Brad Plaster

Brad Plaster is Professor of Physics and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky. He is affiliated with the Department of Physics and Astronomy, where he leads a research program in nuclear physics focused on fundamental symmetries and neutron physics. He holds a joint faculty appointment with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and has held major leadership roles including Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy (2021–2025) and Associate Chair (2017–2021).

His educational background includes a B.S. and Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), followed by a postdoctoral position at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

Brad Plaster's research is centered on experimental nuclear physics, particularly the search for the neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This work probes violations of time-reversal symmetry and has implications for understanding the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe and physics beyond the Standard Model. He previously worked on neutron beta decay and electron scattering experiments to study the weak interaction and nucleon structure. He served as Level-1 Deputy Experiment Director for the nEDM@SNS experiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory from 2020 to 2023, a project that aimed for world-leading sensitivity but lost funding in late 2023.

His scientific awards reflect excellence in both research and teaching. He received the U.S. Department of Energy’s Outstanding Junior Investigator award and multiple university-level teaching honors, including the Provost's Outstanding Teaching Award (2018) and the College of Arts and Sciences' Distinguished Professor title (2025–2026).

• University of Kentucky, College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor, 2025-2026
• University of Kentucky, Provost's Outstanding Teaching Award, 2018
• University of Kentucky, College of Arts and Sciences' Award for Innovative Teaching, 2016
• University of Kentucky, College of Arts and Sciences' Award for Outstanding Teaching, 2012
• U.S. Department of Energy, Outstanding Junior Investigator in Nuclear Physics, 2008-2013

He actively mentors students and postdoctoral scholars. His research group includes current Ph.D. students and postdocs such as Dr. Alec Tewsley-Booth and Dr. Felicity B. Hills, who holds a Lyman T. Johnson Postdoctoral Fellowship. His former students have pursued successful careers in academia, national laboratories, and industry. His research is supported by major grants from the U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and internal university sources.

Plaster has taught a wide range of courses including General Physics, University Physics, Advanced Physics Laboratory, and Electromagnetic Theory (Jackson E&M). He has contributed to curriculum development and innovative teaching practices, recognized by multiple awards. He is currently involved in leadership, research, and education, with no indication of retirement or part-time status.