Dark Matter Search Goes Underground

FParticle physics research is a journey of exploration into the mystery and beauty of the universe. A universe made up of tiny vibrating strings and extra dimensions, filled with dark matter and dark energy, could soon become our new reality. Excitement and fascination have always attracted young people to physics and science, and the questions asked in modern particle physics are glamorous, provoking wonder and dream. Linking these new ideas to education is essential; today’s high school students will be the researchers on many of the projects described in this report. By connecting science teachers with the excitement of research, we can help them pass on their enthusiasm to their students. Among such opportunities, QuarkNet, for example, brings high school students and teachers to the frontier of 21st century research by involving them directly in the programs of the major particle physics laboratories. Through university scientists across the country, QuarkNet is connected to high-energy physics experiments operating at Fermilab, SLAC, CERN and other research centers. Working with the educational links in the laboratories and universities, the nation’s science teachers can catalyze the interest of our young people in today’s revolutionary science of particle physics.