Meet Savino Longo, 2024 Rh Award Winner in the Natural Sciences category

Savino Longo, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, is helping to answer some of the most fundamental questions in the universe through experimental subatomic physics. 

Longo is the 2024 recipient of the Terry G. Falconer Memorial Rh Institute Foundation Emerging Researcher Award in the Natural Sciences category, in recognition of his internationally collaborative work on the Belle II and TUCAN experiments. These projects explore the building blocks of matter, antimatter and the origins of the universe. 

UM Today caught up with Longo to learn more about him and the research he is undertaking. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and your research. 

I joined UM in 2022 as an assistant professor. My research focus involves two independent international subatomic physics projects called Belle II and TUCAN. 

At Belle II, we are colliding high-energy beams of electrons and positrons (the antimatter partner of the electron) to produce very rare forms of matter and test leading theories for the interactions of subatomic particles.  My group is also searching for the production of new forms of matter, such as dark matter.   

The TUCAN experiment takes place at Canada’s particle accelerator centre TRIUMF.  At TUCAN, we are working to understand why antimatter is so rare in our universe.  My group is focused on building specialized particle detectors for this experiment. 

Why is this research important? 

Fundamental research is paramount to achieving the great leaps in innovation needed for long-term solutions to global challenges. Vital elements of our society nuclear energy, medical imaging and nuclear medicine were unimaginable prior to uncovering the subatomic physics that drives them. 

Immediate-term societal benefits of subatomic physics research frequently emerge from spin-off applications of the cutting-edge technological development that occurs while building the experiments.  For example, the powerful magnets originally developed for particle colliders are now the underpinning for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners. The new particle detector technologies that we are developing at UM for subatomic physics experiments can have extended applications in areas such as medical imaging and space exploration. 

What does the Rh Award mean to you? 

I am honoured to receive the Terry G. Falconer Memorial Rh Institute Foundation Emerging Researcher award and would like to thank my colleagues who have supported me throughout my career.  The award provides important support for UM students who are engaged in internationally collaborative research projects, such as Belle II and TUCAN. It also allows us to expand Canada’s role in these projects as the experiments enter very exciting phases. 

Spenser Smith