My Journey as a Physicist

Dr. Allena Opper (she/her) National Science Foundation I am a nuclear physicist and have done experiments at laboratories across north America. I’ve been a professor at Ohio University and George Washington University. Since 2014 I have had the honor and privilege of serving as a program director of the National Science Foundation’s Nuclear Physics Program. During the pandemic I did a few online “Paint Night” things where the instructor guides the participants in making a painting with acrylic paints – I now have three “paintings” decorating a shelf in my closet! The Long Range Plan, like the previous LRPs, has valuable advice that DOE and NSF will use in making funding decisions -- just as importantly, it clearly communicates to Congress and the American people the priorities and exciting opportunities in nuclear science. My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student ⁠⁠Bryan Stanley⁠⁠ (he/him/his) and Prof. ⁠⁠Huey-Wen Lin⁠⁠ (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Kiran Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use ⁠⁠this form⁠⁠ to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

I am a Chinese-American physicist, and I love gardening, cooking, walking and music. I have joint appointments between Brookhaven National Lab and Duke University. I am an experimentalist, who uses electrons and photons as microscopes to look deeper and deeper inside protons and neutrons, which are the building blocks of atomic nuclei, to advance our understanding about the structure of visible matter. While visible matter is only several percent of our universe, we, humans are made of visible matter. I am fascinated by the fact that I am studying myself and that gives me great joy. This is the second time I served on the Long-Range Plan Writing Committee. www.tunl.duke.edu/~mep My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student ⁠Bryan Stanley⁠ (he/him/his) and Prof. ⁠Huey-Wen Lin⁠ (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Kiran Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use ⁠this form⁠ to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

I am an experimentalist working the field of nuclear and particle physics. I am a SUNY Distinguished Professor at Stony Brook University. I also serve as the Electron Ion Collier (EIC) Science Director at BNL and Director of the Center for Frontiers in Nuclear Science (CFNS). I like to use “spin” as a tool to investigate and understand nature — thus I always use polarized beams or targets. I have been involved experiments at BNL (both RHIC and AGS), at Jefferson Lab, PSI, CERN and DESY. These experiments addressed my interests in nucleon spin structure and also precision electroweak physics that push the boundaries of the Standard Model of Physics. In every one of them the property of “spin” played an important or pivotal role. I was one of the earliest Electron Ion Collider (EIC) enthusiast, having been involved from its birth/infancy to now- when it is being realized. It has been a privilege to be involved or participating in the US long range planing process since 2001 in all things related to the EIC. Through those years I learnt so many other things from friends and colleagues in our field including the wonderful initiatives like the FRIB which is operational now and the neutrino-less double beta decay experiments - which hopefully will also happen soon. My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student ⁠Bryan Stanley⁠ (he/him/his) and Prof. ⁠Huey-Wen Lin⁠ (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Kiran Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use ⁠this form⁠ to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

I am a theoretical physicist at Michigan Sate University working on nuclear science. I am a mother. I really enjoy interacting with people and nature. My research is on the theory for nuclear reactions, particularly those involving rare isotopes. I have an inquisitive mind, and research give me the tools for find answers. The long range plan is a mechanism for the research community to coalesce on the priorities for the field. https://fimmnunes.wixsite.com/mysite My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student ⁠Bryan Stanley⁠ (he/him/his) and Prof. ⁠Huey-Wen Lin⁠ (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Kiran Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use ⁠this form⁠ to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

I am an experimental nuclear physicist at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, and I also love traveling and playing fetch with my dog. I work on the vibrations (structure) of rare-earth nuclei. The other area is on the intersection of nuclear science and society. Analysis is a big puzzle to solve, which I love. The nuclear community is a very welcoming and supportive community and that is why I chose this field. I am the chair of the writing committee on workforce development and DEI. https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/slesher/ My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Kiran Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

I am a nuclear physicist at LLNL and UC Davis, involved in APS leadership and I run far-ish. My research involves both heavy flavor production, mostly in cold nuclear matter, and the phenomenology of nuclear fission. I love the challenge of doing physics and the rush of understanding something new. I am on the Long Range Plan writing committee, the NSAC Nuclear Data subcommittee and Secretary-Treasurer of the DNP. https://people.llnl.gov/vogt2 My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

I am an experimental nuclear physicist at MIT. I like hiking and skiing on the weekends with my husband, three kids and our dog (the two cats usually stay home). My work centers on specialized experiments that make use of novel technology from quantum sensors to deep learning to push the bounds of what is measurable. The work is driven by big questions about the formation of our universe and how physics on the smallest scales leads to the universe we observe. My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

