Researchers from Stony Brook University's Department of Physics and Astronomy have been recognized with the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. This recognition comes as a result of their collaborative work on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
The Stony Brook team, including multiple professors and Dr. Bee, has made significant contributions to the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Their work particularly focused on Higgs boson particle properties and their decay modes. They serve as the lead National Science Foundation (NSF) institution for U.S. contributions to ATLAS operations, software, and computing. Other teams involved in CERN's CMS, ALICE, and LHCb experiments also received the prize.
"Stony Brook’s HEP-ATLAS team has contributed significantly to our understanding of physics," said Carl W. Lejuez, executive vice president and provost. He highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts across institutions and countries in advancing scientific knowledge.
The Breakthrough Prize was awarded for the experiments' contributions to understanding Higgs boson properties, discovering new particles, studying rare processes, and exploring matter at extreme conditions. "I’m glad that the LHC experiments are being recognized for their achievements," remarked Chang Kee Jung, distinguished professor and chair of the department.
The prize, amounting to $3 million, will be donated to the CERN & Society Foundation. It will fund grants for doctoral students from member institutes to engage in research at CERN.
Stony Brook University, a flagship institution within the State University of New York system, is recognized for its research and academic excellence. It plays a significant role in various research endeavors and economic growth in the region.