Daniel Claes, Professor and Department Chair of Physics & Astronomy, has been named a fellow of the American Physical Society. Election to the fellowship is limited to no more than one-half of 1 percent of the society's membership.
Claes was cited for his outstanding contributions to education initiatives associated with elementary particle physics, in particular to underserved remote rural communities. The APS Forum on Education provided the nomination.
Claes has been widely published in physics journals, including APS Physical Review D and the Journal of High Energy Physics. He also gives frequent presentations on popular physics topics such as physics in pop culture and What is a Higgs Boson.
Claes' research has focused on searches for new phenomena beyond the Standard Model, including evidence of SUSY (supersymmetry), b-tagging and the search for Standard Model Higgs, and neutrino studies and dark matter searches. Cosmic rays are the focus of his outreach efforts working with high school teachers and students.
The criterion for election as a fellow is exceptional contributions in areas of physics, according to the APS, including "outstanding physics research, important applications of physics, leadership in or service to physics, or significant contributions to physics education. Fellowship is a distinct honor signifying recognition by one's professional peers."
