Research in Elementary Particle Physics

Michigan State University, East Lansing MI

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal requests support for a group at Michigan State University for a program of research and education in experimental elementary particle physics based on the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron proton-antiproton collider and on the ATLAS experiment at the proton-proton Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at Cern, Geneva. The MSU group formed the nucleus of the D0 experiment and one of the members of the group, H. Weerts, is currently a co-spokesman for the experiment. The group has major responsibilities to the Run II upgrades at each of the three levels of the trigger. They are actively engaged in a number of physics analyses, including top quark and QCD physics as well as searches for new phenomena. The group's work on ATLAS includes design and construction of the Level 2 trigger system as well as integrating it with the data acquisition system. Members of the MSU group are introducing technical and intellectual expertise into the classroom for both physics and non-science majors and one of their members, B. Pope, is an active member of QuarkNet, the multi-institutional effort to involve high school teachers and their students in particle physics research.