BHSU Secures $997,522 DOE Grant for Dark Matter Research

Black Hills State University (BHSU) has been awarded a $997,522 grant by the U.S. Department of Energy for research in high energy physics, specifically the direct detection of dark matter, an invisible substance that scientists believe makes up most of the mass in our universe. The project, led by Dr. Brianna Mount, associate professor of Physics and director of the BHSU Underground Campus (BHUC), will span four years and involve collaboration between BHSU, Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The project's focus is to advance the search for dark matter through increased contributions to the data analysis of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment from the BHSU group and ensure that construction materials used in next-generation detection experiments only contain limited amounts of background radiation, which could overwhelm dark matter signals. The project also seeks to increase the participation of Native American undergraduate students in science at SURF.

"The exciting recent results from LZ make it the world-leading WIMP-detector," said Dr. Mount. "This award allows BHSU faculty and staff to increase their contributions to the LZ experiment, allows BHSU to continue to be a leader in low-background counting for XLZD, which is the next-generation WIMP search experiment, and strengthens its strong partnership with Berkeley Lab."

The grant will fund a postdoctoral researcher who will focus on both maintaining low-radioactivity environments and analyzing data from the LZ experiment. Additionally, the project will support two undergraduate researchers each year, offering them hands-on experience in physics research and valuable exposure to leading research facilities. Additionally, two undergraduates will travel each year to the Bay Area to tour Berkeley Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory to meet with researchers there.

Research will be conducted at the BHUC, a specialized underground laboratory operated by BHSU and housed on the 4850 Level of SURF. The facility is equipped to detect extremely low levels of radioactivity and will play a key role in improving the sensitivity of dark matter experiments.

This award is part of $36 million that was provided to 39 research projects in 19 states via the DOE's Establish Program to Simulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The new projects span a wide range of energy research topics, including fundamental work in chemistry and materials science for clean energy, fusion energy, advanced computing, biological and environmental research, high energy and nuclear physics, as well as early-stage R&D for advanced manufacturing, solar energy, vehicles, wind, nuclear power, and carbon management. Projects were chosen by competitive peer review under a DOE Funding Opportunity Announcement for Building EPSCoR-State/National Laboratory Partnerships.

"The EPSCoR program is an important component of the effort to ensure that all regions of the country can perform competitive and impactful energy-relevant research," said Harriet Kung, Acting Director of the DOE Office of Science. "These projects will enhance the scientific expertise and capabilities at the EPSCoR institutions and strengthen their connections to the unique capabilities and expertise at the DOE national laboratories."