My group and the international collaborations that we lead build extremely sensitive quantum sensors to watch what happens when radioactive atoms decay. These decays produce tiny atomic “kicks” that reveal information about elusive particles such as neutrinos. By measuring these effects with high precision, we look for clues about how nature works at its most fundamental level, including whether there are new particles or forces that have not yet been discovered.

Awards and Distinctions (Selected)

Fellow of the American Physical Society
American Physical Society Francis M. Pipkin Award
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Experimental Physics Investigator
U.S. Department of Energy Early Career Award
Colorado School of Mines Excellence in Research Award
Facility for Rare Isotope Beams Visiting Scholar Award
American Physical Society Moore Foundation Fundamental Innovation Award

Prof. Leach's CV (PDF 250KB)

About Prof. Leach

Outside of research, I spend most of my time with my wife and kids, exploring Kingston and getting reacquainted with life in Ontario. I’m originally from central Ontario, so I have a soft spot for Canadiana, small towns, the Hip, hockey, curling, lakes, and the rhythm of the seasons. I also enjoy travel, good coffee, and the occasional deep dive into history, architecture, or whatever new curiosity has taken hold that week.

Selected Publications

J. Smolsky et al. Direct experimental constraints on the spatial extent of a neutrino wavepacket. Nature 638, 640-644 (2025).
D. Carney et al. Searches for Massive Neutrinos with Mechanical Quantum Sensors. APS Journals-PRX Quantum 4, 010315 (2023).
I. Kim et al. Signal processing and spectral modeling for the BeEST experiment. Physical Review D 111, 052010 (2025).
R. Bhandari et al. First direct ⁷Be electron-capture 𝑄-value measurement toward high-precision searches for neutrino physics beyond the Standard Model. Physical Review C 109, L022501 (2024).
S. Fretwell et al. Direct Measurement of the ⁷Be 𝐿/𝐾 Capture Ratio in Ta-Based Superconducting Tunnel Junctions. Physical Review Letters 125, 032701(2020).
S. Friedrich et al. Limits on the Existence of sub-MeV Sterile Neutrinos from the Decay of ⁷Be in Superconducting Quantum Sensors. Physical Review Letters 126, 021803(2021).