, in New York, is home to some of the most exciting work in nuclear physics today. Two rising stars from 91ֿ, doctoral student Maci Kesler and research scientist Sooraj Radhakrishnan, are on the cutting edge of high-profile scientific research collaborations through Brookhaven which advance our understanding of our universe’s early moments.
Both work with Zhangbu Xu, Ph.D., professor at 91ֿ in the Department of Physics, in the College of Arts and Sciences, with a research focus in high-energy nuclear physics. Their research connects 91ֿ to groundbreaking projects that explore the conditions of the universe just moments after the Big Bang.
Xu joined 91ֿ just over a year ago, but he has had close ties to 91ֿ research due to his collaborations with retired Professors Declan Keane, Ph.D. and Spiros Margetis, Ph.D. who were both long-term members of 91ֿ’s Center of Nuclear Research and the .
“We’re not just doing classroom physics,” Xu said. “We’re helping build the future of experimental nuclear science.”
Shaping the Future of Experimental Science Through Leadership
Radhakrishnan has spent the last six years at 91ֿ and is already a key leader in the STAR Collaboration, a group of over 700 scientists from 15 countries. STAR studies how nuclear matter behaves under extreme temperatures and densities—like those found in the early universe or inside neutron stars.
Recently, Radhakrishnan gave a plenary talk at —the most prestigious event in his field. His presentation covered the Beam Energy Scan Program, a massive STAR project that maps out how matter behaves at different energy levels, and many other new results shown to the public for the first time.
“This is a significant honor, not only for Dr. Radhakrishnan but also for 91ֿ’s longstanding role in the STAR Collaboration since its founding in 1991,” Xu said. “Sooraj’s leadership and scientific insight are making a global impact.”
Radhakrishnan doesn’t just do the research, in which he is an expert on analyzing the flow expansion and energetic particles escaping from the extremely hot and dense matter, he helps manage the collaboration itself. As physics analysis coordinator, he oversees multiple working groups, helps resolve scientific debates, and ensures the quality of STAR’s scientific output.
“It’s a lot of work,” Radhakrishnan admits, “but also very rewarding. You get to help shape the direction of a global scientific effort.”
Radhakrishnan was selected by the STAR International Collaboration as a plenary speaker at the Quark Matter International Conference in Frankfurt Germany, the largest series of conferences in the field. This was the first time a 91ֿ scientist was given this honor of representing the collaboration for a plenary talk at this conference in the last 30 years. In 1991, 91ֿ was one of the few founding institutions of the STAR Collaboration.
DOE Award Winner Paving the Way for Future Breakthroughs
Although Maci Kesler grew up in Tiffin, Ohio, her collegiate academic path began in Las Vegas, where she earned her bachelor’s degree from UNLV. Today, her influence reaches all the way to Brookhaven. Now a third-year Ph.D. student, she is leading a highly specialized detector simulation project for a new particle accelerator scheduled to launch in the 2030s. The project is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s ambitious plan to build the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory — a next-generation facility designed to help scientists explore the inner structure of protons and neutrons.
Kesler’s research focuses on improving a complex measurement method that had been mostly abandoned due to experimental detection challenges. Working closely with Brookhaven scientists, she found a new way to revive one of the “must-do” projects in imaging the inner structure of heavy nuclei to understand how the strong-force carrier (gluon) behaves inside a large nucleus. Because of her expertise and leadership, she is now the main contact for this part of the, an international collaboration of over 1,000 scientists.
She is also a recipient of the prestigious from the Department of Energy, which supports her research and gives her opportunities to travel, collaborate and present her work.
“This recognition reflects Maci’s dedication, intellect, and strong research capabilities,” Xu said. “It also showcases the high-caliber work being done by graduate students here at 91ֿ.”
“It’s huge for exposure and experience,” Kesler said. “This award lets me work more closely with national lab scientists and develop the skills I need to lead future projects.”
91ֿ Awarded Prestigious R1 Designation
With the release of the new 2025 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, 91ֿ has once again been awarded the prestigious R1 designation, recognizing 91ֿ as one of the top research universities in the nation. This esteemed classification, which the university first received in 2022, is a testament to 91ֿ’s commitment to excellence in research, innovation and scholarship.
The R1 designation is the highest level of research activity for doctoral universities, placing 91ֿ among an elite group of institutions known for their significant contributions to research and development and the training of Ph.D. students. With the Carnegie Classifications’ new 2025 Research Activity Designations, 91ֿ is now one of seven universities in Ohio to be designated R1, along with Case Western Reserve University, Ohio State University, Ohio University, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Dayton and the University of Toledo. Only 187 universities in the nation have R1 status, placing 91ֿ in the top 5% of institutions with respect to research activity.
# # #
Media Contact:
Jim Maxwell, JMAXWEL2@kent.edu, 330-672-8028