Filomena Nunes

Filomena Nunes is a Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Michigan State University's College of Natural Science, with primary affiliations at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) and Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). Her research centers on theoretical nuclear physics, specifically developing reaction models for exotic unstable nuclei that decay within seconds.

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Surrey (1995)

Nunes specializes in direct nuclear reactions including inelastic excitation, breakup, and transfer processes to extract nuclear structure information from experimental data. Her work bridges nuclear theory with three critical applications: deriving astrophysical capture rates for stellar simulations (novae/supernovae), addressing nuclear waste management challenges, and probing the fundamental nuclear force governing exotic systems. She develops computationally intensive few-body structure models that retain essential nuclear features while incorporating continuum states, leveraging Michigan State University's high-performance computing resources.

Analysis of her 2008-2014 publications reveals a cohesive research trajectory focused on nuclear reaction theory's intersection with astrophysics and exotic nuclei. Key themes include Coulomb dissociation methods for neutron capture rates, triple-alpha processes in stellar environments, halo nucleus characterization, and magic number evolution in neutron-rich systems. Her work consistently employs advanced computational frameworks to solve few-body problems while connecting to experimental facilities like FRIB.

Scientific Awards:

• No scientific awards mentioned in source materials

Nunes actively contributes to major nuclear physics initiatives including the TORUS Collaboration and Nuclear Theory Alliance, with documented involvement in the Long Range Plan for Nuclear Science. While specific grant details and student supervision records are absent from provided materials, her research demonstrates sustained collaboration with national laboratories and integration of Bayesian statistics for uncertainty quantification in nuclear dynamics.

Her laboratory affiliations include the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) and Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University, where she utilizes cutting-edge computational infrastructure for reaction theory simulations. Current research directions emphasize uncertainty quantification and experimental design optimization in nuclear reaction studies.