Whether they are describing the physics of how multicellular groups form from individual living cells, assembling the building blocks for quantum computing and quantum engineering, or investigating how massive elements came into being after our universe's beginning, the National Science Foundation's (NSF) newest Physics Frontiers Center awardees represent the leading edge of physics research. Today, the agency's physics division announced awards for five Physics Frontiers Centers--four of which are renewals. NSF now has a total of 10 of these active centers that focus on various aspects of physics.
"The Physics Frontiers Centers truly are unique environments for both research and education," said Jean Cottam Allen, NSF program director for the Physics Frontiers Centers. "We're excited about these new awards and look forward to the great impacts these groups will have."
The North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves, based out of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and West Virginia University, is NSF's newest Physics Frontiers Center. The four centers renewed with new focuses and activities include the Center for the Physics of Living Cells at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the Center for Theoretical Biological Physics at Rice University, the Physics Frontier Center at the Joint Quantum Institute at the University of Maryland, College Park and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics - Center for the Evolution of the Elements, which has four core institutions at Michigan State University, the University of Notre Dame, Arizona State University and the University of Washington.
The overarching Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) program supports university-based centers and institutes where the collective efforts of a larger group of individuals can result in transformational advances in specific areas of physics, such as atomic, molecular, optical, plasma, elementary particle, nuclear, astrophysical, gravitational, accelerator and biological physics.
Multidisciplinary projects involving related fields can also take place in these collaborative environments. Additionally, the centers include creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, broadening participation of traditionally underrepresented groups and conducting outreach to the scientific community and general public.
These awards are made for five years with a potential one-year extension. Open competitions are held every three years. Here is more information about this year's awardees:
North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav):
Center for the Physics of Living Cells (CPLC):
Center for Theoretical Biological Physics (CTBP):
Physics Frontier Center at the Joint Quantum Institute (PFC@JQI):
Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics--Center for the Evolution of the Elements (JINA-CEE):
These centers join five other PFCs that are midway through their multi-year awards. They include: the Institute for Quantum Information and Matter, the JILA Physics Frontiers Center, the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics and the Center for Ultracold Atoms. More information about NSF Physics Frontiers Centers is available online.
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