Postdoctoral Fellowship: MPS-Ascend: Laser Cooling Radioactive Molecules

Arian Jadbabaie is awarded an NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (NSF MPS-Ascend) to conduct a program of research and broader impacts. This fellowship to Dr. Jadbabaie supports the research project entitled “Postdoctoral Fellowship: MPS-Ascend: Laser Cooling Radioactive Molecules” under the mentorship of a sponsoring scientist. The host institution for the fellowship is Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Garcia Ruiz. This award supports the precision spectroscopy of radioactive molecules and an attempt to demonstrate their first direct laser cooling. Successful cooling of such molecules will open the way for a new class of table-top experiments searching for physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. While the Standard Model successfully describes a vast range of physical phenomena, it is known that it is not a complete theory. Searches using high precision atomic, molecular and optical physics measurement techniques, such as the one enabled by this award, are one important avenue for constraining extensions of the Standard Model. The PI plans to carry out science outreach at local Boston schools, to directly engage students and parents with compelling science demonstrations, create a network with local schools, and spread science opportunities. Next, the Fellow will become one of the main organizers of the event “Bridging Talents and Opportunities”, which will attract high school students, parents, teachers, and sponsors to the host institution, MIT. The event is focused on connecting students with research opportunities, mentors, and funding; and exposing students to captivating outreach. Finally, two students per year will be offered summer research opportunities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.