Alexandra Gade

Alexandra Gade is a University Distinguished Professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Natural Science, Michigan State University (MSU). She serves as the FRIB Scientific Director and has held leadership roles at both the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) and FRIB. Her research focuses on the structure of exotic nuclei using radioactive isotope beams, with expertise in Coulomb excitation and nucleon knockout reactions.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Physics (Dr. rer. nat.), University of Köln (2002)
  • Diploma thesis, University of Köln (1998)
  • Vordiplom, University of Köln (1995)

Her nuclear structure research investigates how neutron-proton asymmetry alters nuclear properties like deformation, excitation patterns, and shell closures. She employs advanced experimental techniques at NSCL/FRIB, including the S800 spectrograph and GRETINA/SeGA gamma-ray detectors, to study exotic nuclei across the nuclear chart. Key projects include proton/neutron removal reactions and intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation, providing insights into nuclear deformation, collective modes, and single-particle orbit modifications.

Recent scientific contributions focus on high-profile FRIB experiments, triaxial nuclear shapes, and shell evolution near drip lines. Her work bridges experimental observations with nuclear theory, particularly in refining shell model calculations and reaction models for exotic systems.

• Scientific Awards:
  • 2023-24 Research Leadership Award (MSU)
  • 2020 AAAS Fellow
  • 2018 William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award (MSU)
  • 2017 NatSci Outstanding Faculty Award (MSU)
  • 2015 Zdzislaw Szymanski Prize
  • 2014 GENCO Membership Award (GSI)
  • 2013 APS Fellow
  • 2010 Thomas H. Osgood Excellence in Teaching Award (MSU)
  • 2008 Alfred P. Sloan Fellow
  • 2008 DOE Outstanding Junior Investigator

Her research group has trained numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, many of whom hold academic or national laboratory positions. Collaborations include nuclear theorists, instrumentation experts, and international facilities like CERN, Argonne, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.