Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Massachusetts Institute of Technology received a $400,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Physics, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049), awarded July 15, 2026, with completion targeted for June 30, 2027. The award supports MIT researchers conducting fundamental physics research on the LHCb (Large Hadron Collider beauty) experiment at CERN's Large Hadron Collider to search for physics beyond the Standard Model. The project will deliver extremely precise measurements of particles containing heavy quarks and conduct searches for rare particle decays and low-mass particles, including potential dark sector particles that could explain dark matter. By analyzing subtle effects in rare decay processes, the research probes energy scales far beyond those directly accessible in current accelerators, advancing understanding of whether new particles or forces exist, matter-antimatter asymmetry, and dark matter composition.

In addition to scientific research outputs, the award provides structured research training and workforce development for undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers through mentorship programs including the Research Science Institute and MIT Summer Research Program. The MIT-LHCb group will collaborate with the NSF Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions, leveraging LHCb data-processing challenges to drive artificial intelligence and machine learning innovation. These educational and collaborative efforts strengthen national research capabilities by training early-career researchers in advanced data analysis, artificial intelligence, large-scale computing, statistical methods, and international scientific collaboration.