Parno Appointed Associate Head of Physics Department
Heidi Opdyke
- Associate Dean of Marketing and Communications, MCS
- Email opdyke@andrew.cmu.edu
- Phone 412-268-9982
Carnegie Mellon University has appointed Diana Parno, Falco DeBenedetti Associate Professor of Physics, as the new associate head of the Department of Physics in Carnegie Mellon University, effective Sept. 1.
A respected physicist and educator, Parno brings scientific expertise and a strong commitment to mentorship and inclusion to her new leadership role.
Physics Department Head Rachel Mandelbaum said that Parno will work with her on strategic initiatives. In the coming year, this could include supporting implementation of new or modified educational programs and working with the department to chart a pathway for future hires.
“Physics made many faculty hires between 2017-2023, and following a successful external review of the department in 2023, it’s time to identify and prioritize future areas for departmental investment that builds on the strengths of our fantastic junior faculty and provides them with opportunities for scientific leadership,” Mandelbaum said. “As one of the most senior of those hires, Diana is well placed to provide a perspective that is centered on ensuring junior faculty are well-supported and have opportunities for leadership in new directions that the department may pursue.”
Parno is a leading researcher in the physics of the neutrino, a fundamental particle generated in particle decays and nuclear reactions and that, in the Standard Model of particle physics, interacts via the weak force.
Neutrinos are among the most abundant particles in the universe, yet they remain some of the most mysterious. Parno’s work focuses on understanding their elusive properties — particularly their mass and their interactions with nuclei — through international collaborations like the KATRIN experiment in Germany and the COHERENT experiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. She serves as analysis co-coordinator for both projects and is the U.S. spokesperson for KATRIN. She is also a member of the Project 8 collaboration, which aims for a next-generation neutrino-mass measurement, and co-PI on the TRIMS experiment, which explores the molecular physics of tritium sources.
Parno earned her Ph.D. in 2011 at Carnegie Mellon. She joined the Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics (CENPA) at the University of Washington as a postdoctoral researcher. She served as the Associate Director of CENPA and was named a research assistant professor at UW before returning to Carnegie Mellon in 2017. She has since become a key figure in the department and the broader physics community.
“I’m honored to join Rachel’s departmental leadership team. CMU’s physics department provided me with excellent training, and its warmth and dynamic science drew me back,” Parno said. “I am excited to give back and help the department realize its visions for our scientific and educational future.”
Beyond her research, Parno is a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion in science. She co-authored the widely used guide LGBT+ Inclusivity in Physics and Astronomy and helped host the American Physical Society’s Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics in Pittsburgh.
