Jamie Nagle

Physics faculty awarded Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission funding for AI-based projects

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:02:50 +0000

Physics faculty awarded Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission funding for AI-based projects Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 08/18/2026 - 09:02

Kirsten Apodaca

Six physics faculty from Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder are leading or contributing to new projects awarded more than $1.6 million in highly competitive U.S. Department of Energy Genesis Mission grants, the agency announced on July 22. Nationwide, only 278 phase-one projects were funded out of over 5,000 proposals.

Yuan Shi and Keith Ulmer are principal investigators on their respective projects, Dennis Perepelitsa is a co-principal investigator on two projects, Jamie Nagle is a co-principal investigator on another, and Xun Gao and Scott Parker are collaborators on the project led by Shi.

The Genesis Mission is a historic national initiative led by the U.S. Department of Energy, which is building the world’s most powerful integrated science discovery platform. By uniting government, industry, academia, and philanthropy, it is accelerating breakthroughs in energy, scientific discovery, and national security through a new platform that combines AI, supercomputing, quantum systems, and advanced scientific instruments.

“Having six Ģ��Ӱ�� Physics faculty involved across four Genesis Mission projects is incredibly impressive,” says Tobin Munsat, professor and chair of physics. “This reflects the broad strength of our department and demonstrates how our faculty are leading the way in putting AI and quantum technologies to work on some of the most challenging questions in fundamental science.”

AI for analyzing particle collisions at the Large Hadron Collider

Ulmer, with collaborators from the University of California San Diego, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Johns Hopkins University, will use AI to analyze largely untapped datasets of particle collisions from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN.

Each day, the LHC produces about 4,000 petabytes, or 4 billion gigabytes, of particle collision data used by physicists around the world to better understand the fundamental nature of the universe. Because of the enormous amount of data, current analyses are limited to roughly one in every 10,000 particle collisions, leaving potential anomalies undetected.

By combining high-energy physics expertise, data science, and industry AI methods, Ulmer and his collaborators will develop a system capable of analyzing the full dataset from the LHC. Called the AI-Inclusive Discovery of Anomalies in Scouting (AIDA-Scout), the system will analyze data in real time, automatically adjust to changing detector conditions, and find anomalies in collision data that could lead to new scientific discoveries.

Using quantum computing technologies and AI to simulate plasma for fusion pilot plants

Shi is leading a project to generate plasma simulations needed for fusion pilot plants. Collaborators on the project include Gao and Parker, as well as colleagues from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Infleqtion.

Even today’s most powerful supercomputers cannot produce certain plasma simulations essential for developing fusion pilot plants.

The team will develop new computational methods combining quantum computing, quantum machine learning, and AI to create more efficient and accurate simulations needed for fusion to become a potential energy source.

“This project seeks to prepare the fusion community for the coming generation of quantum computers by creating algorithms and software that can take advantage of quantum hardware as it matures,” says Shi. “The resulting capabilities could significantly accelerate plasma simulations, supporting advances in fusion energy science and scientific computing.”

AI for understanding quark-gluon plasma

Some of the final collisions captured by the sPHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, a nuclear physics research facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory. (Image Credit: Brookhaven National Laboratory)

A project led by Baruch College, City University of New York involves Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder physics faculty Jamie Nagle and Dennis Perepelitsa as co-principal investigators. The project’s leadership team includes Yeonju Go, a former postdoctoral researcher in Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder’s experimental nuclear physics group.

The project is designed to better understand the quark-gluon plasma, a phase of matter which only existed microseconds after the Big Bang at temperatures exceeding two trillion Kelvin. At Brookhaven National Laboratory, scientists recreate tiny droplets of quark-gluon plasma by colliding gold nuclei together at nearly the speed of light. These collisions are analyzed by the sPHENIX detector, which acts as a giant camera, capturing approximately 15,000 particle collisions each second.

When creating the quark-gluon plasma, sometimes there are two high energy quarks that scatter, and this project aims to separate and analyze these specific images by using an unsupervised AI framework known as cycle-consistent generative learning.

“We know how quarks scatter at high energy, but we want to understand how they scatter when they’re inside the plasma,” says Nagle.

