Suffolk Reporter

Researchers from Stony Brook University's Department of Physics and Astronomy have been awarded the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. This recognition is for their contributions to CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments. The Breakthrough Prize, dubbed the "Oscars of Science," was established by founders Sergey Brin, Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, Julia and Yuri Milner, and Anne Wojcicki.

The Stony Brook team, led by Professors Arnold, Dao, and Dr. Bee, played a key role in the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Their work focused on the Higgs boson particle's properties, particularly its decay modes. Carl W. Lejuez, executive vice president and provost, praised the team's contributions, stating, "Stony Brook’s HEP-ATLAS team has contributed significantly to our understanding of physics, from what could be in dark matter to the Higgs boson particle, and I sincerely congratulate them on the work that has earned them this tremendous recognition."

The Breakthrough Prize was awarded for several achievements, including the discovery and study of new particles and matter-antimatter asymmetry at CERN. Chang Kee Jung, Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, noted, "The Stony Brook HEP-ATLAS group has been making significant contributions to the ATLAS experiment since the inception of the collaboration and the experiment."

This year, over a thousand researchers were honored, representing four experimental collaborations. The Breakthrough Prize Foundation will donate the full $3 million prize to the CERN & Society Foundation to support doctoral students conducting research at CERN.