Argonne workshop highlights ongoing experimental efforts to unlock the secrets of the elusive neutrino particle

Researchers from around the world recently convened at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory for the 25^th International Workshop on Neutrinos from Accelerators (NuFact). Held in mid-September, the workshop brought together leading experts in neutrino physics and related fields to share expertise, review progress of current experiments and shape future research directions.

Since 1999, the NuFact workshop has served as an important annual event for both theorists and experimentalists investigating the elusive neutrino, a fundamental particle that interacts with matter so rarely and weakly it is extremely difficult to detect.

“With deep expertise in high energy physics and some of the most powerful facilities and tools, the national laboratories possess the capabilities needed to decode these ghostlike particles,” said Argonne Laboratory Director Paul Kearns, who welcomed attendees to the workshop. ​“By joining forces with global partners, we will advance basic science that can expand our knowledge and empower us to understand the universe in greater detail.”

Uncovering the nature of the neutrino could help answer long-standing questions in particle physics, such as why the universe consists of much more matter than antimatter. The neutrino’s puzzling properties are also revealing physics beyond the Standard Model, scientists’ current best model of the makeup of the universe.

“By joining forces with global partners, we will advance basic science that can expand our knowledge and empower us to understand the universe in greater detail.” — Argonne Laboratory Director Paul Kearns

The workshop’s agenda featured more than 150 talks and presentations, including a keynote presentation from Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Director Lia Merminga. Nearly 200 researchers participated in the workshop. Half of the attendees represented institutions outside the United States.

“For a quarter of a century, the NuFact workshop has been a vital meeting for the high energy physics community,” said Merminga. ​“International cooperation has always been a hallmark of accelerator and neutrino physics, and this workshop exemplifies that collaboration.”

Emphasizing accelerator-based neutrino studies

The NuFact workshop primarily focuses on efforts to study neutrinos produced using particle accelerators here on Earth, with less emphasis on experiments that detect neutrinos naturally produced in the cosmos. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of these experiments, the workshop also covers muon physics and accelerator and detector science.

Attendees heard updates on neutrino theory and many planned and existing neutrino-related experiments, including the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) and the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility hosted by Fermilab, which will produce the world’s most intense neutrino beam in support of DUNE.

The NuFact workshop was divided into several working groups, which discussed topics including neutrino oscillation and scattering, neutrinos beyond the Standard Model, accelerator and detector science, muon physics, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

A forward-looking panel discussion focused on next steps from the 2023 Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5) report. Moderated by Mayly Sanchez, a professor at Florida State University and member of the P5 panel, the discussion brought together leaders in neutrino physics to discuss priorities for the field in the coming decade.

Building connections and future pathways

The workshop also provided opportunities for professional development and networking, including poster sessions, social events and laboratory tours. For students and early career scientists, NuFact is an opportunity to present work, learn about the broader field and discover connections between different research initiatives. For more senior scientists, it’s a chance to showcase research and attract new collaborators. 

“Workshops like NuFact help to break silos and promote active exchange and networking between different collaborations and areas of research,” said Argonne Assistant Physicist Simon Corrodi, a chair of the workshop’s local organizing committee and a convener of the muon physics working group. ​“These connections are crucial for developing a coherent strategy for the future as a community.”

Argonne’s long-standing connections and leadership in high energy physics, paired with the laboratory’s active involvement in cutting-edge neutrino and muon experiments, make it a prime venue for events like the NuFact workshop.

“We are proud that the community has trusted Argonne to host this year’s workshop,” said Argonne Assistant Physicist Aleena Rafique, who also served on the local organizing committee. ​“It was a privilege to see scientists, professors, postdocs and students from across the globe taking part in the workshop discussions and laying the foundation for future discoveries.”

In addition to Argonne, the workshop was supported by the Northwestern University Department of Physics and Astronomy, the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization in Japan (known as KEK) and DOE’s Office of Science, Office of High Energy Physics.

Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology by conducting leading-edge basic and applied research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://​ener​gy​.gov/​s​c​ience.