(Cumalat, John P - 2014) -- Professor of Distinction
Overview
description
An experimental particle physicist, Professor Cumalat focuses his research on the smallest observable particles and the fundamental fields that must be posited to explain their behavior. Professor Cumalat is presently studying the possibility of observing Z-prime bosons decaying into a pair of particles other than electrons and muons. According to the standard model of particle physics, the Z boson particle should decay into electrons and muons at about the same rate. However, data from recent experiments suggest an asymmetry in this rate, which could be explained by the existence of a heavier type of Z boson, called A-prime boson, which decays into electrons and muons at different rates. Professor Cumalat is investigating techniques to determine whether the A-prime boson exists. He has conducted research at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois as well as at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s most powerful particle collider, located near Geneva, Switzerland. Among Professor Cumalat’s awards are a Robert R. Wilson fellowship and selection as a fellow of the American Physical Society and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