AI for enhancing the foundation model for nuclear and particle physics

Dennis Perepelitsa is a co-principal investigator on a project led by colleagues at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory aimed at enhancing the Foundation Model for Nuclear and Particle Physics (FM4NPP), a large-scale AI model built to extract scientific insights directly from raw detector data.

Foundation models go beyond the more commonly known large language models (LLMs) by being able to perform a variety of tasks. The project will extend the current FM4NPP, which only includes information from one sPHENIX detector subsystem, to include a variety of other detectors, making the model truly multi-modal and enhancing the capability of the detector for quark-gluon plasma measurements. Ultimately, the FM4NPP effort is envisioned as a multi-institution consortium between national labs, universities, and industry to accelerate scientific discovery in a broad set of nuclear and particle physics datasets.

“In modern collider detectors, physics processes leave signatures in multiple subsystems at once, and a comprehensive picture is needed for the highest scientific sensitivity. The foundation model is based on similar principles as commercial LLMs, which is that with enough data and scale, it can make connections beyond the existing non-AI approaches,” says Perepelitsa.

View the Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder press release

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Professor Jamie Nagle Delivers Insightful Distinguished Research Lecture on the Early Universe

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 16:31:01 +0000

Professor Jamie Nagle Delivers Insightful Distinguished Research Lecture on the Early Universe Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 02/11/2025 - 09:31

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry

On Thursday, February 6, 2025, Professor Jamie Nagle captivated an audience of students, staff, faculty, and community members during the 125^th Distinguished Research Lecture hosted by Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder’s Research & Innovation Office (RIO).

Recognized with the prestigious 2024-2025 Distinguished Research Lectureship, Nagle presented his lecture, "10 Trillion Degrees: Unlocking the Secrets of the Early Universe," in the Chancellor’s Hall and Auditorium at the CASE (Center for Academic Success and Engagement) building.

Jamie Nagle's explanation of particles included a feature of his family's dog, aptly named Quark.

The lecture explored the extraordinary conditions of the early universe, delving into the physics of quark-gluon plasma—a state of matter that existed just microseconds after the Big Bang, reaching temperatures of 10 trillion degrees. Nagle shared insights from his groundbreaking research, illustrating how high-energy particle collisions in modern accelerators, such as those at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, recreate these primordial conditions, allowing physicists to study the fundamental forces that shaped our universe.

Nagle’s dynamic presentation engaged attendees, seamlessly blending complex scientific concepts with accessible explanations. He highlighted the importance of understanding the strong force, one of the four fundamental forces of nature, and its role in binding quarks and gluons to form protons and neutrons—the very building blocks of matter. Adding to his scientific explanation were photos of his dog Quark, who his children named.

The lecture concluded with a lively Q&A session, where Nagle addressed a range of questions from seasoned physicists and curious public members. A reception followed, allowing attendees to further discuss the lecture's fascinating topics.

Professor Nagle’s distinguished recognition and compelling lecture underscored the cutting-edge research being conducted within Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder’s Physics Department. His work continues to inspire both current and future generations of physicists, advancing our understanding of the universe's earliest moments.

Missed the lecture? A recording is now available on Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder's YouTube channel.

On Thursday, February 6, 2025, Professor Jamie Nagle captivated an audience of students, staff, faculty, and community members during the 125th Distinguished Research Lecture hosted by Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder’s Research & Innovation Office (RIO).

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Ģ��Ӱ�� Physics Professor Jamie Nagle Awarded Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder’s Distinguished Research Lectureship

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 20:19:25 +0000

Ģ��Ӱ�� Physics Professor Jamie Nagle Awarded Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder’s Distinguished Research Lectureship Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 10/17/2024 - 14:19

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry

University of Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder Physics Professor Jamie Nagle has been awarded the prestigious Distinguished Research Lectureship by the university. This award is among the highest honors bestowed upon a faculty member by their peers, recognizing Nagle's distinguished body of work, academic achievements, and significant contributions to Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder’s educational and service missions.

The Distinguished Research Lectureship is awarded annually to a tenured faculty member, Research Professor, or Adjoint Professor who has been with the university for at least five years. A faculty review panel evaluates nominees, and those selected are invited to present a public lecture highlighting their work. The award recipients receive a $2,000 honorarium and are celebrated for their contributions to Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder and the broader academic community.

