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Dr. Tony Noble began his journey at the University of New Brunswick. A long time resident of Fredericton and a track and field athlete, he attended UNB largely for its cross country program. Enrolling in general sciences, Dr. Noble believed he would pursue a path in medicine. Like many, he switched his focus and realized he enjoyed physics more, especially during an era of so many unanswered questions within the world of physics. He remembers having a professor who was very passionate about the new discoveries in physics and would bring excitement to the classroom, which fuelled Dr. Noble’s scientific desire to learn more. After completing a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Math from UNB, he went on to complete a Master of Science and PhD in particle physics from the University of British Columbia in 1990.
Early Work: SNO Lab
Fresh out of graduate school, Dr. Noble’s curiosity about the universe brought him to the Institute of Physics at Zürich University where he worked at CERN. CERN, The European Organization for Nuclear Research, is a research organization that houses the world’s largest particle physics laboratory. Afterwards, Dr. Noble returned to Canada, where he began his involvement with the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) experiment. As Associate Director at SNO, Dr. Noble oversaw underground operations and water radioactivity levels, critical to the success of SNO. Dr. Noble continued to be involved with the project until its completion. The SNO experiment produced extraordinary evidence about the core of the sun and neutrinos, which are subatomic particles that interact with matter through weak nuclear attractions. These results produced multiple papers, which have had over 4000 citations and led to the Nobel Prize in Physics to his colleague, Arthur McDonald. To this day, the SNOLAB continues to take part in multiple experiments centered around subatomic physics.
Career
Along with the successful SNO experiment, Dr. Noble was also a research scientist at TRIUMF, Canada’s national particle accelerator. He continued conducting research as a professor of physics at Queen’s University. Noble also became a member of the PICASSO experiment, which searched for dark matter by observing weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPS). This research led to the development of detectors that were functional for several years, producing significant results in the realm of dark matter. His contribution to particle physics research extended across multiple projects and produced numerous peer-reviewed publications. Currently, Dr. Noble is still a professor of physics at Queen’s, as well as the scientific director of the Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute. The institute employs numerous scientists, and also works with business developers, engineers, and a variety of individuals from different backgrounds. He stresses the importance of others outside of the particle physics area of expertise and how they can utilize the science in order to develop new technologies for everyday use. He has given multiple presentations around the world, in places such as Mexico, India, Japan, and Italy just to name a few. For his incredible contribution, Dr. Noble has received numerous awards such as the Ontario Distinguished Researcher Award in 2002, the John C. Polyani Prize in 2006, and more recently in 2016, he was a co-winner of Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.
Drive for Research
Dr. Noble’s drive to be a researcher is his “scientific interest to understand.” He undergoes his experiments with the sole purpose of learning and knowing what is happening in our universe. It is this natural curiosity that influenced him to take a math and physics degree, and it is still this curiosity that motivates him to continue his work. This attempt to understand is prevalent throughout our history and it is what drives most people, like Dr. Noble, to always search through the unknown.
Advice to Aspiring Math/Physics Researchers
When asked what advice he would give to future students who are on his path, Dr. Noble expresses the fundamental skills that come from a math and physics degree: critical thinking and problem solving. He states that with that knowledge, one can advance in any field they choose after university, even if it has nothing to do with their physics degree. These skills transcend into all aspects of every discipline and students should not be afraid to go after what they’re truly fascinated in. Dr. Noble recalls numerous graduates who go on to fulfill “a myriad of weird and wonderful positions” and how their application of skills they’ve acquired from their degrees, allow them to accomplish extraordinary tasks.
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