Molecules containing heavy metals are extremely important in science and industry, with applications spanning materials development to fundamental understanding of physics. This project aims to identify molecules that can be used to study one of the most basic mysteries about our universe: why it is composed of matter, rather than anti-matter. In particular, the PI and undergraduate students will use lasers to study the wavelengths of light absorbed by molecules containing copper, silver, and gold. They will then use state-of-the-art models to connect these measurements to information about fundamental particle physics. The work in this laboratory involves building laser and optical systems, designing electronics, and using specialized software to collect and analyze data. This work is located at a primarily undergraduate institution (Williams College) where students can become research partners from very early on in their education. Undergraduate students will have the opportunity to contribute to the experimental work, building skills for academia and industry. Students will collaborate on presentations at conferences and journal publications. These students often go on to graduate school in physics, chemistry, engineering, or related fields. This research program will study molecules that can be prepared at ultracold temperatures for next-generation precision measurements of fundamental symmetry violation. Over the past several decades, precision spectroscopy of molecu