EKU Professor Secures Over $1 Million to Expand Student Research Opportunities

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Associate Professor Dr. Jason Fry has secured more than $1 million in research funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), allowing students to gain hands-on experience in physics research at EKU and laboratories around the world.

“When students come to EKU, they have opportunities to work alongside renowned faculty in state-of-the-art labs on groundbreaking research projects,” said EKU President David McFaddin. “From our campus to international laboratories, these discoveries spark curiosity, fuel innovation and expand EKU’s reach as the School of Opportunity.”

In EKU’s Department of Physics, Geosciences and Astronomy, Fry leads the Nuclear and Particle Physics Detector Lab. His work focuses on neutron decay, a fundamental process that helps scientists understand the building blocks of the universe. While the research takes place on a small scale, it has implications as vast as galaxy formation.

Over the last five years, Fry has secured more than $800,000 in NSF research funding as a principal investigator, with an additional $300,000 as a co-principal investigator. Grants such as RUI: Testing Fundamental Symmetries in Neutron Beta Decay and LEAPS-MPS: Precision Measurements of Neutron Beta Decay support students in building and testing equipment, analyzing data and collaborating with scientists at national labs. Another award, the IRES Track I: Neutron Optics Parity and Time Violation Experiment in Japan, funds a 10-week international research experience for EKU undergraduates at Nagoya University.

“The main impact of all this funding is to help students,” said Fry. “I came to EKU because I wanted to create opportunities for students that didn’t exist here before.”

Students in Fry’s lab are directly involved in projects with national significance. From developing particle physics detectors and computing systems to presenting at conferences, EKU undergraduates gain résumé-building experiences and expand their professional networks. Students have the opportunity to travel to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a federally funded research center in Tennessee, and participate in international collaborations.

“We can actually tell students that they’ll have the chance to work on projects at national labs and even travel abroad to study fundamental science,” said Fry. “That brings a whole new meaning to what it means to be the School of Opportunity.”

Jasmine Shim, a senior physics major from San Francisco, is one of the students working in Fry’s lab, where she has been timing energy calibrations for a larger project at ORNL. She believes the department has been incredibly welcoming, especially Fry, who she says takes time to build relationships with his students.

“Once I met Dr. Fry, the opportunities were endless,” said Shim. “It’s an honor to work with him, because he truly cares about our education and being the next generation in the research industry. I’m not surprised he has secured that much funding, because he’s a pioneer in the field.”

Shim was selected as the undergraduate representative for the EKU Research Advisory Council (ERAC), a council that guides the university’s research efforts. She’s excited to use her role to help cultivate stronger research programs for all students.

Fry was recently named to the 2025-26 EKU Faculty Research Fellowship program, which supports research growth across campus by promoting funding opportunities, mentoring colleagues and celebrating research.

By Jake Hall