Abilene Christian University's Particle Physics Research Team, consisting of ACU faculty and students, has recently received a research grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). As one of 11 U.S. university-led grant recipient teams, ACU will work cooperatively with teams from other universities as part of DOE's Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI), said Dr. Rusty Towell, associate professor of physics at ACU.
The selected universities will receive $30.7 million over three years to further the goals of NERI, which include reducing risks caused by emissions and waste and improving long-term prospects for nuclear power through better methods and security.
ACU will be working with five other universities and three research laboratories on a project entitled "An Innovative Approach to Precision Fission Measurements using a Time Projection Chamber." The researchers will seek more precise methods of fission cross-section measurement that will reduce uncertainty measurements below one percent.
ACU's team will receive $150,000 a year over three years to enable their research.
"The research projects that the ACU Particle Physics Research Team is involved in give our students the opportunity to participate in world-class nuclear physics research," said Towell. "This means that ACU is already starting to fulfill our new vision of building distinctive and innovative programs.”
Undergaduate physics students at ACU have a unique opportunity for research. "Most universities reserve these types of experiences for their graduate students," said Towell. "At ACU, our students start graduate school with a significant advantage over students whose research experience has been limited to a laboratory class."
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