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  • Heather Logan's Web Page

    Picture of Heather standing in front of a chalkboard
    A personal note to my physics friends

    I'm a professor in the Theoretical Particle Physics Group in the Physics Department at Carleton University, located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Nation in Ottawa, Canada. The theory group works on a wide range of topics in high energy physics, with a focus on topics relevant to current or near-future particle physics experiments.

    My research is on theoretical aspects of Higgs physics, which addresses the question of the origin of mass. This topic is very exciting these days since the discovery in summer 2012 of a new particle consistent with being the long-sought Higgs boson of the Standard Model. Our task now is to understand the properties of this new particle and to determine whether it is indeed responsible for generating the masses of other fundamental particles. This quest could potentially shed light on a wide array of possible solutions to the problem of mass: everything from new forces of nature, to supersymmetry, to extra dimensions of space. This could give us a window not only on the origin of mass, but also on the dark matter in the universe and maybe the origin of ordinary matter as well. Data from the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, should allow many of these questions to be answered. (For the non-specialist, here's a really nice interview with Prof. Sean Carroll in which he explains the importance of the Higgs.) For a technical introduction to Higgs physics suitable for grad students, see my:

    and for an even more technical introduction to perturbative unitarity techniques in Higgs physics (meant as a companion volume to my TASI 2013 lectures), see my:
    • Lectures on perturbative unitarity and decoupling in Higgs physics, arXiv:2207.01064.

    My research involves studying the details of theoretical models in order to work out their predictions for what can be seen and measured in experiments, thereby allowing the models to be tested. Recently my work has focused on properties of Higgs bosons in extended Higgs sectors: in particular, the properties of charged Higgs bosons, strategies for distinguishing different models, and the possible connections of these models to dark matter.

    Student positions:

    • The Theory Group is looking for new grad students to start in September 2023. More information is on the Theory Group webpage.
    • I usually take an undergrad summer student each year through the NSERC USRA program. Here's how to apply. (Applications are normally due in mid-January for the following summer.)

    Recent publications and preprints (students in bold type):

    For a full list see my InSPIRE listing. (Note: authors are listed in alphabetical order in my field.)

    Quick links to working group reports:

    Biography

    Last updated 2022.12.25 by logan@physics.carleton.ca