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 Physics at Virginia

Richard Lindgren

Ph.D., 1969, Yale
Professor Emeritus

Experimental Nuclear and Particle Physics,Physics Education

Research Interests

Professor Lindgren conducts experiments that provide critical test of QCD and quark models in the perturbative and non-perturbative regime of QCD. The experiments utilize electromagnetic probes such as electrons and are conducted at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). Lindgren was PI of the MRI/NSF Grant that provided funds to install and upgrade the large acceptance BigBite spectrometer with new multiwire drift chambers in Hall A at JLab. The funds also provided for a new scattering chamber and target cells. The large acceptance (90 msr) spectrometer and high counting rate and low mass multiwire chambers have provided for a new generation of fundamental and novel experiments at JLab. Professor Lindgren was the co-spokesperson and contact person of one of the first approved experiments, E04-007, a high precision measurement of the reaction H(e,e´p)π0 near threshold to test Chiral Dynamics. This will provide a critical test of Chiral Perturbation Theory, an effective field theory in the low energy non-perturbative regime of QCD. Two UVa graduate students have been analyzing the H(e,e´p)π0 data and one Ph.D. thesis has already been completed on the analysis of the beam asymmetry data near threshold. The analysis of the absolute cross section data near threshold is expected to be completed soon. New pion electroproduction experiments are presently being considered for the new 12 GeV JLab upgrade. Specific proposals will depend on the outcome of the results from the analysis of the current data.
  TEACHING INTERESTS      
Professor Lindgren has created online and summer graduate courses in the 6000 series for inservice teachers since the late nineties and has been the Director of the Masters of Arts in Physics Education program until September 2010. Lindgren currently is PI of a Grant from SCHEV to fund the program LOLA to determine the learning differential of physical science teachers (Cohort A) taking a five (5) week online-web-based Light and Optics course with home lab activities with teachers (Cohort B) taking the same course during a one week summer work shop in residence at UVa. Together with his colleagues, Lindgren has been responsible for conducting many summer workshops for high school physics teachers and has been very active in giving talks at national and local conferences. Lindgren is the Online Instructor for the courses listed below.

News Items

From UVaToday:The Virginia Department of Education has awarded faculty members in the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education teacher education program and colleagues in U.Va.'s ......More >