STAR POWER: WoodNext Foundation Funding Fuels Texas A&M Research At The Forefront Of Nuclear Astrophysics

For centuries, scientists have looked to the stars for answers in their cosmic quest to better understand the universe and our place within it. Aided by a recent gift from the WoodNext Foundation, researchers in Texas A&M University’s world-class Cyclotron Institute are studying the stars — specifically, the nuclear reactions that fuel them — to gain insight into the fundamental building blocks of matter and determine novel methods of manipulating them to help advance the frontiers of human knowledge. 

Texas A&M Distinguished Professor and Regents Professor of Chemistry Dr. Sherry J. Yennello notes that nuclear synthesis has been the driving force behind the evolution of the universe from the first few microseconds after the Big Bang. In hopes of better understanding this evolution, she says scientists study information about a wide range of nuclear reactions. These reactions include those that occur within stars and create the elements of the periodic table through a branch of nuclear physics known as nuclear astrophysics.

“Nuclear astrophysics is a cross-cutting field that requires coordinated efforts and data sharing among experts in nuclear experimentation and theory, astrophysical simulation and astronomical observation,” said Yennello, an internationally renowned nuclear chemist who holds the Bright Chair in Nuclear Science within the College of Arts and Sciences and has served since 2014 as director of the Cyclotron Institute. “The Cyclotron Institute Research Cluster on Nuclear Astrophysics (CIRCoNA) aims to unite these multidisciplinary fields as a hub for the international astrophysics community and a place for exchanging ideas at the forefront of nuclear astrophysics.” 

CIRCoNA is supported by Susan D. ’89 and Anthony J. Wood ’87 through the WoodNext TAMU Fund, a component fund of the Greater Houston Community Foundation. 

Target: Nuclear Origins 

For nearly six decades, the Cyclotron Institute has served as the core of Texas A&M’s nuclear science program and as a major technical and educational resource for the state, nation and world. Texas A&M is home to two cyclotrons used to study nuclear reactions: a K150 cyclotron as well as a K500 superconducting cyclotron that ranks among the five largest in the world. Both powerful particle accelerators are capable of speeding up elemental particles and fusing atomic nuclei in high-energy particle beam experiments that enable scientists to study the particles and the forces that shape them. These experiments can dissect and explore time and matter at multiple scales, providing insight into how the world behaves at both macro and micro levels.

An equally strong program in theoretical nuclear physics complements this experimental excellence, pairing extensive knowledge of nuclear properties with a variety of tools, including stable and radioactive beams as well as direct and indirect measurements. The powerful combination enables Texas A&M researchers to define, analyze and constrain the vast amounts of energy produced in nuclear reactions, extend the impact of measurements into exotic nuclei that may not yet be accessible in the laboratory, and eliminate or dramatically reduce nuclear physics-related uncertainties in astrophysics. 

Backed by the Cyclotron Institute’s multi-decade track record of international excellence in discovery science, CIRCoNA researchers are exploring the nuclear origins of the universe through collaborative experiments, astrophysical modeling and nuclear reaction simulations. In the process of creating a positive feedback loop among nuclear scientists, observational astronomers and data scientists using state-of-the-art astrophysical models and experimental efforts, Yennello says CIRCoNA hopes to develop a robust understanding of the chemical evolution of the universe. 

“Nuclear structure and reactions lie at the heart of stellar evolution and the cosmic origin of the elements,” added Texas A&M physicist and Cyclotron Institute member Dr. Philip Adsley. “Modeling these processes will help us better understand the origin of the elements. All of the carbon in our bodies, the oxygen we breathe, the calcium in our bones and the iron in our blood were made in stars. To understand stars is to understand our own creation.

“At the same time, many of the experimental techniques and technical developments that we make can have real-world impacts for the benefit of wider society. Neutron-capture reactions take place in stars and make new elements, but they also take place in nuclear reactors, resulting in activated waste products, or in people undergoing proton-beam therapy for cancer. Similarly, our developments in targetry for nuclear experiments enable both our experimental studies of nuclear reactions in stars and the production of new medical radioisotopes for cancer treatment.” 

A Global Approach 

In addition to assisting with the development of the CIRCoNA research program and strategy, Adsley is overseeing recruitment efforts for postdoctoral fellows and graduate students in support of both CIRCoNA-specific pursuits and the Cyclotron Institute’s overall three-part mission of discovery science, workforce development and societal application. He and other CIRCoNA members are also working to plan and organize meetings, workshops and short-term research visits to the Cyclotron Institute as part of a broader effort to develop collaborations with existing centers for nuclear astrophysics around the world. 

Closer to home, Adsley says CIRCoNA members will be working with the Texas A&M astronomy group and gaining beneficial access to new astronomical instruments specifically designed for wide-field, multi-object, extremely efficient spectroscopic observations. He explains that such types of information will be key to connecting the laboratory experimental data and theoretical modeling needed to achieve an unprecedented understanding of late-stage stellar evolution.

“Our nuclear data feed into astrophysical models, but we need to be able to test the results of these models against reality,” Adsley added. “The observational work done by members of the astronomy group in the Department of Physics and Astronomy here at Texas A&M is vital in helping us understand the impact of our data and the path forward for our experimental and theoretical endeavors. There is a virtuous cycle in how our different research groups relate: We are able to understand the implications of our local experimental work, to identify significant remaining uncertainties and to target future high-impact measurements.” 

Texas Ties And Expanding Horizons 

The WoodNext Foundation manages the philanthropy of tech innovator and Roku CEO/founder Anthony Wood ’87, a 2023 distinguished alumnus of Texas A&M, and his wife Susan ’89, a fellow Aggie who majored in environmental design. Their philanthropic efforts are guided by their overall mission to advance human progress and remove obstacles to a fulfilling life by awarding grants and making investments in a variety of areas, including scientific and biomedical research, mental health, homelessness, education, nature conservation, disaster recovery and economic opportunity, with a focus on addressing root causes. 

In recent years, WoodNext has expanded that support to include projects related to space science, from research to programs that train future generations interested in the cosmos. Currently, WoodNext is actively growing its portfolio of astrophysics projects aimed at broadening our understanding of the universe, including research on dark energy and quantum mechanics.

“Science is one of our core areas of focus,” said WoodNext Foundation Executive Director Nancy Chan. “Our approach illustrates one of our key principles: using philanthropy to fill existing gaps. Our science grants fund people, projects or organizations that may not otherwise have the government or philanthropic support to achieve their aims.” 

The WoodNext Foundation maintains strong ties to both the state of Texas and Texas A&M. WoodNext’s longstanding legacy of giving to Texas A&M through the Texas A&M Foundation includes support for circadian clocks-based treatments for jet lag as well as functional assessment of dementia risk genes and related pharmacological interventions in the Department of Biology along with additional gifts to the College of Arts and Sciences. Other campus-wide commitments, just to name a few, span funding for multiple President’s Endowed Scholarships and Endowed Opportunity Awards, support for both the Hagler Institute for Advanced Studies and Texas A&M Libraries, and sponsorship of the Wood Stage outdoor pavilion in Aggie Park.