DOE

In their ongoing search for the mysterious dark matter that makes up 85% of our universe, the particle physics community turns its sights to particles of low mass. The Department of Energy announced that it is providing funding for two Fermilab initiatives to develop experimental designs for experiments that will be highly sensitive to the smallest particles of dark matter. Following the development of the experimental designs, the next phase of funding will be subject to additional reviews and approval.

On Oct. 1, Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette and members of the U.S. Secretary of Energy Advisory Board visited Fermilab to see first-hand its world-class facilities for exploring particle physics, accelerator science and technology, and quantum science.

From DOE, Sept. 13, 2019: Nigel Lockyer is quoted among several other national lab directors, members of Congress and industry bigwigs regarding DOE’s new Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office.

From DOE, Sept. 6, 2019: U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announces the establishment of the DOE Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office. The secretary has established the office to serve as the coordinating hub for the work being done across the DOE enterprise in artificial intelligence. This action has been taken as part of the President’s call for a national AI strategy to ensure AI technologies are developed to positively impact the lives of Americans.

The DOE Project Leadership Institute has recognized Lari and her capstone project teammates for for their outstanding case study analysis with the 2018 Capstone Project Award.

From AIP’s FYI, May 27, 2019: The American Institute of Physics touts progress on the P5 plan with a photo of the ProtoDUNE detector and info on the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, hosted by Fermilab.

In December 2018, four students received the prestigious Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research fellowships to conduct their research at Fermilab. The goal of the program is to prepare graduate students for STEM careers critically important to the Office of Science mission by providing graduate thesis research opportunities at DOE laboratories.

Fermilab’s quantum program includes a number of leading-edge research initiatives that build on the lab’s unique capabilities as the U.S. center for high-energy physics and a leader in quantum physics research. On the tour, researchers discussed quantum technologies for communication, high-energy physics experiments, algorithms and theory, and superconducting qubits hosted in superconducting radio-frequency cavities.

From KRWG, June 26, 2018: The three-year grant will fund New Mexico State University physics faculty, students and postdoctoral researchers for three projects: SeaQuest, MicroBooNE and PHENIX.

From Science, June 13, 2018: Dabbar oversees DOE’s basic research arm, the $6.3 billion Office of Science. He spoke recently with ScienceInsider about his unusual background and his vision for DOE’s scientific efforts.