The following UC Davis faculty are available to comment on the Higgs boson and the latest data from the CERN Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. CERN scientists are expected to announce new information on the search for the Higgs boson, the missing last piece of the Standard Model of particle physics, on July 4 during a live-streamed seminar held simultaneously at CERN and at the International Congress of High Energy Physics in Melbourne, Australia.

UC Davis physicists have been involved with the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN since the project was conceived in the 1990s.

Where and how to look for the Higgs boson

John (Jack) Gunion, distinguished professor of physics at UC Davis, is co-author of the 1990 book “The Higgs Hunter's Guide.” In the early 1980s, he led theoretical work that showed physicists where and how to look for the Higgs boson, and the types of machines that would be needed to detect it. His work has influenced the design of the Compact Muon Solenoid, one of three detectors built into the LHC. Contact: Jack Gunion, (530) 220-4756, gunion@physics.ucdavis.edu.

Particles beyond the Standard Model

Professor John Conway is an experimental particle physicist looking for new particles beyond the Standard Model. He hopes to find some soon. He is involved with both the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment at the LHC and the Tevatron at Fermilab in Batavia, Ill. He contributes to the blog Cosmic Variance at Discover.com and appeared in the 2008 film about Fermilab, “The Atom Smashers.” Contact: John Conway, (530) 754-7639, Conway@physics.ucdavis.edu.

Toward a “new physics”

Robin Erbacher, professor of physics, is looking for signs of the “new physics” beyond the particles and forces that we already know about. Erbacher is a team member of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment. She also led the team studying the top quark particle using the Tevatron Collider at Fermilab and serves on the U.S. High Energy Physics Advisory Panel, which advises the U.S. government on physics research. Erbacher was featured in the 2008 film “The Atom Smashers” about research at Fermilab and has been widely interviewed by media representatives about her work, including an appearance on Capital Public Radio’s “Insight” public affairs program. Contact: Robin Erbacher, (530) 754-6203, erbacher@physics.ucdavis.edu.

Particle physics and the LHC

Physics professor Maxwell Chertok is a member of the international team working on the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment at the LHC. He also has been involved in the search for the Higgs boson at the LHC. Chertok has given presentations at local elementary and high schools on particle physics and the Higgs, and has been interviewed on television and radio about the LHC. Contact: Maxwell Chertok, (530) 754-7351, chertok@physics.ucdavis.edu.

What’s next in high-energy physics research

Mike Mulhearn, an assistant professor of physics, joined the High Energy Experiment group in the UC Davis Department of Physics in 2011, following postdoctoral work at the University of Virginia and Fermilab. He can discuss the significance of the Higgs boson and what's next in high-energy physics research. He can also talk about the high-speed electronics technology used in modern physics experiments. Contact: Mike Mulhearn, (530) 754-7226, mulhearn@physics.ucdavis.edu.

Modern supersymmetry

Professor John Terning is a theoretical physicist studying data produced by experiments at the LHC, Tevatron and other facilities. He can discuss theories such as “supersymmetry” that take physics beyond our current understanding of the Standard Model. He is the author of a graduate level textbook, “Modern Supersymmetry,” (2009, Oxford University Press). Contact: John Terning, (530) 231-2540, terning@physics.ucdavis.edu.

Particle physics and cosmology

Professor Markus Luty is a theorist working in particle physics and cosmology, especially supersymmetry, extra dimensions, gravity and dark matter. The physics that can be tested at the LHC are extremely rich, he says, and could yield signals of a “new physics.” Contact: Markus Luty, (530) 554-1280; Skype, markus_luty; luty@physics.ucdavis.edu (Luty is at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, until June 30.)

Physics and the secrets of the universe

Andreas Albrecht is professor and chair of the Department of Physics at UC Davis. Albrecht is a theoretical cosmologist interested in the fundamental questions of how our universe came to be and of what it is made. A deep understanding of particle physics from experiments at the LHC, he says, will give insights into cosmological mysteries such as the nature of “dark matter” and “dark energy,” which make up most of the universe. Albrecht has given numerous media interviews and most recently appeared in Discovery Channel's “Through the Wormhole,” hosted by Morgan Freeman; and NOVA, “The Fabric of the Cosmos,” for PBS. Contact: Andreas Albrecht, (530) 752-5989, ajalbrecht@ucdavis.edu.