Alexandra Gade awarded MSU’s ‘University Distinguished Professor’ designation

FRIB Scientific Director Alexandra Gade has been awarded the title of University Distinguished Professor, one of Michigan State University (MSU)’s highest honors. The title recognizes MSU faculty members who are nationally and internationally renowned for their extraordinary efforts in teaching and public service as well as their scholarly and creative achievements. 

“I am deeply honored by this recognition,” said Gade. “Being part of FRIB and the Department of Physics and Astronomy within the College of Natural Science has enabled me to work with outstanding students and research associates on cutting-edge experiments rare-isotope science. I want to thank my current and former research group members and my collaborators from MSU and all over the world for being partners in discovery.”

Gade’s selection, recommended by MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz and Interim Provost Thomas D. Jeitschko and approved by the MSU Board of Trustees, reflects her significant contributions to the national and international nuclear physics communities. Not only has she been instrumental in advancing science research at FRIB, her work in low-energy nuclear physics has helped define the scientific research made possible by rare isotope beams, establishing her as a respected leader in the field.

“Being named a University Distinguished Professor requires more than just an impressive publication record—it demands a sustained record of leadership, innovation, and influence across research, education, and service,” said FRIB Laboratory Director Thomas Glasmacher. “Earning this title is a reflection not only of Alexandra’s exceptional research but also of her dedication to mentoring students and engaging with the broader scientific community. Congratulations to Alexandra on this richly deserved honor.” 

Gade’s research investigates the structure of short-lived atomic nuclei with highly unbalanced proton-to-neutron ratios. These neutron-rich, unstable nuclei often display unexpected features, such as altered shapes, excitation patterns, and changes in the energies and occupancies of their quantum mechanical orbits, when compared to stable nuclei.

Through her research, Gade has developed numerous collaborations with colleagues across the nuclear science community. Her collaborative approach reflects a deep commitment to advancing nuclear science through shared knowledge and collective effort.

Gade joins a class of only 153 faculty members who have received this designation since it was first established in 1989 and awarded in 1990 by the MSU Board of Trustees. The designation is awarded every two years.

Gade earned her PhD in physics from the University of Cologne in Germany in 2002, moving to a postdoctoral appointment at FRIB’s predecessor, the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL), the same year. In 2006, Gade joined the faculty at MSU and later served as the NSCL chief scientist from 2015 to 2022, when she moved into her current role as FRIB scientific director. She also presently serves as a professor of physics at FRIB and in MSU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy.

“I am fortunate to have joined MSU at a time where its NSCL was the premier rare-isotope facility and visionary colleagues were staunchly pursuing plans for a next-generation rare-isotope facility at MSU that would ultimately become FRIB,” she said. “Having been part of both has been the opportunity of a lifetime.”

The ten newly named University Distinguished Professors, including Gade, will be honored at a reception on 20 November. 

Michigan State University (MSU) operates the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (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.