As neutrino experiments grow larger and more precise, understanding how neutrinos interact with nuclei has become essential for turning detector signals into discoveries. With upcoming mega-scale neutrino experiments such as DUNE and HyperK- gearing up, fully realizing their discovery potential increasingly depends on how well we understand neutrino–nucleus interactions. These experiments combine intense neutrino beams with massive, high-precision detectors to study neutrino properties and search for weakly interacting physics beyond the Standard Model. Interpreting their data requires accurate modeling of neutrino interactions over a wide energy range, from tens of MeV to a few GeV, where nuclear and particle physics meet. In this colloquium, I will provide a broad overview of this challenge, highlight recent progress, and discuss ongoing efforts that connect theory and experiment to meet the demands of the next generation of neutrino research.

This lecture was made possible by the William C. Ferguson Fund.