2018 Medal Winners | francais

The 2018 CAP-TRIUMF Vogt Medal for Contributions to Subatomic Physics

is awarded to

Rituparna Kanungo

"I feel highly honoured receiving this prestigious recognition which I would like to share with my collaborators. Canada’s world-leading subatomic physics facilities attracted me here, thanks to the pioneering efforts by Erich Vogt. I feel fortunate with the support I received, and want to thank the physics community and Canada for valuing my contributions." winner quote

The Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) and TRIUMF are pleased to announce that the 2018 CAP-TRIUMF Vogt Medal for Contributions to Subatomic Physics is awarded to Rituparna Kanungo, Saint Mary's University, in recognition of for her leadership and contribution in the field of direct reaction and halo-nuclei studies with rare isotopes, including ground breaking discoveries of doubly-magic oxygen isotope. announcement

Dr. Kanungo has made outstanding contributions to our understanding of the physics of rare isotopes using direct reactions. She has led experiments involving large international collaborations in Canada, Germany, and Japan exploring the properties of rare isotopes. These experiments have revealed a new view of nuclear shells, new features in exotic halo nuclei, and laid new paths for characterizing the strong nuclear force of nature. She launched her research program in rare isotope science with experiments at the RIKEN facility in Japan where she developed techniques to investigate the structure of rare isotopes using neutron removal reactions. Her work has elucidated new information on nuclear halos and associated shell changes. Recognition of her research through the GENCO award from GSI and the Alexander von Humboldt fellowship eventually triggered her to lead an ongoing and vigorous program at GSI in Germany that has been producing a number of high-impact findings. Complementary to these high-energy programs she has spearheaded a program at TRIUMF in Canada using low-energy nuclear reactions to uncover the secrets of rare isotopes. She developed the novel IRIS facility and is the project leader. With IRIS, she has pioneered precise measurements observing the decades-old predicted excitation mode of halo oscillation and has unlocked a sensitive way to constrain the nuclear force from the scattering diffraction pattern. Dr. Kanungo has taken on the project leadership of the Canadian Rare Isotope Beam (CANREB) Facility with an Electron Beam Ion source for producing beams of heavy rare isotopes. She is at the forefront of a rapidly evolving new field of direct reactions with radioactive ion beams. She also has an excellent list of publications and many prestigious invited talks. She has an outstanding record of accomplishments and enormous promise for the future. In addition, she has provided leadership and service to the international and Canadian communities, with particular focus on current and future scientific programs at TRIUMF. nominator citation

First introduced in 2011, the Vogt Medal recognizes and encourages outstanding experimental or theoretical contributions to subatomic physics.

Dr. Kanungo will be presented with her medal at a Medallists' Recognition Banquet in Halifax on Wednesday, June 13, 2018. The Banquet is one of the featured events of the CAP Congress hosted by Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from June 10-14. Please refer to the Congress outline (https://www.cap.ca/congress-conference/congress-2018/2018-congress-glance/) for the schedule of plenary talks by the CAP medal winners. medal description

ABOUT the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP)

The Canadian Association of Physicists, founded in 1945, is a professional association representing over 1600 individual physicists and physics students in Canada, the U.S. and overseas, as well as a number of Corporate, Institutional, and Departmental Members. In addition to its learned activities, the CAP, through its charitable arm - the CAP Foundation, also undertakes a number of activities intended to encourage students to pursue a career in physics. cap description

ABOUT TRIUMF
TRIUMF is Canada’s particle accelerator centre. The lab is a hub for discovery and innovation inspired by a half-century of ingenuity in answering nature's most challenging questions. From the hunt for the smallest particles in our universe to research that advances the next generation of batteries or develops isotopes to diagnose and treat disease, TRIUMF drives more than scientific discovery. Powered by its complement of top talent and advanced accelerator infrastructure, TRIUMF is pushing the frontiers in isotope science and innovation, as well as technologies to address fundamental and applied problems in particle and nuclear physics, and the materials and life sciences. In collaboration with 20 Canadian universities, TRIUMF's diverse community of nearly 600 multidisciplinary researchers, engineers, technicians, tradespeople, staff, and students create a unique incubator for Canadian excellence, as well as a portal to premier global collaborations. Our passion for understanding everything from the nature of the nucleus to the creation of the cosmos sparks imagination, inspiration, improved health, economic opportunity, and a better world for all.
For more information, visit www.triumf.ca and www.triumf50.com. @TRIUMFLab joint description

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For more information, please contact:

Mrs. Francine Ford, Executive Director
Canadian Association of Physicists
Tel: 613-562-5614
E-mail: execdir@cap.ca
www.cap.cacap contact and joint contact