April 15, 2024

Durbin Meets With Fermilab Director

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Fermilab Director Dr. Lia Merminga to receive an update on the lab’s research projects, particularly the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility/Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (LBNF/DUNE).  Durbin secured $251 million in funding for the project in the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) government funding bill passed by Congress in March. 

“National labs, like Illinois’ own Fermilab, have pushed the boundaries of scientific discovery with unmatched dedication to their research missions,” said Durbin. “During my meeting with Dr. Merminga today, I reiterated my commitment to the LBNF/DUNE project and to securing federal funds for the groundbreaking research conducted at Fermilab.”

LBNF/DUNE is an international flagship experiment to unlock the mysteries of neutrinos.  LBNF/DUNE will pursue three science goals: find out whether neutrinos could be the reason the universe is made of matter; look for subatomic phenomena that could help realize Einstein’s dream of the unification of forces; and watch for neutrinos emerging from an exploding star.

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