Looking for physics beyond the Standard Model with b-quark decays

The Department of Physics will present a colloquia with Assistant Professor Matthew Rudolph.

Abstract: Hints of lepton flavor non-universality in the decays of particles with b-quarks are currently some of the most promising signs for new physics beyond the Standard Model. Multiple experiments seem to find that electrons, muons, and tau leptons are not different only because of their masses. Professor Rudolph will review the experimental situation of these “b-anomalies”, including recent developments. These hints motivate ongoing searches for direct lepton flavor violation, which is often predicted by theoretical models seeking to explain the anomalies. In the near future, further results from LHCb and other experiments should be able to confirm or rule out whether we are really seeing the signs of new physics.