The sPHENIX: Unlocking Mysteries of the Early Universe

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is one of the United States’ premier multidisciplinary research institutions, managed by the Department of Energy (DOE) and operated by Brookhaven Science Associates—a partnership between Stony Brook University and Battelle Memorial Institute[2][5]. Located on Long Island, New York, about 60 miles east of Manhattan, BNL spans over 5,200 acres and is home to roughly 3,000 scientists, engineers, and support staff, as well as thousands of visiting researchers annually[1][3]. The lab’s mission is to address the nation’s energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology, supporting both basic and applications-driven research[1][7]. Established in 1947 as the first large-scale research facility in the northeastern U.S., BNL was originally conceived for nuclear research but has since expanded its focus to include high-energy physics, materials science, environmental and climate research, energy, nonproliferation, structural biology, and accelerator physics[3]. The lab is renowned for its state-of-the-art facilities, including the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), and the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, with plans to host the future Electron Ion Collider[5]. These tools enable interdisciplinary research and attract collaborators from academia, industry, and other national labs. BNL’s scientific legacy includes seven Nobel Prize-winning discoveries and 37 R&D 100 Awards, reflecting its impact across physics, chemistry, and technology[1][2][4]. The lab’s workforce development and science education programs involve over 30,000 participants each year, fostering the next generation of scientists and engineers[1]. In fiscal year 2024, the lab hosted more than 7,200 guest researchers, underscoring its role as a global hub for scientific collaboration[1]. Today, BNL continues to push the boundaries of