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Faculty

William Detmold
Associate Professor of Physics
EMAIL: wdetmold@mit.edu
PHONE: (617) 324-6181
OFFICE: 6-303
ASSISTANT: Scott Morley (617) 253-4852
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Area of Physics:
Theoretical Nuclear and Particle Physics - QCD: Quantum Chromodynamics - Standard Model
Research Interests
Professor Detmold's research interests are in strong interaction dynamics in theoretical particle and nuclear physics. Detmold uses analytic methods and supercomputers to solve the complex equations of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) that describe the strong interaction and seeks to understand the emergence of hadrons and nuclei from the underlying Standard Model of particle physics. He aims to determine the properties and interactions of these systems from first principles to confront experiment and to make predictions for regimes such as in the interior of neutron stars where experiments are not possible.
Biographical Sketch
Professor Detmold obtained his PhD from the University of Adelaide, Australia and joined the MIT physics faculty in 2012, moving from the College of William & Mary where he was an Assistant Professor. Prior to that position, he was a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Washington. Professor Detmold is the recipient of a Department of Energy Outstanding Junior Investigator award.
In The News
- Ten from the Department of Physics honored by the American Physical Society [MIT News Office, 10.19.2016]
- Five from MIT win Early Career Awards [MIT News Office, 5.8.2013]
Career History
- Bachelor of Science (Math. Sci.), University of Adelaide, 1996
- Bachelor of Science (Hons.), University of Adelaide, 1997
- Doctor of Philosophy (Th. Phys.), University of Adelaide, 2002
- Postdoctoral Associate, University of Washington, 2002-2004
- Research Assistant Professor, University of Washington, 2004-2008
- Assistant Professor, College of William & Mary, 2008-2012
- Assistant Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2008-present
Honors and Awards
- Fellow, American Physical Society, 2016
- Department of Energy Early Career Research Program Award, 2013
- Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Physics Outstanding Junior Investigator Award, 2009
- Harold Woolhouse Prize for best Ph.D. thesis in the Faculty of Science, 2002
- Australian Postgraduate Award, 1998
- Adelaide University Medal, 1997
Selected Publications
A full listing of Professor Detmold's publications can be found on inSPIRE.
Last updated on August 24, 2017 11:00 AM