Sally Hicks, Constantin College
Neutron Interactions with Matter
"Opportunities for Undergraduate Research in Nuclear Physics", S.F. Hicks, T.D. Nguyen,
D.T. Jackson, S.G. Block, S.T. Byrd, M.T. Nickel, J.R. Vanhov, E.E. Peters, A.P.D.
Ramírez, M.T. McEllistrem, S. Mukhopadhyay, and S.W. Yates. Physics Procedia, Volume
90, 2017, Pages 323-331. View Online
“54Fe Neutron Elastic and Inelastic Scattering Differential Cross Sections from 2-6 MeV,” J.R.
Vanhoy, S.H. Liu, S.F. Hicks, et al., Nucl. Phys. A972, 107-120 (2018). View Online
In the Author's Words
Next-generation fission reactors are being designed to provide safer, cleaner, and
more efficiently generated energy. Neutrons play a major rule in the fission process
and the reactor environment contains many of them reacting with fuel, structural materials,
and coolant. As new reactors are designed, it is important that engineers have precise
and accurate neutron interaction cross sections. The work of my research group focuses
on measuring neutron scattering cross sections important for understanding the reactor
environment. Equally important is understanding the nuclear force and how neutrons
interact with matter. University of Dallas are very actively involved with the measurements
and analyses of the data obtained.