Grant: Subatomic Physics Envelope - Major Resources Support Program

This proposal requests support for highly qualified technical personnel at Queen's with a broad range of expertise in construction and operation of large particle astrophysics projects and supporting activities. The Queen's Particle Astrophysics group, with a current total of over 30 researchers (including faculty, post-docs, students and technical personnel) has acquired unique expertise in design and construction of large-scale low-background underground projects probing the fundamental nature and building blocks of our universe, starting with the original development of the SNO project, through to construction of new projects at SNOLAB; this expertise and technical personnel represent a significant and valuable resource to the broader subatomic physics community in Canada. In support of the original SNO program, Queen's developed a world-leading facility for ultra-sensitive radon emanation and low-background measurements, and continues to operate that facility, now in support of several next-generation low-background projects. Queen's also has an experienced technician with expertise in hardware and software interfacing for control electronics, and a mechanical engineer with extensive cryogenics design experience, and expertise in design and construction planning for large underground projects. We are requesting support for three technical personnel: one technician for operation of the radon emanation facility, one technician for hardware interfacing/control projects, and a mechanical engineer, with plans to integrate requests and work assignments for these personnel within a larger multi-institutional prioritization board.