Global Particle Physics Excellence Awards

  Outstanding Academic Achievement Award Academic achievement is a cornerstone of personal and societal development, marking a key aspect of an individual’s journey toward success and fulfillment. It is often viewed as a direct reflection of intellectual ability, hard work, and perseverance. Achieving excellence in academics, whether in elementary education or higher studies, sets the foundation for future career prospects and personal growth. The process of acquiring knowledge, developing critical thinking, and honing problem-solving skills is integral to shaping well-rounded individuals who contribute meaningfully to society. In an ever-evolving global landscape, academic success is increasingly important as it provides the necessary tools to adapt to technological advancements, global challenges, and dynamic job markets. Students who excel academically are often more adept at navigating complex situations, making informed decisions, and demonstrating leadership qualities in vari...

  Evaluation of thermal scattering law and cross sections for liquid hydrogen fluoride ☆ Liquid anhydrous hydrogen fluoride (HF) is a material commonly used in fuel manufacturing and processing, and as a result it is of particular interest for criticality safety applications. In order to capture the thermal scattering impacts from this hydrogenous material, accurate thermal scattering law (TSL, i.e. S(α,β)) libraries were developed.  Using classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of the liquid HF system, a parametrized three-site model was developed in the GROMACS MD code to accurately represent the hydrogen bond and capture the liquid’s interatomic structure. This computational model (referenced as the NCSU HF model) was constructed with a massless charge to capture the hydrogen bonds between molecules.  The accuracy of the NCSU HF model was verified by comparing its predictions of various HF properties with experimental data for the hydrogen and fluorine bond length...

  Best Research Award Winning the  Best Researcher Award  is a prestigious honor that recognizes exceptional contributions to the world of academia and innovation. It is a testament to years of rigorous research, groundbreaking discoveries, and an unwavering passion for advancing knowledge. Researchers who achieve this distinction have demonstrated excellence in their field, influencing both current and future studies while driving meaningful change in society. Their work not only contributes to scientific progress but also addresses real-world challenges, offering solutions that impact industries, healthcare, technology, and beyond. This award serves as a motivation for aspiring researchers, encouraging them to push boundaries, embrace curiosity, and remain dedicated to their fields of study. It highlights the importance of persistence, creativity, and collaboration in the pursuit of new knowledge. Whether in medicine, engineering, environmental science, or any other dis...

Best Innovation Award   Winning the Best Innovation Award is more than just an accolade; it is a symbol of excellence, perseverance, and forward-thinking. Innovators and organizations that receive this award have demonstrated their ability to think outside the box, tackle real-world challenges, and create solutions that drive meaningful change. These pioneers are the ones who introduce new technologies, improve efficiency, and make life better for people across the globe. Whether it’s a breakthrough in medical research, an advanced artificial intelligence system, a revolutionary clean energy solution, or a disruptive business model, each innovation recognized by this award serves as an inspiration for future generations. The importance of innovation cannot be overstated. In a rapidly evolving world, staying ahead of the curve requires continuous learning, adaptation, and the courage to challenge traditional methods. Companies that prioritize innovation gain a competitive edge, en...

Physics-Informed Neural Networks for the safety analysis of nuclear reactors This work explores the development of surrogate models for estimating the evolution of quantities of interest during nuclear reactor accident scenarios. Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) offer a promising surrogate modelling approach because they allow integrating laws of physics and domain knowledge into traditional Neural Network (NN) surrogates.  Specifically, the proposed solution incorporates an additional term in the PINN loss function to enforce physics-based constraints in correspondence of allocation points, which are randomly sampled points whose corresponding target output is not known. As a result, accuracy of the estimation of the quantities of interest and their adherence to the laws of physics are improved.  Applications to a synthetic case study and to the response of a nuclear microreactor system during a Loss of Heat Sink scenario confirm that the developed surrogate model bas...

  Hypoxia-induced NDRG1 C-terminal Poly-phosphorylation Impairs its Tumor Suppressor Function in Renal Cell Carcinoma Hypoxia is a critical factor driving tumor invasion and metastasis. N-myc Downstream Regulated Gene 1 (NDRG1), a known suppressor of invasion and metastasis in various cancers including clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), remains poorly understood in the context of hypoxic regulation. Notably, the carboxy terminus (C-terminus) of NDRG1 contains multiple phosphorylation sites within a unique three-tandem-repeat sequence that responds to hypoxic conditions. However, the precise regulatory mechanisms and functional significance of phosphorylation in this region remain unexplored. Our research uncovered that hypoxia triggers poly-phosphorylation at the C-terminus of NDRG1, thereby facilitating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in ccRCC. NDRG1 knockdown alone was sufficient to induce EMT, augmenting the invasive and metastatic capabilities of ccRCC cells. Spec...

