Leaders in Astroparticle Physics Research

From the mysteries of dark matter to the origins of the cosmos, our researchers are pushing the boundaries of discovery in astroparticle physics, cosmology, and astronomy. Building on Nobel Prize–winning breakthroughs in neutrino science, they are strengthening Canada’s global leadership in astroparticle physics and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

Working in world-class facilities, our researchers are illuminating how the universe was formed, what it’s made of, and the forces that shape its evolution.

The research that led to a Nobel Prize in Physics

The 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded jointly to Arthur B. McDonald and Takaaki Kajita “for the discovery of neutrino oscillations, which shows that neutrinos have mass.” This revolutionary work redefined the basic laws of particle physics and confirmed the detailed understanding of how the sun burns.

A Nobel Prize in Physics for Art McDonald

It has been said that behind every success there is effort, behind the effort there is passion, behind passion there are people with the courage to try.

Arthur McDonald
Spoken at the Nobel Banquet at Stockholm City Hall, December 10, 2015

McDonald Institute: Canada’s defining astroparticle physics research network

At the Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute, based at Queen's, Canadian teams are collaborating with international partners to explore the universe’s most fundamental questions. Their work ranges from pursuing neutrinos and dark matter to developing new ways to observe distant galaxies with massive radio telescopes.

Go to McDonald Institute

After the Nobel: trailblazing neutrino research continues to shape our understanding of the universe

Art McDonald’s Nobel-Prize-winning discovery paved the way for Canada’s global leadership in the study of subatomic particles that travel through space. At SNOLAB and other top research facilities around the world, Queen’s physics experts continue to advance neutrino and dark matter research.

The discovery that changed our understanding of the universe

Unravelling astroparticle physics’ biggest mystery: next chapters in dark matter research

McDonald Institute researchers are leveraging world-class infrastructure to search for dark matter. "Finding it would open a new window into understanding cosmology and the formation of the universe,"says Tony Noble.

Dark matter mysteries (and our plan to solve them)

Queen’s astrophysicist leads Canada’s participation in next-generation radio telescope initiative

Kristine Spekkens is the Canadian Science Director for the Square Kilometre Array Observatory. The billion-dollar initiative will combine the power of radio telescopes and supercomputing to study how galaxies evolve and unlock universe’s secrets beyond visible light.

Zooming in on deep, deep space

A neutrino detector buried in Antarctica: meet the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

Nahee Park is part of an international collaboration chasing rare high-energy neutrinos at the South Pole. Tracking these elusive subatomic particles will help uncover where cosmic rays come from – a questions scientists have been trying to answer for 100 over years.

Frozen lab: detecting neutrinos in ice

Can a water-filled neutrino detector sense antineutrinos produced in nuclear reactors?

Yes! For the first time in the world, Queen’s-led SNO+ captured neutrinos produced hundreds of kilometres away using pure water. Mark Chen, who leads the experiment at SNOLAB, says the discovery can lead to new applications of neutrino technology.

Next chapters on neutrino science

Featured researchers

Anthony Noble

is building a next-generation bubble chamber detector to advance dark matter research.

Anthony Noble's faculty profile

Nahee Park

is chasing neutrinos using detectors buried in ice, submersed in water, or flying into the upper atmosphere.

Nahee Park's faculty profile

Mark Chen

filled out a giant sphere with liquid scintillator to observe rare neutrino interactions.

Mark Chen's faculty profile

Kristine Spekkens

is exploring the structure and evolution of nearby galaxies.

Kristine Spekkens' faculty profile

Ken Clark

uses state-of-the-art detectors to explore the most fundamental particles of the universe.

Ken Clark's faculty profile

Michela Lai

is participating in dark mater research at underground detectors in Canada and abroad.

Michela Lai's faculty profile

Discover other researchers in Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy

Research