Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) and CoEPP take steps in international scientific cooperation with the signing of an international Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA).
The agreement between Fermilab, the USA’s major high energy physics laboratory, and CoEPP, Australia’s primary centre for particle physics research, will encourage a rich and diverse collaboration between the institutions. The aim is to establish visits in both directions of researchers, technical staff and students to collaborate on shared challenges. Potential shared activities include advanced theoretical physics, precision measurement techniques, advanced research computation methods, underground experimentation and accelerator R&D.
“This is a welcome alliance between our two organisations,” says Professor Geoffrey Taylor, Director of CoEPP. “Whilst CoEPP is part of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC and Fermilab is the lead CMS laboratory in the US, there is a great deal that can be done on developing techniques, tools and detector technology beyond the confines of these experiments. Also, the underground laboratory experience of Fermilab with the DUNE* project finds synergy with CoEPP developments at the new Stawell underground facility.”
CoEPP has a vigorous research program that aligns well with that of the US laboratory.
“This agreement widens the collaboration opportunities of CoEPP by linking it to this most prestigious High Energy National Lab in the US,” says A/Prof Csaba Balazs, CoEPP Monash Node Director. “Since particle physics is a highly collaborative, international science, this agreement is a vital anchoring the CoEPP to the US, complementing our already strong connections to CERN in Europe.”
Since 1967, Fermilab has been working to answer fundamental questions about the universe and its origins. Scientists working at Fermilab discovered three fundamental particles – the top quark, the bottom quark and the tau neutrino – and the laboratory is gearing up to host the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, the largest long-distance neutrino experiment in the world.
“We’re glad to deepen our relationship with CoEPP as we move forward into a new era of physics research,” said Fermilab Director Nigel Lockyer.
*Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment