My research is focused on precision measurement of fundamental properties of nucleons. These studies seek to understand the internal structure of hadrons in terms of the underlying quark and gluon degrees of freedom of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). Most of this research is carried out at Jefferson Lab (JLab) in Newport News where we undertake experiments in search of signatures of QCD in nuclei. Recently, we have completed two experiments using the upgraded JLab Hall-C. One experiment was a search for the phenomenon known as color transparency in protons and the other was a search for charge symmetry violation in the quark distributions of protons and neutrons. As part of the PRad experiment we used a novel technique to precisely measure the charge radius of the proton. The PRad experiment addresses the so called "proton radius puzzle" , the large discrepancy between measurements using electrons vs muons. An upcoming experiment involves measuring the mesonic content of the nucleon using deep-inelastic scattering with spectator tagging, this experiment will also allow us to exact the quark distributions inside pions.

My research program also includes precision tests of fundamental symmetries and the Standard Model, which constitute experimental searches for new forces beyond the four included in the Standard Model. One such experiments - (The QWeak experiment) used parity violating electron scattering from the proton to perform the first high precision measurement of the weak charge of the proton. As part of this experiment my group built a set of diamond micro-strip tracking detectors which were the first such detectors to be used in a nuclear and particle physics experiment.

1. S. N. Santiestaban et al., Novel Measurement of the Neutron Magnetic Form Factor from A=3 Mirror Nuclei Phys. Rev. Lett., vol 132 (2024) pp 162501
2. A. Karki et al., First measurement of the EMC effect in ^{10}B and ^{11}B Phys. Rev. C, vol 108, (2023) pp 035201
3. D. Bhetuwal et al., Constraints on the onset of color transparency from quasielastic ^{12}C(e,e'p) up to Q^2=14.2(GeV/c)^2 Phys. Rev. C, vol 108, (2023) pp 025203
4. K. T. A. Assumin-Gyimah et al., Neutron phase contrast imaging of PbWO4 crystals for G experiment test masses using a Talbot-Lau neutron interferometer Cl. & Qntm. Grav., vol 39 (2022) pp 245014
5. R. Li et al., Measured proton electromagnetic structure deviates from theoretical predictions Nature, vol 611 (2022) pp 265
6. S. Li et al., Revealing the short-range structure of the mirror nuclei ^{3}H and ^{3}He Nature, vol 609 (2022) pp 41
7. K. T. A. Assumin-Gyimah et al., Imaging of PbWO4 crystals for G experiment test masses using a laser interferometer Cl. & Qntm. Grav., vol 39 (2022) pp 165001
8. D. Adhikari et al., Precision Determination of the Neutral Weak Form Factor of Ca48 Phys. Rev. Lett., vol 129 (2022) pp 042501
9. D. Androic et al., Determination of the ^{27}Al Neutron Distribution Radius from a Parity-Violating Electron Scattering Measurement Phys. Rev. Lett., vol 128 (2022) pp 132501
10. D. Adhikari et al., New Measurements of the Beam-Normal Single Spin Asymmetry in Elastic Electron Scattering over a Range of Spin-0 Nuclei Phys. Rev. Lett., vol 128 (2022) pp 142501

• PH8213 Graduate Classical Mechanics (Spring 2025)
  Hilbun 152, MW 2:00 - 3:15
  Course description
  

Graduate Students
Current
• Bhesha Devkota (PhD expected 2025)
  Project: Photon transparency in Hall-D
  
• Buddhiman Tamang (PhD expected 2027)
  Project: PRad-II
  
• Erik Wrightson (PhD expected 2027)
  Project: X17-search experiment
  
• Muhammad Bedier (PhD expected 2029)
  Former
• Hem Bhatt (MS 2019, PhD 2024)
  
• Kofi Assumin-Gyimah (MS 2019, PhD 2023)
  
• Abishek Karki (MS 2018, PhD 2022)
  
• Deepak Bhetuwal (MS 2019, PhD 2021)
  
• Li Ye (PhD 2018)
  
• Abdullah Altayer (MS 2017)
  
• Yipeng Jiang (MS 2015)
  
• Amrendra Narayan (MS 2009, PhD 2015)
  
• Edward Leggett (MS 2011)
  
• Nuruzzaman (MS 2010)
  
   Undergraduate Students
  Current
• Jackson Koloc
  
• Prashant Neupane
  Former
• Juan Jimenez-Rojas (2022-2024)
  
• Matthew Brunson (2021)
  
• Mary Holt (2021)
  
• Joseph Frascogna (2021-2022)
  
• Reese Dunne (2020)
  
• Cameron Moffat (2019-2020)
  
• James Browning (2019)
  
• Ben Emmich (2016-2017)
  
• Nic Ezzell (2015-2016)
  
• John Madsen (2013 - 2016)(2013, 2014 honors college summer fellow, 2013 NEMDJ research award, Goldwater honorable mention)
  
• Mangesh Joshi (2015 - 2016)
  
• Mikhail Gaerlan (2013 - 2016)
  
• Prajwal Mohanmurthy (2010 - 2013) (2010, 2011 honors college summer fellow, 2011 Clinton E. Wallace undergrad research award, 2012 JSA undergraduate research fellowship )
  
• Johnathan Sandlin (2012-2013)
  
• Amy Ray (2012)
• Nishi Sunthwal (2011-2012)
  
• Robert Jacobson (2010-2011)
  
• Edward Leggett (2008-2009)
  
• Charles Vaughn (2007-2008)
  
• Daniel Brown (2006-2007)
  

Current
• Aruni Nadeeshani (PhD 2021, Hampton U.) Project: PRad-II and Tagged DIS experiment
  Former
• Carlos Ayerbe Gayoso (PhD 2012, Johannes Gutenburg Univ., Mainz, Germany)
  
• Md. Latiful Kabir (PhD 2017, U. of Kentucky)
  
• Krishna Adhikari (PhD 2013, ODU)
  
• Mitra Shabestari (PhD 2010, UVa)
  

• SEC Faculty Achievement Award - 2021
• Arts and Sciences Faculty Research Award - 2020
• Henry Family Dean's Eminent Scholar - 2010
• State Pride Award - 2010
• Arts & Science Researcher of The Month Citation - April 2011