The anomalous magnetic moment of the muon ($a_{\mu} \equiv (g_{\mu} - 2)/2$) provides a strict test of the standard model of particle physics, as it can be both calculated and measured to extremely high precision. The Muon $g-2$ Experiment at Fermilab recently published its final results, in which $a_{\mu}$ was determined to a precision of 127 parts-per-billion via careful measurement of the spin precession of a stored muon beam in the $1.45$\,T field of a magnetic storage ring. This represents a more than four-fold improvement over the previous generation experimental result. This talk will present an overview of the experimental technique and analysis, some systematic evaluations that were performed in the lead up to the final publication, and a discussion of the current state of the standard model prediction and the tensions therein.
Biosketch:
Josh LaBounty is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Washington in 2024, where he worked on the detector systems and precession frequency analysis for the Muon g-2 Experiment at Fermilab. He is now working on simulation and early hardware development for the PIONEER experiment, which focuses on probing lepton flavor universality through precision measurement of rare pion decays. He also has volunteered with oSTEM, an organization which focuses on empowering LGBTQ+ people in STEM fields.