The Science of Rare Isotopes
Short-lived radioactive isotopes of the chemical elements that are not found on Earth are what nuclear scientists call “rare isotopes”. Rare isotopes are produced naturally all throughout the universe in explosive astrophysical events including supernovae, x-ray bursts and neutron-star mergers. By understanding the basic properties of rare isotopes, we hope to answer some of the biggest questions in contemporary subatomic physics. Precision measurements of nuclear beta decay can constrain the weak interaction and provide stringent tests of the Standard Model, delayed particle emission offers insight into unbound states populated in the nuclear reactions of exploding stars, and gamma-ray emission is essential for elucidating the structure of atomic nuclei. My talk will describe the fascinating science of rare isotopes, the variety of experimental methods that we use to produce and study them, and how the fundamental interactions of the tiniest particles have resulted in the large-scale structure of the visible universe.
Bio
Dr. Gwen Grinyer is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Regina whose research spans a wide variety of topics in experimental nuclear physics including the structure of short-lived radioactive nuclei, rare modes of radioactivity, and explosive nuclear astrophysics. In addition to her physics research, she is a prominent advocate for women and LGBTQ+ people in STEM and has done numerous outreach activities all across Canada that have focused on visibility and inclusion of underrepresented identities in physics. She has received several awards for her work, including a Fellow from the Canadian Association of Physicists (2024), the President’s Award for Service Excellence for advancing EDI at the University of Regina (2024), and a Woman of Distinction Award for “Women Breaking Barriers” from YWCA Regina (2025).