FRIB hosted the 2024 FRIB Theory Alliance (FRIB-TA) summer school (“Put the reaction into action”) 12-14 August. The school brought together 50 participants from several U.S. and international institutions to learn about key theoretical methods used in studying nuclear reactions.  

Attendees included graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty from universities and national laboratories. They encompassed a diverse array of personal backgrounds and scientific interests, such as nuclear theory, experimentation, and computer science. Participants from outside of the U.S. represented institutions from Africa, Asia, and South America. 

The organizing team of the school has expertise in nuclear reactions measurements and theoretical modeling, both using few-body and many-body methods. The team consisted of

• Grigor Sargsyan, FRIB theory fellow hosted at FRIB,
• Linda Hlophe, FRIB theory fellow hosted at Los Alamos National Laboratory, 
• Erin Good, staff physicist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 
• Chloë Hebborn, assistant professor of physics at FRIB and in MSU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy,
• Gregory Potel, staff scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,
• Pablo Giuliani, academic specialist for nuclear science and graduate student success at FRIB. 

Direct nuclear reactions involving exotic short-lived isotopes are central for addressing numerous open questions in contemporary nuclear science research to be investigated at frontier radioactive ion beam facilities, such as FRIB. The school introduced diverse types of reactions used in modern experiments to probe the properties of nuclei, followed by lectures on the theoretical tools needed to analyze those measurements. Students learned about a variety of theoretical approaches for computing nuclear reaction observables in state-of-the-art studies. Each session's lectures featured practical tutorials that provided a guided implementation of the topic. 

The summer school also focused on building a supportive community among the participants. Group lunches, coffee discussions, and a school dinner fostered teamwork and connections for future collaborations. One of the highlights of the summer school was a session on the importance of diversity and inclusivity in the workplace and in advancing research and innovation. The panelists shared individual experiences, challenges, and successes in creating a more inclusive environment, and attendees were encouraged to share their own stories and insights. 

The Advanced Scientific Computing and Statistics Network offered participants a platform to introduce themselves, engage in discussions, and ask questions both during and after the summer school. The school also led to new collaborations between panelists and participants with overlapping research interests. Additionally, school organizers created a GitHub repository to store lecture slides, recordings, and hands-on coding activities.