The Division of Nuclear Physics (DNP) of the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) is pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2023-24 DNP PhD Thesis Prize is Dr. Yukiya Saito.
![Dr. Yukiya Saito](https://dnp.cap.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/YukiyaSaito-2023-24-thesis-prize-winner-headshot-201x300-1.jpg)
Photo of Dr. Yukiya Saito
Dr. Saito was awarded his Ph.D. by the University of British Columbia in 2023 for his thesis “Development of Statistical Tools for Studies of the Rapid Neutron Capture Process”, under the supervision of Dr. Iris Dillmann (TRIUMF) and Dr. Reiner Krücken (TRIUMF/UBC).
Dr. Saito’s thesis focused on understanding the origin of the elements heavier than iron in the raipd neutron capture process (r-process), through the development of statistical and machine learning tools to quantify the impact of various nuclear physics uncertainties on r-process nucleosyntheis.
Dr. Saito is invited to give a talk at the next CAP Annual Congress and will receive a cash award of $1,000 from the DNP. A two-page summary of his thesis work will appear in an upcoming issue of Physics in Canada.
This prize was set up in 2005 by the DNP, to be awarded in Experimental or Theoretical Nuclear Physics to any student receiving their Ph.D. degree from a Canadian University in the current or prior calendar year.