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. 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
2. R. Li et al., Measured proton electromagnetic structure deviates from theoretical predictions Nature, vol 611 (2022) pp 265
3. S. Li et al., Revealing the short-range structure of the mirror nuclei ^{3}H and ^{3}He Nature, vol 609 (2022) pp 41
4. 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
5. D. Adhikari et al., Precision Determination of the Neutral Weak Form Factor of Ca48 Phys. Rev. Lett., vol 129 (2022) pp 042501
6. 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
7. 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
8. D. Abrams et al., Measurement of the Nucleon F^n_2/F^p_2F Structure Function Ratio by the Jefferson Lab MARATHON Tritium/Helium-3 Deep Inelastic Scattering Experiment Phys. Rev. Lett., vol 128 (2022) pp 132003
9. J. Arrington et al., Measurement of the EMC effect in light and heavy nuclei Phys. Rev. C, col 104 (2021) pp 065203
10. D. Androic et al., Measurement of the Beam-Normal Single-Spin Asymmetry for Elastic Electron Scattering from ^{12}C and ^{27}Al Phys. Rev. C, vol 104 (2021) pp 014606
11. D. Adhikari et al., Accurate Determination of the Neutron Skin Thickness of 208^Pb through Parity-Violation in Electron Scattering Phys. Rev. Lett., vol 126 (2021) pp 172502
12. J. Pierce et al., The PRad Windowless Gas Flow Target Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A, vol 1003 (2021) pp 165300
13. D. Bhetuwal et al., Ruling out Color Transparency in Quasielastic 12^C(e,e′p) up to Q^2 of 14.2(GeV/c)^2 Phys. Rev. Lett., vol 126 (2021) pp 082301
14. J. Zhou et al., Advanced extraction of the deuteron charge radius from electron-deuteron scattering data Phys. Rev. C, vol 103 (2021) pp 024002

• PH8313 Graduate Classical Electrodynamics (Fall 2022)
  Hilbun 152, MW 2:00 - 3:15
  Course description
  

Graduate Students
Current
• Kofi Assumin-Gyimah (PhD expected 2023)
  Project: Neutron activation studies & Big-G
  
• Hem Bhatt (PhD expected 2023)
  Project: Charge Symmetry Violation
  
• Bhesha Devkota (PhD expected 2024)
  Project: Photon transparency in Hall-D
  
• Edward Leggett (2008 honors college summer fellow, MS 2011, PhD expected 2022)
  Project: Simulation of the neutron EDM experiment
• Buddhiman Tamang (PhD expected 2027)
• Erik Wrightson (PhD expected 2027)
  Former
• 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)
  
• Nuruzzaman (MS 2010)
  
   Undergraduate Students
  Current
• Jackson Koloc
  
• Juan Jimenez-Rojas
  
  Former
• Matthew Brunson (2021)
  
• 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: 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