Prof. Jesse K Thaler

Jesse Thaler is a theoretical particle physicist whose current research focus is the upcoming Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiment at CERN.

The LHC offers an unprecedented opportunity to probe new phenomena at the high energy frontier. For the past three decades, the so-called "standard model" has successfully described all known interactions among fundamental particles. However, the standard model does not address a number of outstanding questions in fundamental physics, including the origin of mass, the nature of dark matter, the apparent weakness of gravity, and the symmetry structure of our universe. With a seven-fold increase in energy compared to the Tevatron at Fermilab, the LHC will usher in a new era of discovery, revealing what physics -- if any -- lies beyond the standard model.

In his research, Professor Thaler analyzes the theoretical frameworks and possible LHC signatures for physics beyond the standard model. He is particularly interested in how the properties of dark matter might be tested at the LHC. In addition, he works on methods to improve LHC data analysis, including jet reconstruction and standard model background estimation.