I'm a theoretical physicist at the Institute for Nuclear Theory at the University of Washington, and I also (try to) play guitar. I work on low-energy probes of physics beyond the Standard Model. I like to challenge the Standard Model and look for cracks in its fabric: at times it can be quite suspenseful, like a mystery novel. My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

I am a physicist at Texas A&M University focusing on experimental nuclear physics, and I also like playing tennis and golf, fishing and reading books. I use particle accelerators to study structure of atomic nuclei and nuclear reactions relevant for nucleosynthesis in stars. I love what I do because my experiments help advance general understanding of nuclei and origin of elements in the universe. Working on the nuclear physics Long-Range Plan is a fascinating opportunity to learn about recent advances in the field and contribute to shaping the future of nuclear physics for many years. https://physics.tamu.edu/directory/rogachev/ My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

I am a theoretical nuclear astrophysicist at the University of Notre Dame interested in the formation of the elements. I am also the mother of one daughter and doting aunt to eleven nieces and nephews. My work combines the nuclear theory of heavy nuclei, experimental results from radioactive isotope experiments, and astrophysical observations to understand how the heaviest elements are synthesized in the universe. It is a particularly exciting time for my field, given advances in computing, stellar spectroscopic surveys, and multi-messenger astronomy, as well as new facilities such as FRIB and the N=126 Factory. I’m looking forward to our community developing the vision to take advantage of these and other key recent advances as part of the Long-Range Plan for nuclear science. https://physics.nd.edu/people/rebecca-surman/ My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

I am a theoretical nuclear physicist. I like running, painting, photography, fixing things, some gardening, traveling, and electronic music. I work on describing all aspects of heavy ion collisions to learn about the properties of matter, and am also moving toward studying collisions of electrons with nuclei, which can for example provide detailed insight into how gluons arrange and interact inside nuclei. I love research because I just like to figure stuff out and learn new things - doing research is great, because you can figure things out that nobody else has understood before. I am a convener of the QCD Town Hall and White Paper, which provides community input to the Long Range Plan, and I am also on the LRP writing committee. https://www.bnl.gov/staff/bschenke My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

I am a Chinese American Physicist at the University of Virginia and a mother of three. I like running, swimming, painting, gardening, and trying new things. I used to play volleyball in college. I don't like singing. I do Experimental Nuclear and Particle Physics with a focus on Electron Scattering. I like that all the number crunching and figure making have a higher meaning behind. Long Range Plan to me is a field guide for research in nuclear physics/science, new edition available every 7 years. https://www.phys.virginia.edu/People/personal.asp?UID=xz5y My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

I am a medium energy experimentalist (otherwise known these days as cold QCD) and I am also the Dean of the College of Sciences at ODU. I do experiments related to understanding the structure of the nucleon (unpolarized as well as polarized), at Jefferson Lab. This type of research takes a long time, but I love it because the questions about the nature of matter are interesting and working with students and colleagues is a lot of fun. The Long-Range Plan process is very important for the community to consider priorities and make the case that this research is important. https://www.odu.edu/directory/people/g/gdodge My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 3 is hosted by PhD student Bill Good and edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 3 consists of members of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Long Range Plan. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

Season 2 Episode 12 I am an American theoretical particle physicist of Indian origin, and I also enjoy hiking, travel, and meditation. I study theories of the origin of electroweak symmetry breaking and flavor physics, and their possible signatures at high-energy colliders. I love using mathematical tools and models to understand and make predictions about the physical world around us. I serve as DPF Chair Elect and on the Snowmass Steering Committee. https://rschivukula.physics.ucsd.edu My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 2 is edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 2 consists of members of the Particle Physics Community Planning Exercise known as Snowmass. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

"I am a high energy experimental physicist, searching for new fundamental particles using the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. My work is split between data analysis, where I focus on the application of novel machine learning methods such as anomaly detection to enhance our discovery potential, and detector development, namely upgrading the readout electronics for the liquid argon calorimeter of the ATLAS experiment. This variety means that in a single work day I can go from working hands-on with engineers on a printed circuit board setup, to testing training algorithm configurations, and end with a hundred-person meeting, and I am always energized by the fast pace gear shifts! This Snowmass process will bring together experts across these disparate activities and prepare recommendations on the future course of the field, and my role is to facilitate the participation of early career physicists in the conversation. Outside of physics, I enjoy mixed martial arts, skiing, and struggling to learn French." My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 2 is edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 2 consists of members of the Particle Physics Community Planning Exercise known as Snowmass. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

Season 2 Episode 10 Professor Soares-Santos’ research aims to uncover the nature of the accelerated expansion of the cosmos. Her team detected the first neutron star collision ever observed, a discovery heralded as the Science breakthrough of the year 2017. She was awarded the prestigious Sloan Research Fellowship in 2019 and the Cottrell Scholar Award in 2021. Her research has been featured in major media outlets worldwide including the PBS TV series Nova Wonders. Previously, Professor Soares-Santos was the Landsman Career Development Chair & Assistant Professor of Physics at Brandeis University. She was also an Associate Scientist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 2 is edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 2 consists of members of the Particle Physics Community Planning Exercise known as Snowmass. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

Season 2 Episode 9 I am a theoretical particle physicist, specializing in collider phenomenology, a theoretical branch that builds the bridge between theory and experimental observations. To explore new physics beyond the Standard Model, I formulate theoretical models and predict observables at colliders as well as at low energy experiments. The topics I have been interested in include Higgs boson physics, searching for dark matter, examining neutrino mass generation models. I closely collaborate with my colleagues in theory and experiments. Since 2019, I have been involved in organizing the community planning exercise, a.k.a. "Snowmass 2021", led by APS DPF. The particle physics community comes together to identify fundamental questions in the field and the opportunities to address. The Snowmass exercise is very important for our field in the next decay and beyond. The final community meeting will take place in July 17-26, 2022, at the University of Washington-Seattle. https://www.physicsandastronomy.pitt.edu/people/tao-han My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 2 is edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 2 consists of members of the Particle Physics Community Planning Exercise known as Snowmass. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

Season 2 Episode 8 I am a Black physicist, originally from Togo. I enjoy playing Djembe and swimming. I do research on the ATLAS experiment searching for dark sector states beyond the standard model of particle physics. I love working with people, learning from them and getting my ideas challenged. Through Snowmass, I've met and worked many new people; that won't have been possible otherwise. My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 2 is edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 2 consists of members of the Particle Physics Community Planning Exercise known as Snowmass. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

Season 2 Episode 7 I am an Asian-Indian American Physicist, who traveled from Gorakhpur, UP, India and finally settled in Providence, RI USA, with my German husband and two sons. I am passionate about cooking and organizing events which meld scientific concepts with arts and music. My research focuses on investigating the early universe moments after the Big Bang created in small and large particle colliders, by building innovative scientific instruments (detectors) to explore and find fundamental particles and their interactions, and through these experiments unravel mysteries such as the origin of matter, the types of matter in the universe and many more. I love my research, as it gives me a purpose, and gives me an opportunity to forge an inclusive partnership with a diverse set of researchers who help me connect with the age-old quest of humankind to understand where we come from, why we are here, and eventually visualize the building blocks of our home, the universe! I am humbled to have been chosen as one of the leaders of the Energy Frontier group of the broader Snowmass study to help formulate a community wide vision to explore the TeV energy scale and beyond with future collider options, which will define the landscape of experimental opportunities over multiple decades [and late into this century]. https://vivo.brown.edu/display/mnarain My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 2 is edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 2 consists of members of the Particle Physics Community Planning Exercise known as Snowmass. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform

Season 2 Episode 6 I am a Romanian-born German-Swiss astroparticle physicist and I also enjoy reading poetry, hiking and kayaking on Swiss lakes. My research is focused on the direct detection of particle dark matter with xenon time projection chambers and on the search for neutrinoless double beta decay with enriched germanium crystals operated in liquid argon. I love the fact that these rare-event searches pose formidable challenges to our detector technologies, requiring new detector prototypes that we must develop and test in the lab. I also enjoy working with many enthusiastic researches in our international experimental collaborations. To me Snowmass is a very important grass-roots process in particle and astroparticle physics, not only relevant for USA, but with international relevance and implications. I am also excited to be one of the conveners for the Underground Facilities Frontier. My Journey as a Physicist is brought to you by PhD student Bryan Stanley (he/him/his) and Prof. Huey-Wen Lin (she/her). Season 2 is edited by Varalee Sakorikar. Season 2 consists of members of the Particle Physics Community Planning Exercise known as Snowmass. If you like the podcast or have any suggestions for future improvement, please take a minute to use this form to let us know: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxRDWXM-iJ_IdVAh7ZtrnqjVpajodVMdmA3o3piLAO3u-Jxw/viewform