U.S. Department of Energy-funded research explores new forms of matter and creates opportunities for students

At Arizona State University’s College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (CISA), Associate Professor Michael Dugger in the School of Applied Sciences and Arts is leading research that pushes the boundaries of how scientists understand the universe’s smallest building blocks.

Supported by a $430,000 U.S. Department of Energy grant from September 2025 through August 2028, Dugger and the ASU Meson Physics Group in ASU’s Department of Physics are uncovering new forms of matter that could reshape our understanding of the forces holding the universe together.

Dugger works as part of a multinational collaboration using advanced particle detectors such as GlueX at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Virginia. GlueX is a particle physics experiment designed to search for and study exotic hybrid mesons. Mesons are tiny particles made of one quark and one antiquark that help hold atomic nuclei together.

“The ASU Meson Physics Group is attempting to measure exotic new states of multi-quark matter that have been predicted but not experimentally verified,” Dugger said. Quarks are fundamental particles in physics that combine to form larger composite particles, such as protons and neutrons, which make up atomic nuclei. Common multi-quark systems make up most of the visible mass in the universe.

“We wish to test the theory that governs such systems, quantum chromodynamics,” Dugger explained. Quantum chromodynamics, or QCD, is the theory that describes how quarks and gluons interact to form matter, specifically, how they combine to create hadrons like protons and neutrons through the strong nuclear force. “Overall, the hope is that our understanding of nuclear matter will be enhanced as we map out all of the possible types of measurable multi-quark systems,” said Dugger. Testing the theory and measuring these exotic states are part of the same process — each experiment challenges and refines scientists’ understanding of how quarks and gluons interact.

The research focuses on understanding the rules of quantum chromodynamics. To test those rules, Dugger’s group studies data collected from the GlueX detector, which uses polarized photon beams to reveal how subatomic particles come together. While the work is experimental, it connects to practical advances in detector instrumentation, accelerator science and applied nuclear techniques.

“There are no known practical uses for exotic multi-quark systems of particles,” Dugger said. “However, by understanding nuclear systems better, there is always the possibility that we could improve our control of nuclear reactions.”

Hands-on experience is central to Dugger’s approach. By directly involving undergraduate and graduate students in analyzing detector data, developing experimental tools and presenting findings, Dugger connects classroom learning to global-scale research.

His mentorship reflects the CISA’s commitment to a research-driven environment, giving students opportunities to participate in innovative, interdisciplinary projects that expand their technical skills and understanding of the natural world, so they can pursue careers in these growing fields.

“I currently have two undergraduate students and two graduate students working on different explorations of multi-quark systems arising from data taken with the GlueX detector,” Dugger said.

One of his students, Alan Gardner, is expected to graduate this fall with his doctoral degree in physics from ASU’s Department of Physics, an academic unit within The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Dugger’s federally funded scientific research demonstrates how CISA collaborates across units, campuses, research organizations and international borders to empower students to take part in discovery at the edge of human knowledge and to contribute to the scientific questions that empower us to define and understand the universe itself.

Although the immediate industrial applications of this advanced research may be limited, the methods and technologies developed through high-energy physics often ripple outward — influencing areas such as medical imaging, radiation detection and materials testing.

If you are interested in joining Dugger’s research team, contact him at [email protected] for more information.