Illinois Physics | The Grainger College of Engineering | UIUC

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has elected to membership Illinois Physics Professor Chen-Yu Liu for her pioneering contributions to nuclear physics. NAS membership is a widely accepted mark of excellence in science and is considered one of the highest honors that a scientist can receive. A total of 120 new members and 24 international associates were elected this year in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Liu is among three newly elected members from the Urbana-Champaign campus.

Liu is recognized internationally for her seminal work on neutron experiments. Made up of quarks and subject to the so-called strong force, the neutron is about the same mass as a proton but has no electric charge. The fundamental properties of the neutron have been extensively studied, but certain measurements continue to present tremendous experimental challenges. Liu develops novel experimental techniques to elucidate the neutron beta-decay lifetime, neutron decay asymmetries, and the electric dipole moment of the neutron. Much of Liu’s work involves ultra-cold neutrons, which have low kinetic energies and so can be stored in material bottles or magnetic traps for up to a few minutes at a time—long enough to enable higher precision measurements.

Illinois Physics and Astronomy Professor and Ikenberry Chair Charles Gammie shares his unique perspective on astrophysics and the cosmos in this interview on The UIUC Talkshow.

On April 19-20, 2024 Illinois Physics hosted more than 45 teachers across Illinois for the 2024 Spring AAPT Meeting, organized by Morten Lundsgaard, Coordinator of Physics Teacher Development.  The meeting was kickstarted by an IOLab workshop, followed by several speakers from Southern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Romeoville High School, Parkland College, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  The full program can be found at https://sites.google.com/view/illinois-section-aapt/meeting-archive/spring-2024.

Illinois Physics Professors Paul Selvin and Charles Gammie have been elected to membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the oldest honor societies in the nation. Academy members, leaders in the arts and sciences, business, philanthropy, and public affairs, work to address societal challenges, making nonpartisan recommendations to policymakers and leaders in government, higher education, and the private sector.