Wolfgang Lorenzon

Wolfgang Lorenzon is a Professor of Physics at the University of Michigan, specializing in experimental particle physics, nuclear physics, and astrophysics. His research spans three major experimental programs: the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter experiment at SURF, the MUSE experiment at PSI for proton radius measurements, and the SpinQuest collaboration at Fermilab studying hadronic physics. He has held significant roles in major collaborations including SeaQuest and HERMES, where he served as Deputy Spokesman from 1997-1998.

His educational background includes a Ph.D. (1988) and Diploma (1984), both from the University of Basel. Lorenzon has built a distinguished research career focusing on precision measurements in particle and nuclear physics, with particular expertise in detector development and experimental techniques.

Lorenzon's research interests center on fundamental questions in particle physics. His work on the LZ experiment involves developing the in-line radon removal system for the central time-projection chamber, crucial for enhancing the detector's sensitivity to WIMPs. At PSI, he leads the development of liquid hydrogen targets for the MUSE experiment, which aims to resolve discrepancies in proton charge radius measurements. His hadronic physics work with SeaQuest and SpinQuest focuses on understanding nucleon structure through antiquark distributions and polarized Drell-Yan processes. His research bridges theoretical questions with cutting-edge experimental techniques, often requiring innovative detector solutions.

Analysis of his recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong focus on dark matter detection using liquid xenon technology, precision measurements of nucleon structure, and development of next-generation detectors. His work spans theoretical interpretation of experimental results, detector development, and analysis of fundamental particle interactions. The research shows increasing collaboration across international boundaries, with significant contributions to multiple major experiments simultaneously.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow of the American Physical Society

Lorenzon has mentored numerous graduate students through completion of their Ph.D. degrees, with recent graduates including Haley Reid (2024), Noah Wuerfel and Chami Amarasinghe (2023), Maris Arthurs (2022), Marshall Scott (2020), and Daniel Morton (2019). His current research group includes postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate researchers. His research is supported by multiple grants from the National Science Foundation (Grant 2110229) and the Department of Energy (Grant SC0019193 and Subcontract 734299), as well as University of Michigan funding.

Lorenzon leads a research group with active laboratories at both the Homer A. Neal Laboratory (3265 HANL) and West Hall (357 WH) at the University of Michigan. His team collaborates with international groups at Fermilab, SURF in South Dakota, and the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland. The group maintains strong connections with the LZ collaboration, MUSE experiment, and SpinQuest collaboration, contributing both technical expertise and physics analysis capabilities to these major international efforts.