Major award for theoretical physicist of Mainz University and member of the PRISMA+ Cluster of Excellence
8 October 2024
Pierre Capel, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the Institute for Nuclear Physics of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and member of the PRISMA+ Cluster of Excellence, has been elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS). This honor recognizes his careful and creative application of few-body methods to the study of nuclear reactions involving exotic nuclei. The APS Fellowship Program was established to recognize outstanding members who have made significant advances in physics through original research and publication. It is a distinct honor that signifies recognition by professional peers. Each year, no more than 0.5 percent of APS members are elected to the Fellow status.
Pierre Capel has made major contributions to the study of nuclei near the so-called nuclear drip line, which marks the edges of the table of nuclides beyond which atomic nuclei are unbound. A particular focus of his research is the study of halo nuclei. In such nuclei, a compact core of nucleons is surrounded by a diffuse "halo" of either protons or neutrons. This unique structure provides insight into interesting properties of matter that cannot be studied in other, more conventional, nuclei. Capel's work has established key connections between results of reaction experiments and nuclear structure properties, earning him the Fellowship award. This award is not only an affirmation of the excellent quality of his research, but it will also further enhance the reputation of JGU as a leading international center for nuclear and hadron physics.