Title: The Next Big Discovery: The Hunt for Sterile Neutrinos and the Secluded Sector.

Abstract:

The goal of nuclear and high-energy physics is to study the basic forces and particles of nature, which are currently encapsulated in the Standard Model. Any additions or extensions to the Standard Model would be revolutionary and would have broad implications for the origin and evolution of the Universe. A unique and exciting opportunity to search for a new fundamental particle, the sterile neutrino, exists with the HEP P5 endorsed Stage I approved Short Baseline Neutrino (SBN) program at FNAL. This program is an extension of the LANL led LSND and MiniBooNE experiments that first found evidence for sterile neutrinos over the past two decades. In this talk I will outline the SBN program that is rapidly taking shape at FNAL, details of the detectors, and the overall sterile neutrino search sensitivity. I will also touch on the connection of sterile neutrinos to the secluded sector and how the SBN, via beam dump running, is an ideal platform for such a search. There is a real potential for discoveries at the SBN over the next decade, and results are eagerly anticipated!