Elementary Particle Physics Using High Energy Colliders

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This award provides continuing support for a program of research for the High Energy Physics group at the University of Washington. This group is a member of the D0 and ATLAS collaborations and plans to take advantage of the unprecedented discovery potential of the LHC by focusing on two broad themes: (1). the search for the Higgs boson(s), the signature particle(s) of the most compelling model to explain Electroweak Symmetry Breaking in the Standard Model as well as in Supersymmetry; and (2). the search for long-lived particles occurring in many extensions of the Standard Model that address the large hierarchy problem and have a potential for early discovery. In addition to the physics program at the LHC, it is continuing and expanding its contributions to the ATLAS detector and software efforts. For DØ the plan is to focus on the search for the Higgs boson(s), both within the Standard Model and in Supersymmetry. The broader impacts of this work span several areas. It provides an opportunity for undergraduate training as they plan to continue their long tradition of involving undergraduates in all aspects of their research work. They will also continue their efforts to increase the participation of underrepresented minorities in all of their research. Finally, they are actively engaged in outreach efforts to local high school teachers and students, as part of the national QuarkNet program.