As a Professor of Physics, Nagle has spent much of his career investigating the early universe through high-energy nuclear physics. His research has focused on understanding the quark-gluon plasma, a state of matter theorized to have existed just microseconds after the Big Bang.

“As you go back to about 6 microseconds after the universe started, the temperature was around two trillion Kelvin,” Nagle explained. “It was theorized that protons and neutrons inside of nuclei would melt away, creating a bath of more fundamental particles—quarks and gluons.”

Nagle's work involves recreating droplets of this quark-gluon plasma in a laboratory setting by colliding large nuclei at nearly the speed of light. These collisions occur at the world’s highest energy accelerators, including the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, Switzerland.

“In the world's highest energy accelerators, we can collide very large nuclei like gold, lead, or platinum at such high velocities that we create a tiny droplet of this 2 trillion Kelvin plasma,” he said.

Reflecting on the award, Nagle expressed deep gratitude and a sense of accomplishment: “It means a lot to me. You get to a certain middle age and are more self-confident, but this recognition feels rewarding. There's a lot of effort, and much of the hard work goes unnoticed. It’s nice to feel like the fruits of that labor are appreciated.”

The Distinguished Research Lectureship also emphasizes communicating complex scientific concepts to broader audiences. For Nagle, this is a vital part of his work: “This award is very meaningful to me because I often listen to the lectures of past recipients. It's about communicating the broader context of why this scientific research is important, not just within the microcosm of nuclear physics.”

Nagle’s lecture is expected to take place in February 2025.

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Ģ��Ӱ�� Physics Professors Perepelitsa, Nagle, and Graduate Students Build New Detector Components for Brookhaven National Laboratory

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 21:05:10 +0000

Ģ��Ӱ�� Physics Professors Perepelitsa, Nagle, and Graduate Students Build New Detector Components for Brookhaven National Laboratory Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/09/2021 - 15:05

View the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) news feature, "sPHENIX Assembly Shifts into Visible High Gear" which describes the work scientists and collaborators—including nuclear physics Professors Dennis Perepelitsa, Jamie Nagle, and a team of four graduate students—are doing to build and test components for sPHENIX, a 1000-ton particle detector housed at BNL.

Also check out two BNL feature articles profiling Ģ��Ӱ�� Graduate Students Berenice Garcia and Jeff Ouellette. Garcia and Ouellette are members of the graduate student team who are assembling sectors of the outer hadronic calorimeter for the new sPHENIX detector.

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Daily Camera - Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder researchers recreate droplets of early universe matter

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 00:31:12 +0000

Daily Camera - Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder researchers recreate droplets of early universe matter Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 12/17/2018 - 17:31

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National Nuclear Physics School 2017 Hosted in Boulder

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 21:59:20 +0000

National Nuclear Physics School 2017 Hosted in Boulder Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/08/2017 - 15:59

The University of Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder hosted the National Nuclear Physics Summer School on campus from July 9-22, 2017. This is an annual two-week series of lectures for graduate students and postdoctoral research scientists in nuclear physics, and is funded by the National Science Foundation. Each summer the school is in a different location, and this year the University of Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder nuclear physics group, consisting of Professors Ed Kinney, Jamie Nagle, Dennis Perepelitsa, and Paul Romatschke, applied and were selected to host the school. The school was expertly coordinated by Emily Flanagan of the Physics Department.

The school hosted 50 students from all over the country and even the world - from as far away as Chile, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, and Armenia, along with 15 lecturers drawn from nuclear physics experts all over the country. Lecture topics covered all areas of nuclear physics from nuclear medicine to neutron star physics, stockpile stewardship, the science of fundamental particles, and more. The nuclear physics faculty at the University of Ģ��Ӱ�� Boulder study the sub-atomic structure of the proton and the properties of matter that existed at the ultra-high temperatures in the earliest stages of the Universe. Their research is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. These topics were a particular highlight and area of discussion between students and lecturers.

Every year, approximately 100 Ph.D.s in the United States are awarded in nuclear physics. For these 50 students, the school represents a vibrant way to explore the broad program of nuclear physics research in our country, and learn about the research conducted in the Physics Department here in Boulder.

