Obesity-drug pioneers and 13,508 physicists win US$3-million Breakthrough Prizes

As the 2025 Fermi Forward Discovery Group Guest Composer, Amy Nam will use her skills in music to transform concepts behind the physics research conducted at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory into auditory experiences the public may enjoy.

The Guest Composer program at Fermilab fosters collaboration between scientists and artists and is aimed at strengthening the laboratory’s ties to the community by creating new pathways to spark interest in science. The program is funded by Fermi Forward Discovery Group, which manages and operates Fermilab on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy.

“Connecting music to science can expand the reach of Fermilab’s research to a broader audience,” said Natalie Johnson, head of the Fermilab Office of Education and Public Engagement. “Approaching scientific research through the lens of music offers fresh perspectives and conveys the ideas in a new and meaningful way. Our goal in connecting Fermilab science to a wider audience is to inspire and encourage more young people to pursue careers in STEM fields.”

With Nam’s proposed project, “The Harp Inside Schrödinger’s Box,” she plans to create an equal parts musical concert and educational experience by juxtaposing original harp music with spoken word passages inspired by quantum physics research. With the help of scientists and the Office of Education and Public Engagement, Nam will create an auditory and educational experience made available to the public at Fermilab’s Ramsey Auditorium.

“Translating science through art makes the science tangible to more people, that’s the hope,” said Nam. “Reaching new audiences, who may not otherwise seek out information about particles physics or quantum computing, that’s the goal.”

Nam wishes to compose music informed by Fermilab’s QUIET and LOUDresearch laboratories. In these twin labs, one located 100-meters underground and one at the Earth’s surface, researchers gather data to understand how cosmic radiation affects the performance of superconducting qubits. This research could contribute to optimizing future quantum computers.

“Amy’s clear vision of weaving scientific ideas into music and poetry is compelling,” said Georgia Schwender, the Visual Arts Coordinator at Fermilab who also manages the FermiForward Guest Composer program. “As America’s premier particle accelerator laboratory, Fermilab’s goal is to understand the fundamental particles that make up our universe and the forces that govern their behavior. To help people who may not have science backgrounds reach a new understanding of what we investigate and find, it’s critical to create ways to present this research through new perspectives.”

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is America’s premier national laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research. Fermi Forward Discovery Group manages Fermilab for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. Visit Fermilab’s website at www.fnal.gov and follow us on social media.

Jelena Berenc is an artist known for using bold pen strokes and detailed pencil shading to explore the idea of quantum fluctuations in spacetime. This year, she will bring her vision to Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory as the 2025 Fermi Forward Discovery Group Guest Artist.

The Guest Artist program fosters collaboration between scientists and artists to help the public gain more understanding about cutting-edge research at Fermilab. The program is funded by Fermi Forward Discovery Group, which manages and operates Fermilab on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy.

During her time at the laboratory, Berenc will team up with scientists to create art based on their research. The pieces she creates will be shown in art displays for public viewing at the laboratory.

“Connecting science to art helps spread awareness of Fermilab’s research to a wider community,” said Natalie Johnson, head of Fermilab’s Office of Education and Public Engagement. “Looking at physics research through different perspectives can make the science more accessible, with the ultimate goal of inspiring young people to pursue STEM careers.”

Berenc wants to learn more about virtual particles, theorized to be tiny fluctuations in the fields that make up all physical matter. She will collaborate with researchers at Fermilab who have studied these particles through the Muon g-2 experiment.

 “Scientific concepts expressed through a visual language help audiences understand the fundamental rules of the universe,” said Berenc.

Berenc brings with her years of experience collaborating with STEM researchers and institutions. Berenc recently curated an art show in Chicago that featured installations from both artists and experts in fields that included mathematics, physics, astrophysics and biology.  

Berenc’s art curation expertise makes her uniquely equipped to organize an art exposition that showcases the art created in collaboration with Fermilab researchers.

“I was captivated by the duality in Berenc’s work,” said Georgia Schwender, the visual arts coordinator at Fermilab and manager of the guest artist program. “She takes concepts and explores their complexity with precision. Her thought process, visual language and creative journey are deeply compelling.”  

Berenc’s self-described art method, information realism, guides her creative process.

“Using this process, I don’t allow my feelings or beliefs to inform the art,” said Berenc. “Instead, I use the information in front of me.”  

An example of her method is her piece “Book of Knowledge,” a 1,000-page book filled with 500,000 tiny marks, she calls bits. The bits make up only 4% of the pages, while the other 96% is blank, symbolizing how much scientists may still not understand about the fundamental structure of the universe. 

“As America’s premier particle accelerator laboratory, our goal is to understand the fundamental particles that make up our universe and the forces that govern their behavior,” said Schwender. “To make our discoveries more accessible, it’s important to present the material in ways that allow everyone to appreciate the significance of the work.”

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is America’s premier national laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research. Fermi Forward Discovery Group manages Fermilab for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. Visit Fermilab’s website at www.fnal.gov and follow us on social media. 

More than 100 participants gathered at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory for the 2025 CMS Data Analysis School — an immersive, hands-on program to train the next generation of physicists for the CMS experiment. The event was hosted earlier this year by the LHC Physics Center, or LPC, at Fermilab, and brought new members of the CMS collaboration together for an intense week of lectures, hands-on exercises and a group competition.

