3/1/00

Mark Shwartz, News Service (650) 725-0224;
e-mail: mshwartz@stanford.edu

New head of research appointed at SLAC

Tom Himel has been appointed to head the Research Division of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC).

Himel will oversee experimental and theoretical research programs in elementary particle physics and a growing program in particle astrophysics.

"I'm really pleased to take up the challenges offered by the division, and I look forward to some exciting times ahead," said Himel, whose new title is associate director of research.

Himel has served on the SLAC faculty since 1984 and is currently a full professor. He holds a bachelor's degree in physics from Caltech and a doctorate in experimental high-energy physics from Stanford.

He began working on the SLAC Linear Collider in the 1980s, and most recently turned his attention to the design and construction of the B Factory Accelerator, which is investigating CP violation, a phenomenon that may explain why there is more matter than antimatter in the universe.

Himel succeeds David Leith, who has returned to full-time physics work in the B Factory after heading the Research Division for the past nine years.

 

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