KU physicist appointed to help prepare next Long Range Plan on Nuclear Science

LAWRENCE — Daniel Tapia Takaki, University of Kansas associate professor of physics & astronomy, was appointed to serve on the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee (NSAC) earlier this year. The appointment carries the responsibility to provide official advice to the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation on the nuclear science program and initiatives, including nuclear data. 

“This is a special time to be a member of NSAC, because it has the charge to prepare the next Long Range Plan on Nuclear Science,” Tapia Takaki said.  

The Long Range Plan (LRP) provides the framework for a coordinated effort in advancing the nation’s nuclear science program for the next decade. Besides identifying and prioritizing the most compelling scientific questions and opportunities, this document discusses the need for experimental and computing facilities, and the development of instrumentation and advanced technologies; the efforts on workforce, education and outreach in nuclear science, and the impact of nuclear science in other fields. The LRP also indicates the resources and funding levels needed for the United States to maintain its world leadership in nuclear science. This document has input from many members of the community, and it is expected to be completed by the end of the year.  

“This appointment is a testament to Dr. Tapia Takaki’s expertise and leadership in nuclear physics. He and fellow committee members will help shape the field’s future by advising the federal agencies that set research and funding priorities in this area,” said Simon Atkinson, vice chancellor for research. “I am grateful to Daniel for his service in this role and pleased by this recognition of KU research.” 

Tapia Takaki will visit the Washington, D.C., area about four times a year and has already started his service on the writing committee. Tapia Takaki first visited on March 7 and will serve in this special government employee role until 2026.  

NSAC reports to the director of the DOE Office of Science and to the assistant director of the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Science at NSF.  

Tapia Takaki is a high-energy nuclear physicist. His group works for the ALICE Collaboration at CERN in Geneva and for the future Electron Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Long Island, New York. His research is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Nuclear Physics, as well as by the DOE EPSCoR program. He is also the program lead of the Inter-American Network of Networks of QCD challenges jointly funded by the NSF AccelNet program, and NSF EPSCoR. He has served on several advisory boards, including at the Spencer Museum of Art.  

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