Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics
The Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics (SCIPP) is an organized research unit within the University of California system. SCIPP's scientific and technical staff are and have been involved in several cutting edge research projects for more than 25 years. The primary focus is experimental and theoretical particle physics and particle astrophysics, including the development of technologies needed to advance that research. SCIPP is also pursuing the application of those technologies to other scientific fields such as neuroscience and biomedicine. The Institute is recognized as a leader in the development of custom readout electronics and silicon micro-strip sensors for state-of-the-art particle detection systems. This department has several world class faculty. These faculty most often are associated with the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) or the ATLAS project at CERN.
There are many experiments being performed at any time within SCIPP but many center on Silicone Strip Particle Detectors and their properties before and after radioactive exposure. Also many of the faculty work on monte carlo simulations and tracking particles within particle colliders. Their most prominent project in recent history has been the development of the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) which searches the sky for Gamma Ray Bursts.