Carleton University physics researcher Mark Boulay has been awarded the prestigious 2025 CAP-TRIUMF Vogt Medal for Contributions to Subatomic Physics. An international leader in particle physics, Boulay is being recognized for his important contributions to the search for dark matter using liquid argon to detect the smallest particles in our universe.
The medal recognizes and encourages significant experimental or theoretical contributions to subatomic physics, and is co-presented by Canada’s particle accelerator centre, TRIUMF, and the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP), representing over 1600 physicists and students in Canada and abroad.
The inaugural medal was awarded to Carleton Distinguished Research Professor David Sinclair in 2011—a world-class researcher who Boulay has worked with at Canada’s underground dark matter and neutrino laboratory, SNOLAB.
“I am deeply honoured to receive the 2025 CAP-TRIUMF Vogt Medal. It is a privilege to work within the exceptional and dedicated subatomic physics community in Canada,” said Carleton physics researcher Mark Boulay. “This recognition is a reflection of the efforts of many talented collaborators, including students and post-doctoral researchers who contribute so much to our work. I share this achievement with all of them.”
Boulay seeks to increase our understanding of the universe by capturing and analyzing dark matter particles. His most notable accomplishments highlighted with this medal presentation include his leadership on the DEAP and Darkside-20k experimental programs and the development of pulse shape discrimination to reduce backgrounds in dark matter searches.
“Mark Boulay is well-deserving of the CAP-TRIUMF Vogt Medal, as his work is paving the way for the next generation of dark matter detectors,” says Rafik Goubran, vice-president (Research and International), Carleton University. “I see Boulay’s work at the forefront of particle physics now and into the future.”
For more information, see the official medal announcement.