Understanding the Nature of Matter with Polarized Targets

Nuclear Physics
October 10, 2022

Monday, October 10, 2022 at 4:15 p.m.
Location: Physics North Lecture Hall #1
Speaker: Elena Long, University of New Hampshire

Abstract: Since the discovery of the proton in 1917, physicists have been studying its properties: Asking questions about the internal structure and external phenomena of this basic piece of matter. This past century has been working to build an understanding that begins at the most fundamental quark level, builds up to protons and neutrons, and describes how they come together to form the atomic nuclei that make up everything we see around us. In just the past few decades, our understanding of this internal structure of nucleons has been greatly increased thanks to developments of high-energy electron accelerators and spin-polarized targets. From the quark sea through the internal electric structure of nucleons and beyond, this colloquium will cover the discoveries that have given us our current understanding of matter and detail current and future developments being led by the UNH Nuclear Physics Group that will teach us more about the nature of matter.

Bio: Dr. Elena Long is assistant professor of physics at the University of New Hampshire and is an activist for LGBT people in science.  Dr. Long's research in experimental nuclear physics focuses on understanding how the quarks inside of protons and neutrons interact to form atomic nuclei by utilizing spin-polarized targets at particle accelerator facilities, particularly at Jefferson Lab. Her current work on deuteron structure will include the first measurement on the quasi-elastic tensor asymmetry Azz, which will provide information about nucleon-nucleon interactions that are both relativistic and short-range. Dr. Long has made significant contributions to improve the inclusion of LGBT+ researchers and students by founding the lgbt+physicists organization, serving as a member of the American Physical Society (APS) Committee of LGBT Issues, and helping to create the APS Forum on Diversity and Inclusion where she is currently Past-Chair. The journal Nature called her a "diversity trailblazer" in their Nature's 10: Ten people who mattered in 2016.

Research Area: Nuclear Physics

Colloquium 10-10-22, Elena Long

October 10, 2022: Elena Long