LSA Magazine spoke with Bryan Ramson (M.S. ’13, Ph.D. ’18) about neutrinos, which play a fundamental role in unlocking the mysteries of the universe. Ramson is an associate scientist at Fermilab, the U.S. Department of Energy’s national laboratory specializing in high-energy particle physics.
LSA: First things first: What is a neutrino?
Bryan Ramson: Neutrinos are the most abundant particles in the universe. They are produced in nuclear reactions. Trillions pass through every square centimeter of your body every second. They also encode secrets about the universe that are otherwise very hard to measure. Neutrinos provide a window into new sectors of physics that may give us a way to understand why matter exists over antimatter in the universe.
LSA: I understand that you mine for neutrinos. What does that mean, exactly?
BR: We’re not actually mining for neutrinos under the crust of the Earth. We are going underground, but we’re not exploiting natural deposits of neutrinos (neutrinos do not really exist in that way). Instead, at Fermilab we’re producing a neutrino beam to make significantly more neutrinos than would otherwise normally occur in nature. We’re aiming those neutrinos underground to observe them after traveling some distance in the hope that they spontaneously transmute as they travel.
LSA: What makes neutrinos so elusive?
BR: There are four known fundamental forces in the universe: electromagnetism, gravity, the strong nuclear force, and the weak nuclear force. Neutrinos are the only particle in the standard model that interacts using only the weak nuclear force, making them extremely hard to detect. This, combined with their very small mass or weight, makes neutrinos extremely difficult to measure. There are some estimates that say neutrinos can travel through light years of lead, never interacting with any other matter.
LSA: If you could solve one mystery related to neutrinos, what would that be?
BR: I want to understand the mass of the neutrino and if there are more than three types of neutrinos. Currently, we know of three, but we haven’t yet finished the story about whether there could be more. I’d also like to understand if neutrinos offer hints towards the discovery of new physics or an explanation of dark matter.
LSA: What is it about neutrinos that intrigues you?
BR: In earlier eras of particle physics, neutrinos were used a lot like proton or electron beams such as those produced at CERN in the Large Hadron Collider or like those produced in the accelerator at Jefferson Laboratory. But as time went on, we stopped using neutrinos for those types of experiments because they’re so difficult to measure. I’m very interested in discovering what neutrinos can say about physics beyond what we already understand, and I am very interested in measuring things with neutrinos to improve our understanding of nuclear physics.
LSA is the place where creative thinkers engage with a complex, diverse, and changing world. See how your support can make an impact on what’s next, for a better tomorrow. Learn more.
Students transform the Arb into an art exhibit, guiding visitors with poetry and connection, and reminding us that “the earth is a living thing.”
In LSA’s Residential College photography program, students develop new perspectives, different approaches to academic inquiry, problem-solving skills—and, of course, powerful images.
June Rose Colby, the first woman to earn a doctorate at U-M, learned and later taught with a singular zeal.
A bright future shouldn't be limited by financial barriers. Donor support makes LSA scholarships possible—creating access while supporting tomorrow's leaders, thinkers, and doers in their hopes to make a difference in the world.
| Release Date: | 05/09/2025 |
|---|---|
| Category: | Alumni |
| Tags: | Physics; Natural Sciences; Applied Physics Program; LSA Magazine; Anna Megdell |
