rapp and many of the worlds elite researchers investigate qgp through theoretical calculations that try to understand the results from major collaborative experiments that collide heavy nuclei at ultra-relativistic energies achievable with the relativistic heavy ion collider (rhic) at brookhaven and the large hadron collider (lhc) at cern these modern-day experiments seek to recreate the qgp within laboratory settings including heavy quarks or particles containing the heavy charm and bottom quarks believed to be excellent brownian markers of the qgp as it was formed in these heavy-ion collisions through the fundamental process of quarks binding together to form composite particles called hadrons modern-day experiments where atomic nuclei are accelerated and collided at high energies such as at the rhic and the lhc provide the fascinating opportunity to recreate the qgp in the laboratory 14 billion years after it last existed rapp said future experiments at the electron ion collider in the us will study fundamental aspects of cold nuclear matter enabling further probes of the fascinating phases of qcd matter in a laboratory setting and expanded insights into our universe then and now although qcd as a fundamental theory of the strong nuclear forces is well established rapp says the emergence of the properties of qcd matter from its fundamental interactions remains a great challenge in modern research he notes that the objective of this collaboration is to combine the capabilities of leading us researchers in the field to develop a rigorous and comprehensive theoretical framework to describe heavy flavors in qcd matter from the initial production of heavy quarks when the nuclei first collide to their subsequent diffusion through the qgp and their hadronization into heavy-flavor particles the qgp created in the laboratory is very short-lived and its properties have to be inferred from the thousands of particles that are produced and subsequently measured in large detectors rapp said a reliable analysis of heavy-flavor measurements requires a broad knowledge of the various processes that heavy quarks undergo throughout a nuclear collision until their final observation in experiment a depth and breadth that this team brings to the equation funding for the hefty collaboration will provide partial support for six graduate students and three postdoctoral fellows at 10 institutions as well as for a junior faculty bridge position at kent state the resulting framework will enable accurate assessments of qgp transport properties and unravel the underlying microscopic processes driving them thereby providing unprecedented insights into the inner workings of the qgp based on qcd phenomenological analyses of experimental data will take full advantage of the upcoming precision-measurement campaigns by the sphenix collaboration at the rhic and dedicated upgrade programs at the lhc while also developing connections to heavy-flavor probes at the future eic the future rhic and lhc programs place great emphasis on bottom-quark observables as its large mass allows for a greater theoretical precision than in the charm sector rapp said junior researchers will be hired to achieve these scientific goals synergizing the expertise of the senior personnel a diverse working environment of mutual respect and individual responsibility will be created enabling the junior researchers to grow into future leaders of the field