Research

The main goal of this research is to gain a better understanding of the conditions under which a QGP may be formed, including defining and searching for new QGP signatures in collision environments previously thought unable to produce a QGP and to continue to refine our characterization of the QGP. The heavy ion program at the ATLAS experiment has achieved great success studying heavy ion collisions, but numerous questions concerning the QGP and other fundamental physics remain.  

Recent results have suggested that a QGP may be formed even in proton-proton collisions defying previous assumptions; definitively identifying QGP signatures in such collisions remains an exciting and open topic. The achievement of this goal will be accomplished by employing novel analysis techniques to ATLAS collision data.

The proposed research will provide for the development and eventual construction of new radiation hard Zero Degree Calorimeter (ZDC) detectors for the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The currently installed ZDC at the LHC have been refurbished and improved for Run 3, however their design is not compatible with the modifications planned for the LHC tunnels for Run 4. Together with our collaborators we will produce a robust High Luminosity-ZDC for LHC Run 4.

The far-forward region is key to the ePIC experiment and the overall EIC physics goals.  In our group we are developing a silicon based charged particle tracker and scintillating crystal based electromagnetic calorimeter all of which must fit in the bore of the B0 magnet!