Gail McLaughlin

Gail McLaughlin is a distinguished University Professor at NC State University's Department of Physics within the College of Sciences. She specializes in nuclear and particle astrophysics, focusing on neutrino interactions in extreme astrophysical environments and element synthesis in neutron star mergers. Her research includes studies on neutrino oscillations, kilonova phenomena, and r-process nucleosynthesis.

McLaughlin holds a PhD from the University of California San Diego (1996) and has held postdoctoral positions at the University of Washington's Institute for Nuclear Theory and TRIUMF. She joined NC State in 2001 as an Assistant Professor, advancing to full Professor status in 2005. Her work bridges theoretical physics with computational astrophysics, contributing to understanding neutrino effects in compact objects and nucleosynthesis mechanisms.

Her research interests span neutrino flavor transformations during neutron star mergers, the role of magnetic fields in element production, and the interplay between neutrino dynamics and accretion disk physics. Key contributions include modeling kilonova emissions and identifying signatures of in-situ neutron capture processes like Thallium-208.

Recent publications highlight advancements in quantum neutrino transport algorithms, fast flavor instability analyses, and nuclear physics uncertainties in r-process modeling. Her 2024 Herman Feshbach Prize recognizes contributions to theoretical nuclear physics, particularly neutrino-driven element synthesis.

McLaughlin's research is supported by grants focusing on multi-messenger astrophysics and collaborations with experimental facilities like the Canadian Penning Trap. She contributes to interdisciplinary efforts linking stellar observations to nuclear physics properties, emphasizing the need for precision mass measurements to unravel cosmic element origins.