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Brookhaven National Laboratory Receives Approval for Upgraded sPHENIX Detector

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 18:43:03 +0000

Brookhaven National Laboratory Receives Approval for Upgraded sPHENIX Detector Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 02/01/2017 - 11:43

View the BNL Press Release

Brookhaven National Laboratory has announced that the U.S. Department of Energy recently granted "Critical Decision-Zero" (CD-0) status to the sPHENIX project, a proposed upgrade of the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). This decision paves the way for building a ground-breaking research tool which would have "unprecedented precision for tracking subatomic interactions."

Ģ��Ӱ�� Physics Professors Jamie Nagle and Dennis Perepelitsa are research leaders in the new sPHENIX project, and Prof. Nagle previously served as a Co-Spokesperson of the PHENIX detector, which completed its data-taking mission in June 2016. Charged with exploring the interactions between the smallest building blocks of matter, PHENIX parsed collision data from RHIC to study the properties of the quark-gluon plasma, a four-trillion degree primordial soup of fundamental particles thought to have existed microseconds after the
creation of the universe.

The sPHENIX detector will be a significant upgrade to the original PHENIX project. It utilizes a superconducting solenoid magnet repurposed from the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), along with state-of-the-art charged-particle-tracking detectors and new electromagnetic and hadronic calorimeters to greatly enhance the experimental capabilities sPHENIX, allowing it to measure particle jets produced in collisions at RHIC with unparalleled precision and speed.

The solenoid magnet that will form the core of the sPHENIX detector

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Ģ��Ӱ�� Physicists help reveal secrets of the "perfect fluid" formed in Big Bang

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 06:34:43 +0000

Ģ��Ӱ�� Physicists help reveal secrets of the "perfect fluid" formed in Big Bang Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/17/2015 - 00:34

The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory has succeeded in creating distinct droplets of the quark-gluon plasma, the material that made up the Universe during the very first moments of the Big Bang. "These experiments are revealing the key elements required for creating quark-gluon plasma," said Ģ��Ӱ�� physics professor Jamie Nagle, co-spokesperson for the PHENIX experiment at RHIC.

In 2005, scientists at RHIC (pictured right) observed that gold-gold nuclear collisions created a quark-gluon plasma that acts like a "perfect fluid" which flows nearly without resistance. This experiment collides small nuclei, such as deuterium and helium, with gold nuclei, producing distinct droplets of the quark-gluon plasma in order to measure the properties of the perfect fluid. "RHIC is the only accelerator in the world where we can perform such a tightly controlled experiment, colliding particles made of one, two, and three components with the same larger nucleus, gold, all at the same energy," said Nagle. "This is the way to do good basic science—change just one thing at a time, the number of particles in the ion smashing into the gold nucleus, to test for these interesting geometrical effects."

The analysis of the events (pictured right) reveals that the helium-gold collisions exhibit a triangular pattern of flow that is consistent with the creation of three tiny droplets of quark-gluon plasma.

Nagle and physics assistant professor Paul Romatschke (pictured left) proposed this experiment in 2014. Romatschke's theoretical calculation correctly described the behavior of the droplets in the experiment. "The fact that our predictions were confirmed by experiment seems to suggest that hydrodynamic theory is much more robust than was thought just a few years ago. This is very gratifying," said Romatschke.

"This is a pretty definitive measurement," Nagle said. "We are really engineering different shapes of the quark-gluon plasma to manipulate it and see how it behaves.”

View the BNL Press Release

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Quark-Gluon Droplets Discovered at BNL's PHENIX Experiment

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 15:23:40 +0000

Quark-Gluon Droplets Discovered at BNL's PHENIX Experiment Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 12/09/2013 - 08:23

Ģ��Ӱ�� Physics Professor Jamie Nagle is a group leader in a new discovery about the quark-gluon plasma. Researchers at the PHENIX detecter at Brookhaven's Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider made an unexpected discovery during an experiment that creates a quark-gluon plasma, the type of matter that existed in the first few millionths of a second after the Big Bang! They found that the quark-gluon plasma can exist in droplets far smaller than previously thought. Professor Nagle is the co-spokesperson for the experiment. Assistant Professor Romatschke's theoretical modeling of the relativistic hydrodynamics of the quark-gluon plasma in highlighted in the press release.

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