A Decadal Survey of Elementary Particle Physics

National Academy Of Sciences, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This project supports the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the “National Academies”), through the Board on Physics and Astronomy, to organize and conduct a decadal study of elementary particle physics (EPP) at the request of NSF and DOE. The study will assess the progress and developments in EPP over the past decade and explore promising new directions for the period 2022-2032. It will also discuss the international landscape for EPP and leading roles that the United States can play in this field in the future. The study will also evaluate how EPP could benefit from more fully engaging with other fields of research and the societal benefits flowing from EPP, including the training of a highly skilled workforce. Finally, the report will make recommendations on how to realize the full potential of this critical research area for the nation. This study will identify, articulate, and prioritize the scientific opportunities in elementary particle physics and will offer clear and broad guidance, both to those within the discipline and policymakers outside of the discipline. It will evaluate the recent past and future directions of the entire field by members from across the field, potentially leading to fresh insights and new perspectives on the key questions that drive the science. In addition, it will help identify the opportunities and challenges associated with pursuing interdisciplinary research, ultimately placing the field in the broader context of science. The final report will have a significant impact on the future of elementary particle physics across the field. It will identify new directions and new perspectives for the field and formulate guidelines for pursuing it to advance the science efforts in the United States and abroad. It will describe the impact that EPP has on other scientific fields, and along with roles that other fields play, or might play, in advancing EPP research. The committee will include scientists with broad expertise to analyze and demonstrate the impact of elementary particle physics and techniques in modern science and technology. Part of the report will be addressed to a lay audience to enhance the public understanding of the role of elementary particle physics in other sciences and society. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.