image: Dr. Kevin J. Kelly
Credit: Texas A&M University College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Kevin J. Kelly, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University and a member of the George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the American Physical Society’s Henry Primakoff Award for Early-Career Particle Physics in recognition of his contributions and promising career potential in fundamental particle physics and cosmology.
Kelly, who joined the Texas A&M faculty in 2022, works at the interface of two of the biggest outstanding mysteries in particle physics: the origin of neutrino masses and the nature of dark matter in the universe. His research spans the smallest scales to the largest, focusing on current and next-generation experiments with the potential to shed light on both through new physics in the neutrino sector and the ongoing search for light dark matter and any associated new particles that may exist in that realm.
“By studying the capabilities of these experiments, not only can we determine how they can extract all possible information out of their data, but we can also explore whether there are connections between the two mysteries of neutrino mass and dark matter,” Kelly said.
Established in 2011 by the APS Division of Particles and Fields, the Primakoff Award is bestowed annually to physicists who have received a Ph.D. within the last seven years in recognition of accomplishments in both experimental and theoretical particle physics. It is supported by the Henry Primakoff Lecture Fund, created by members of the physics department at the University of Pennsylvania, where Henry Primakoff was a professor.
Kelly is cited “for significant contributions to our understanding of the neutrino sector and proposing novel directions and search strategies, bolstering the physics output of current and future neutrino experiments.” He will be presented with his award, which includes $3,000 and a certificate, at a future APS meeting, where he will deliver an invited lecture on his research.
“We are very happy to congratulate Dr. Kelly on this achievement, said Dr. Grigory Rogachev, professor and head of Texas A&M Physics and Astronomy. "Receiving a prestigious award from the APS so early in his career is an amazing launching pad. Dr. Kelly is an outstanding recent addition to the already strong effort in theoretical particle physics at Texas A&M University.”
Kelly earned his Ph.D. in physics at Northwestern University in 2018 and spent three years as a postdoctoral research associate in the theory group at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (2018-2021), then a year as a senior fellow in the Department of Theoretical Physics at CERN (2021-2022) prior to coming to Texas A&M. In addition to authoring nearly 50 publications, he serves as a journal referee for Physical Review Letters, Physical Review D and the Journal of High Energy Physics. An in-demand speaker in both national and international circles, Kelly has helped organize multiple conferences and workshops, including EuCAPT Symposium 2022 and PONDD 2018. He is also active in physics outreach, organizing Neutrino University 2019 and participating in the Saturday Morning Physics programs at both Fermilab and Texas A&M along with the annual Texas A&M Physics and Engineering Festival.
The nonprofit American Physical Society, which works to advance physics by fostering a vibrant, inclusive and global community dedicated to science and society, represents more than 50,000 members, including physicists in academia, national laboratories and industry in the United States and around the world.
Learn more about APS honors and recognition programs or about Kelly and his teaching, research and service activities at Texas A&M.
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By Shana K. Hutchins, Texas A&M University College of Arts and Sciences