Physics

Physics is the study of energy, matter, space and time. We are both Associate Professors of Physics at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, USA. You can learn more about our work, including our most recent publications, from our professional web pages

Research

Jodi has worked since 2004 in the field of dark matter research. She began her research on the CDMS-II experiment, and is now a leader in the SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment, a Generation II dark matter direct detection experiment.

There are two major puzzles at the forefront of physics research. One of these is the nature of dark matter, a non-luminous form of gravitating matter that appears to have played a significant role at the beginning and in the later formation of structure in the cosmos. The other is the nature of the subatomic realm and its structure and laws. These two questions are where we focus our research efforts.

Jodi is a leader in the SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment a Generation II direct-detection dark matter experiment designed to detect particle constituents of dark matter, should they exist. The technology for this experiment have evolved over two decades into its present form, and together with her research team at SMU and her collaborators across the globe the hunt is on for the nature of dark matter. Dark matter, which shapes galaxies and the larger structure of the cosmos and which has been present in the universe since at least its earliest measurable moments, is one of the greatest puzzles facing humankind in its quest to derive a complete understanding of the laws of nature and the structure of the cosmos.

Steve is a particle collider physicist, and has been a member of the ATLAS Experiment since 2011. His primary interest is the Higgs boson and its properties, including its quantum numbers and the ways in which it is produced and decays.

Steve is a member of the 3000-person ATLAS Experiment, and focuses on the nature and properties of the Higgs boson. This mysterious particle, first predicted in 1964 and first detected in 2012, is now at the heart of a global effort. Key to this effort is a complete understanding of its properties, but now that it has been discovered the Higgs boson may also be a path to new principles of nature, and perhaps even to a more complete description of the quantum realm that underlies reality. Along with his research team at SMU and his collaborators across the globe, Steve pursues a deeper understanding of this particle and the possible pathways it may yield to a deeper understanding of the cosmos.

Education

We both teach classes at SMU. Here are some of the courses we have or currently teach.

In addition, we have done a variety of education and outreach activities over the years. We’re busy with research and teaching for now, but here are some links to such material from the past:

Above: Jodi Cooley and Alex Drlica-Wagner: “The Case of the Missing Matter”