The CMS experiment is one of the major particle detectors at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, and the school featured a rigorous curriculum aimed at familiarizing participants with the physics, detector technology, software and data analysis of the experiment. Sixty-four students, primarily new graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, along with 46 facilitators and nine lecturers participated in this year’s data analysis school. The facilitators included volunteers from the CMS experiment and this year’s LPC Distinguished Researchers, who provided invaluable mentorship throughout the week.

The program combined lectures and practical exercises to offer a deep dive into particle physics analysis. Twelve short exercises focused on specific aspects of the CMS experiment, such as particle identification and reconstruction. In addition, participants engaged in seven longer exercises, each tackling complex analyses like top quark measurements and searches for new long-lived particles. The exercises were designed to equip attendees with the essential skills needed to work with large data sets.

As part of the program’s concluding activities, seven student groups presented their analyses to a panel of senior CMS collaborators. These presentations were judged based on the quality of the analysis, teamwork and presentation skills. Each group’s performance was assessed by a distinguished panel of senior CMS researchers.

Guest speakers from across the physics community offered lectures and insights throughout the week. Among the presenters were interim Fermilab Director Young-Kee Kim, Fermilab Deputy Director for Science and Technology Bonnie Fleming, CMS collaboration Spokesperson Gautier Hamel de Monchenault and additional experts in particle physics, including Tulika Bose, Eliana Gianfelice-Wendt, Lindsey Gray, Frank Hartmann, Gordan Krnjaic, Corrinne Mills and Isobel Ojalvo.

Corrinne Mills, a long-time collaborator with CMS, shared her thoughts on the significance of the event. “The data analysis school is an excellent opportunity not only to get up to speed quickly on CMS analysis, but also to meet other students and collaborators on the experiment,” Mills said. “I actually went through the data analysis school as a student when I first came to CMS as a new assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and it was a great experience.”

The school also covered key topics such as the CMS publication process, how to present results to a scientifically literate audience, and how to handle tough questions about the details. During one of the school’s lunches, members of the Fermilab Accelerator Division joined students and facilitators to answer questions about the laboratory and its research.

The 2025 CMS Data Analysis School was organized by outgoing LPC co-coordinators Kevin Black and Bo Jayatilaka, along with current LPC co-coordinator Isobel Ojalvo and incoming LPC coordinator Jim Hirschauer. The school’s success was made possible by the dedicated efforts of CMS LPC support staff: Gabriele Benelli of Brown University, Marguerite Tonjes of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and David Yu of the University of Nebraska.

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is America’s premier national laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research. Fermi Forward Discovery Group manages Fermilab for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. Visit Fermilab’s website at www.fnal.gov and follow us on social media.

Senior scientist Sowjanya Gollapinni has been elected as the new co-spokesperson for the international neutrino project, the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Gollapinni, currently a scientist at the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory, will succeed Mary Bishai, an experimental particle physicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory, who co-led the collaboration since 2023. Gollapinni’s two-year term began April 1.  

“Mary has done a wonderful job leading the collaboration over the last two years and she will continue to contribute her uncommon skills and drive to the success of DUNE Phase-I and to the realization of DUNE Phase II,” said Sergio Bertolucci, co-spokesperson of DUNE and professor of physics at the University of Bologna in Italy. “I look forward to working with Sowjanya to establish DUNE as the best-in-class next generation neutrino experiment.”

DUNE is an international flagship experiment to unlock the mysteries of neutrinos. Fermilab is the host laboratory for DUNE, in partnership with funding agencies and more than 1,400 scientists and engineers from all over the globe. 

With a focus on neutrino research, Gollapinni has been involved with the DUNE collaboration since 2015, in several scientific and technical leadership roles. Before moving to Los Alamos, Gollapinni was a faculty at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s physics and astronomy department. 

“It’s a great privilege to have been elected as co-spokesperson, and I’m honored at the trust the collaboration has placed in me,” Gollapinni said. “The next two years will be a pivotal time for DUNE, and I look forward to taking DUNE to the next stages of development as the collaboration gets closer to making this project a reality.” 

She added “It will be a pleasure to work with Sergio. He has been critically involved in the experiment for a long time and has made foundational contributions to what we are now calling DUNE.”

Referencing the 2023 Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel report, Gollapinni added, “The P5 report could not have supported Phase-I and Phase-II of DUNE any stronger. My focus over the next two years will be successful execution of Phase-I and building a roadmap for Phase-II to realize the full scope of DUNE.” 

The infrastructure that will house DUNE is currently being built at two sites: Fermilab’s campus in Batavia, Illinois and a mile below the surface at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. 

Last year, LBNF/DUNE achieved a major milestone with the completion of excavation for the colossal caverns that will house the experiment’s far detectors. Since that time, workers have begun installing conventional infrastructure, such as lighting, electricity and fire suppression equipment in the space one mile underground in Lead, South Dakota. 

DUNE is a science experiment, but it is also a collaboration that is made up of people. We need to ensure the collaborators are successful in their science and research, but also in their careers especially early career members.

On the collaborative nature of the experiment, Gollapinni said, “DUNE is very international. I value international partnerships and the commitments they bring to the table greatly. DUNE will not be possible without them.To me, DUNE would not have come this far if it were not for the incredible hard work and intellectual contributions of the people involved. So, the welfare of the collaboration is of paramount importance to me.”