Graduate student working at FRIB. Find out more

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University (MSU) is a world-class research and training center, hosting the most powerful rare isotope accelerator. MSU operates FRIB as a user facility for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC), with financial support from and furthering the mission of the DOE-SC Office of Nuclear Physics. FRIB is where researchers come together to make discoveries that change the world. They study the properties and fundamental interactions of rare isotopes and nuclear astrophysics and their impact on medicine, homeland security, and industry.

FRIB advances nuclear science by improving our understanding of nuclei and their role in the universe, while also advancing accelerator systems.

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In establishing and operating FRIB, capabilities were developed that transfer to other industries and applications.

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GRETA
Nuclide chart with HRS Brandon Lem headshot

FRIB hosts the world’s most powerful heavy-ion accelerator and enables discoveries in rare isotopes, nuclear astrophysics, fundamental interactions, and societal applications like medicine, security, and industry.

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  • 2 September 2025
  • 11:00 EDT

Ab initio nuclear properties from low-resolution chiral interactions

Ab initio methods for low-energy nuclear physics have vastly improved their range both in terms of isotopes and observables of interest over the past two decades [1]. Driven by formal and numerical advances, this progress now allows them to tackle phenomena from spectroscopy to deformation, from neutrinoless double-beta decay to reactions of astrophysical interest. In this talk, I will address recent progress in the design of nuclear interactions, discussing strategies adopted by different groups. In particular, I will focus on two new low-resolution interactions recently developed [2] and how they can contribute to a better description of nuclear properties all over the nuclear chart. [1] H. Hergert, A Guided Tour of ab initio Nuclear Many-Body Theory, Front. Phys. 8, 379 (2020) [2] P. Arthuis, K. Hebeler & A. Schwenk, Neutron-rich nuclei and neutron skins from chiral low-resolution interactions, arXiv:2401.06675 (2024)
  • 4 September 2025 – 6 December 2025

Arts Exhibition: Physical Spells [The Wor(l)d in the Atom]

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday | 10:00AM – 5:00PM Location: 311 Abbot (6th floor), downtown East Lansing Looking at physics from the perspective of linguistics may sound like an act of black magic or the definitive detachment of reality, but, behind the invisibility cloak of particles, it is possible to find the secret verses where both intertwine their labyrinths. Physical Spells [The Wor(l)d in the Atom] explores unexpected ways of understanding physics as if it were language, leading to the discovery of its own linguistic layer. Phonetics arising from the voice of the experimental areas at FRIB where particles trace their routes, morphology revealed in the realm of quarks, syntax writing metaphors in the processes of metamorphose of isotopes. The exhibition proposes an interactive exploration of this world of words in the world of atoms, making the public a key element that activates the processes and dialogues with the artworks, delving into their own research. View event
  • 4 September 2025
  • 4:00 EDT

Opening Reception: Physical Spells [The Wor(l)d in the Atom]

MSU Museum | 6th Floor, 311 Abbot Road, East Lansing Thursday, September 4 at 4-6pm Join us for the opening reception of Physical Spell [The Wor(l)d in the Atom], a hands-on, immersive exhibition by MSUFCU Arts Power Up artist-in-residence Violeta López López. Step into a playful world where language and physics collide. Drawing on the aesthetics of video games, this interactive installation invites you to explore unexpected connections between atoms and words, quarks and sentences. Movement, curiosity, and collaboration unlock layers of meaning throughout the space. Be among the first to experience this experimental exhibition and meet the artist. Light refreshments will be served. Free and open to all. View event
Training the next generation

FRIB at MSU is a world-class research and training center where students and researchers from all career stages and backgrounds come together to make discoveries that change the world.

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External news and journal publications discussing FRIB.

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  • 26 March 2025
  • Lansing State Journal

One of the nation's premier research facilities located at Michigan State University is getting a multi-million dollar upgrade. Late last month, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science approved $49.7 million for MSU's Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.

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  • 18 October 2024
  • Nature Physics

A team of scientists, including researchers from FRIB, published an article in Nature Physics on how research on neutron-rich nuclei shows that in the so-called islands of inversion, they are deformed rather than spherical in their ground states.

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  • 10 October 2024
  • Phys.org

Scientists and engineers at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) have reached a new milestone in isotope studies. They accelerated a high-power beam of uranium ions and delivered a record 10.4 kilowatts of continuous beam power to a target. The work is published in the journal Physical Review Accelerators and Beams.

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