Reyco Henning

Assistant Professor
Dept. of Physics, UNC-Chapel Hill


Research Interests

My field of research is experimental particle and nuclear astrophysics and how it allows us to understand the most fundamental properties of matter and its origins. I'm particularly interested in experiments that rely on ultra-low radioactive backgrounds and deep underground sites to search for extremely rare and exotic processes. I'm currently involved in two proposed experiments. The first, MAJORANA, will search for the neutrinoless double beta decay of the Ge-76 isotope. The second will perform a direct search for WIMP dark matter and is part of the CLEAN/DEAP program that will also measure the low-energy solar neutrino flux. We also operate an NSF-funded low-background radioactive assay program at the Kimballton mine in Virginia. Please visit our group's website for more information.

I have been a member of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) and the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer Collaborations.

I have positions available for graduate students. Our group's acitivities include Monte Carlo modelling, data analysis, and development and construction of detector calibration systems for these experiments, as well as the operation of prototype experiments. Please contact me if you are interested.

Curriculum Vitae

Education

PhD, Experimental High-energy Physics, MIT, 2003
B.S, Majors in Physics and Mathematics, U. of Denver, 1998

Employment

2007-present: Assistant Professor, U. of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
2003-2006: Post-doctoral Fellow, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Detailed CV and Publication List (.pdf)


Teaching

Spring 2007: PHYS128 "Modern Physics"
Fall 2007: PHYS128 "Modern Physics"
Spring 2008: PHYS321 "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics"
Fall 2008: PHYS128 "Modern Physics"
Spring 2009: PHYS321 "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics"
Fall 2009: PHYS721 "Quantum Mechanics" (graduate)
Course material available on Blackboard .

Contact Info

Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
U. of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
CB#3255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
Phone: +1-919-962-1386 (UNC), +1-919-660-2538 (TUNL)
Fax: +1-919-962-0480 (UNC)
Email: rhenning@physics.unc.edu

I split my time between UNC, the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) and travelling. The best way to contact me is via email. During Fall 2009 I will be at UNC on Mo, Fri, and TUNL on Tu, Th.

Useful Links

Experimental Particle Astrophysics at UNC

Majorana related

U. of Washington group
Los Alamos National Laboratory (document server, restricted)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory group
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory group

CLEAN/DEAP related

CLEAN -- Cryogenic Low Energy Astrophysics with Noble gases
DEAP -- Dark matter Experiment with Argon and Pulse shape discrimination

Yale group

Other

Homestake DUSEL
The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO)
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS)