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First Results from the Muon g-2 Experiment at Fermilab

First Results from the Muon g-2 Experiment at Fermilab

Monday, May 24, 2021 at 4:00 pm
Zoom
Tammy Walton (Fermilab)

Magnetic moments are successful probes for uncovering new physics. The precision
measurement of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, a_mu = (g_mu-2)/2
continues to play an important role in particle physics. Analyzing approximately 6% of the total data to be
collected, the Fermilab Muon g-2 Experiment has measured the anomaly for the positive muon
to 460 parts per billion. The measurement agrees with the Brookhaven National Laboratory
experimental value and is greater than the recommended Standard Model prediction. The
combined measurements increase the tension between experiment and theory from 3.7 to 4.2
standard deviations. This talk presents an overview of the Fermilab Muon g-2 Experiment, the
precision measurement of each observable that formed the experimental formula, the near-future
prospects due to having much more unreported data, and the unexpected excitement from the
physics community and the world.

Tammy Walton is original from Memphis, Tennessee. She attended the University of Tennessee
at Knoxville for her undergraduate education, while majoring in General Physics. In the spring of
2006, she received her Bachelor of Arts and Science and was accepted into Hampton University
doctoral program. At Hampton University, she focused on experimental high energy particle
physics and completed her Ph.D. on the MINERvA experiment. She is the fourth black woman
to receive a Ph.D. in physics at a historical black university and college. After receiving her
doctoral degree in 2014, she started her post-doctoral career at Fermi National Accelerator
Laboratory, where she works on the Muon g-2 experiment. In 2020, she was promoted to an
Associate Scientist at the laboratory. Over the past couple of years, she was awarded the “Martin
and Beate Winter Award” from the Aspen Center of Particle Physics and the second person to
win the “Leona Woods Distinguished Postdoctoral Lectureship Award” from Brookhaven
National Laboratory. She has served on various scientific and outreach committees. In addition
to, she mentors high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. Dr. Walton aspires to
introduce particle physics to the next generation and in particular, she aims to pave an easier path
for the next generation of underrepresented minorities, who are pursuing a career in physics.

Heidi Schellman