Tien-Tien Yu

Dr. Tien-Tien Yu is an Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Oregon, affiliated with the Department of Physics and the Institute for Fundamental Science. Her research focuses on dark matter detection, beyond the Standard Model physics, and cosmology. She co-founded the SENSEI experiment, which uses silicon CCDs to search for sub-GeV dark matter particles. Yu has held roles including membership in the 2023 Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5) and leadership in the UO Science and Comics Initiative.

Education: PhD in Physics (2013, University of Wisconsin-Madison), AB in Physics and Mathematics (2007, University of Chicago). Awards include the New Horizons Prize in Physics (2021) and NSF CAREER Award (2020). Current research group includes PhD students Thomas Bouley, Aria Radick, Thomas Schwemberger, and postdocs Pouya Asadi and Ben Lillard.

Research emphasizes dark matter detection via direct experiments and astrophysical probes, with over 30 peer-reviewed articles. Collaborative efforts include the SENSEI collaboration and leadership in the Cosmic Frontier research community. Active in STEM outreach, blending physics education with interdisciplinary initiatives like the Science and Comics program.