Quantum gravitational corrections to the geometry of charged AdS black holes We consider a modified gravity by higher-derivative gravity coupled with non-local terms and Maxwell electrodynamics. By employing the effective field theory framework for quantum gravity, we compute quantum corrections to the entropy of charged AdS black holes, focusing on second-order curvature terms.  By incorporating scale-dependent coefficients, we establish that the Wald entropy is renormalization group (RG) invariant, confirming the robustness of the framework. Additionally, quantum corrections to thermodynamic quantities-temperature, pressure, specific heat, and Helmholtz free energy-are derived, all satisfying the first-law of thermodynamics.  Specific heat and Helmholtz free energy also exhibit RG invariance, demonstrating stability under scale transformations. These findings highlight the effectiveness of the approach in describing quantum modifications to charged AdS black hole thermodynam...

Young Scientist Award    The Young Scientist Award is a prestigious recognition granted to outstanding early-career researchers who have demonstrated exceptional promise and contributions in their respective scientific fields. This award serves as a platform to celebrate the achievements of young scientists and to encourage them to continue pursuing groundbreaking research that can shape the future of science and technology. By recognizing their work, the award not only honors their dedication and hard work but also inspires other aspiring researchers to strive for excellence in their scientific endeavors. One of the key objectives of the Young Scientist Award is to support innovation and original research. In today's rapidly evolving world, scientific advancements play a crucial role in addressing global challenges, such as climate change, health crises, energy sustainability, and technological progress. Young scientists are at the forefront of these efforts, bringing fresh p...

Quantitative CT Imaging Features Associated with Stable PRISm using Machine Learning Rationale and Objectives The structural lung features that characterize individuals with preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm) that remain stable overtime are unknown. The objective of this study was to use machine learning models with computed tomography (CT) imaging to classify stable PRISm from stable controls and stable COPD and identify discriminative features. Materials and Methods A total of 596 participants that did not transition between control, PRISm and COPD groups at baseline and 3-year follow-up were evaluated: n = 274 with normal lung function (stable control), n = 22 stable PRISm, and n = 300 stable COPD. Investigated features included: quantitative CT (QCT) features (n = 34), such as total lung volume (%TLC CT ) and percentage of ground glass and reticulation (%GG+Reticulation texture ), as well as Radiomic (n = 102) features, incl...

  Proton shuttle mediated by ionic liquid promotes aldol condensation Effective strategy is intensively desired to construct efficient and durable catalytic system for mild aldol condensation between aldehydes, considering the profound significance in synthesis of high-valued  α ,  β -unsaturated aldehydes.  Although series of mild catalytic systems using secondary amine-based catalysts have been proposed, the compatibility of high catalytic selectivity and durability still troubles the researchers in this field.  Here, we developed a protonated diethanolamine ionic liquid catalyzed mild aldol reaction system with reasonable regulation of ion pair strength and ionic cluster microenvironment based on the deep insights into proton shuttle effects to improve catalytic selectivity and durability for the probed methacrolein synthesis.  The interplay between the cation and anion mediated proton shuttle was elucidated by detailed kinetics derived from  in sit...

Best Research Award  Winning the Best Researcher Award is a prestigious honor that recognizes exceptional contributions to the world of academia and innovation. It is a testament to years of rigorous research, groundbreaking discoveries, and an unwavering passion for advancing knowledge. Researchers who achieve this distinction have demonstrated excellence in their field, influencing both current and future studies while driving meaningful change in society. Their work not only contributes to scientific progress but also addresses real-world challenges, offering solutions that impact industries, healthcare, technology, and beyond. This award serves as a motivation for aspiring researchers, encouraging them to push boundaries, embrace curiosity, and remain dedicated to their fields of study. It highlights the importance of persistence, creativity, and collaboration in the pursuit of new knowledge. Whether in medicine, engineering, environmental science, or any other discipline, a...