Nigel Lockyer
Encyclopedia
Dr. Nigel Lockyer is a Professor of Physics at the University of Pennsylvania
and Director of TRIUMF
. He was educated at York University
in Toronto, Canada.
Nigel has been serving as director of TRIUMF, Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics, since May 2007. As someone born in Scotland, raised in Canada, and educated in the United States, Nigel is both a citizen of the world and a true sports fan at heart.
By training, Nigel is a particle physicist, but in practice he has many interests. He came to TRIUMF, and returned to Canada, from the University of Pennsylvania
where he was a professor of physics
. His research there explored the detailed behaviour of matter and energy at the smallest scales and the highest energies, using accelerators around the world to probe elementary particles known as quarks that are thought to make up matter at the most basic level. Particle physicists are the cartoonists of physical science: their theories of the universe include objects named “quark
,” “strange
,” “charm
,” “Zed,” “gluon
,” and maybe even “string.” Nigel is famous in the physics community for his work on the particle known as the bottom quark
for which he was awarded the American Physical Society’s
W.K.H. Panofsky Prize in 2006.
Nigel is well seasoned in working with big teams. For two years, Nigel served as spokesperson for a 600-person international collaboration known as CDF
based at Fermilab
near Chicago. The project achieved world acclaim for studying the top quark
, a counterpart to the bottom quark
. While at Pennsylvania, Nigel developed his interest in the applications of physics to real-world problems, a spirit that he has brought with him to TRIUMF. He worked with the Penn Medical School on proton therapy for cancer as well as detectors for medical physics. He has also lectured on Benjamin Franklin
and is an avid fan of Winston Churchill
.
In addition to directing TRIUMF, Nigel is also a professor at UBC’s
Department of Physics and Astronomy. When he has time between the many commitments of a laboratory director, he reads business articles in the Globe and Mail, excerpts from President Barack Obama
’s speeches, and cutting-edge research papers in nuclear medicine. Nigel also contributes to Quantum Diaries , a collaborative blog following a number of particle physics labs and personnel.
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and Director of TRIUMF
TRIUMF
TRIUMF is Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics. Its headquarters are located on the south campus of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia. TRIUMF houses the world's largest cyclotron, source of 500 MeV protons, which was named an IEEE Milestone...
. He was educated at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
in Toronto, Canada.
Nigel has been serving as director of TRIUMF, Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics, since May 2007. As someone born in Scotland, raised in Canada, and educated in the United States, Nigel is both a citizen of the world and a true sports fan at heart.
By training, Nigel is a particle physicist, but in practice he has many interests. He came to TRIUMF, and returned to Canada, from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
where he was a professor of physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
. His research there explored the detailed behaviour of matter and energy at the smallest scales and the highest energies, using accelerators around the world to probe elementary particles known as quarks that are thought to make up matter at the most basic level. Particle physicists are the cartoonists of physical science: their theories of the universe include objects named “quark
Quark
A quark is an elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons, the components of atomic nuclei. Due to a phenomenon known as color confinement, quarks are never directly...
,” “strange
Strange quark
The strange quark or s quark is the third-lightest of all quarks, a type of elementary particle. Strange quarks are found in hadrons, which are subatomic particles. Example of hadrons containing strange quarks include kaons , strange D mesons , Sigma baryons , and other strange particles...
,” “charm
Charm quark
The charm quark or c quark is the third most massive of all quarks, a type of elementary particle. Charm quarks are found in hadrons, which are subatomic particles made of quarks...
,” “Zed,” “gluon
Gluon
Gluons are elementary particles which act as the exchange particles for the color force between quarks, analogous to the exchange of photons in the electromagnetic force between two charged particles....
,” and maybe even “string.” Nigel is famous in the physics community for his work on the particle known as the bottom quark
Bottom quark
The bottom quark, also known as the beauty quark, is a third-generation quark with a charge of − e. Although all quarks are described in a similar way by the quantum chromodynamics, the bottom quark's large bare mass , combined with low values of the CKM matrix elements Vub and Vcb, gives it a...
for which he was awarded the American Physical Society’s
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
W.K.H. Panofsky Prize in 2006.
Nigel is well seasoned in working with big teams. For two years, Nigel served as spokesperson for a 600-person international collaboration known as CDF
Collider Detector at Fermilab
The Collider Detector at Fermilab experimental collaboration studies high energy particle collisions at the Tevatron,the world's former highest-energy particle accelerator...
based at Fermilab
Fermilab
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory , located just outside Batavia, Illinois, near Chicago, is a US Department of Energy national laboratory specializing in high-energy particle physics...
near Chicago. The project achieved world acclaim for studying the top quark
Top quark
The top quark, also known as the t quark or truth quark, is an elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Like all quarks, the top quark is an elementary fermion with spin-, and experiences all four fundamental interactions: gravitation, electromagnetism, weak interactions, and...
, a counterpart to the bottom quark
Bottom quark
The bottom quark, also known as the beauty quark, is a third-generation quark with a charge of − e. Although all quarks are described in a similar way by the quantum chromodynamics, the bottom quark's large bare mass , combined with low values of the CKM matrix elements Vub and Vcb, gives it a...
. While at Pennsylvania, Nigel developed his interest in the applications of physics to real-world problems, a spirit that he has brought with him to TRIUMF. He worked with the Penn Medical School on proton therapy for cancer as well as detectors for medical physics. He has also lectured on Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
and is an avid fan of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
.
In addition to directing TRIUMF, Nigel is also a professor at UBC’s
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
Department of Physics and Astronomy. When he has time between the many commitments of a laboratory director, he reads business articles in the Globe and Mail, excerpts from President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
’s speeches, and cutting-edge research papers in nuclear medicine. Nigel also contributes to Quantum Diaries , a collaborative blog following a number of particle physics labs and personnel.