The National Science Foundation has awarded a grant to Prof. Wayne Polyzou that will support a research collaboration with particle physics students in Poland and Ukraine. 

The $300,000 grant from the NSF’s Office of International Science and Engineering is part of the International Multilateral Partnerships for Resilient Education and Science System in Ukraine (IMPRESS-U) program.

The research project “Two-body currents in relativistic electron and neutrino scattering off few-nucleon targets” aims to create models and software to predict how electrons, photons, or neutrinos interact with deuteron targets at high energy levels. These tools will help scientists interpret experiments at these energy levels and can be adapted for use with larger experimental nuclear targets in the future.

The IMPRESS-U initiative is a collaboration of U.S. and Eastern European research councils that will support excellence in science and engineering research, education, and innovation through international collaboration. It will also promote and catalyze integration of Ukrainian researchers in the global research community.

Polyzou has a long-standing collaboration with a research group at Jagellionian University in Krakow, Poland and they knew of a Senior Scientist at the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology who has similar research interests. After earlier attempts to get other funding for the research collaboration, Polyzou submitted the IMPRESS-U proposal and received the award in July. 

There are two Ukrainian graduate students, and two Polish graduate students supported by this award. Unfortunately, the Ukrainian students cannot currently leave the country, so the research group meets by Zoom. The Ukrainians are working out of their homes and are at a safe distance from dangers in Kharkiv, Polyzou said. The Ukrainians can get support from a fund consisting of private donations administered by the US National Academy of Science. 

The proposal will fund a post doc who will keep in regular contact with the students. Polyzou and the post doc and will travel to Krakow and the Polish collaborators will be able visit Iowa. Hopefully, the Ukrainian students will be allowed to travel to Krakow at some point, Polyzou added.