Dr. Brett Fadem, associate professor of physics, has been awarded his second NSF-RUI grant for undergraduate research in experimental nuclear physics. The grant, entitled, “RUI: Antiquarks and Ultra-Relativisitic Heavy Ions at Muhlenberg College” is for $162,000.

Dr. Brett Fadem, associate professor of physics, discusses a poster with a student

This grant allows the physics department to maintain its research program that involves the College in advanced and innovative research at Brookhaven National Laboratory with the PHENIX collaboration. Muhlenberg was named a member institution of the PHENIX collaboration in the summer of 2007. PHENIX has engineered, built, operated, and analyzed data from the Relativistic Ion Collider. Each summer, Muhlenberg undergraduate students have been able to work directly with the scientists on this project. Because of Fadem’s recent grant, students will continue forward with this research.

Fadem and three students involved with the PHENIX collaboration attended this year’s American Physical Society Division of Nuclear Physics Fall meeting, held in Newport Beach, California. Fadem gave a talk entitled “Transverse Energy at RHIC in the forward/backward direction with the PHENIX MuonPiston Calorimeter” while Benjamin Schweid ‘13, MariAnne Skolnik ‘14, and Chris Zumberge ‘14 presented posters at the Conference Experience for Undergraduates poster session (for which all three earned conference scholarships).

The College’s physics department has established a dedication to student and faculty research. The major aims to educate all graduates in efficiently conducting research in the physical sciences and disseminating their findings and results. Students and faculty continue to experiment with novel concepts, use cutting edge technology and information, and present these studies at conferences nationwide.