experiment

Oxford, MS – The University of Mississippi has stamped its place on the global map of high-energy physics with the active participation of its students and postdoctoral researchers in a groundbreaking experiment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.

Pushing the Boundaries of Knowledge

A team at Ole Miss has spent the past decade dedicated to the high-stakes Muon g-2 experiment, meticulously searching for answers to deep-rooted mysteries surrounding the Standard Model and dark matter. Their research work is guided by esteemed physics professor, Breese Quinn, at the world-renowned National Accelerator Lab operated by Fermilab.

These young researchers have demonstrated their competitive edge by winning prestigious awards like the Universities Research Association Visiting Scholars Awards and Intensity Frontier Fellowships which have allowed them to live and work at Fermilab alongside prominent international physicists. Seeing up to nine awards conferred to Ole Miss’ scientists by the Universities Research Association marks the university as an competitiveness in its contribution to this cutting-edge experiment.

Mysterious Property of Muons: The Muon g-2 Experiment

The Muon g-2 experiment began in 2017 and involves studying subatomic particles known as muons. Physicists, by closely observing the “wobble” of muons in strong magnetic fields, hopes to uncover evidence that could lead to understanding unknown forces or particles that the Standard Model of physics currently cannot predict.

Postdoctoral researcher On Kim told reporters that the experiment is one of the “most important particle physics experiments in the world” and could potentially lead to unprecedented insights into the raw building blocks of the universe.

Although the challenges of conducting such an experiment are apparent—muons are both rare and brief in existence—the results could be revolutionary. Evidence suggesting something beyond the Standard Model emerged through the preliminary results of the Muon g-2 experiment published in 2021, hinting at a potential paradigm shift in our understanding of dark matter and the universe.

The Future of Physics

Graduate students Baisakhi Mitra and Byungchul Yu along with postdoctoral researcher On Kim were some of the dedicated scholars from Ole Miss contributing significantly to the experiment. Yu’s work involves diving into the realm of dark matter, while Mitra focuses on finding potential violations of the principles of quantum mechanics and the theory of relivity. These studies are pushing the current boundaries of knowledge and offer exciting possibilities for future studies and insights into the universe.

The findings and impacts from the Muon g-2 experiment represent a major leap forward in our understanding of particle physics. The Ole Miss team’s contribution is a testament to the university’s commitment to scientific discovery and advancing knowledge. This work, in turn, fosters a ripple effect, encouraging young researchers worldwide to explore and push the boundaries of our understanding.