lauren douglas - indico.cern.ch
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Lauren DouglasPhD Student on the LHCb experiment
Lauren Douglas - LHCb 1
Introduction
• Currently in 2nd year of PhD• Based at the University of Glasgow, UK• At CERN for 18 months from October 2017• How did I get here?• What do I do now?
Lauren Douglas - LHCb 2
How did I get here?
• Pre degree…• Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science
• Undergraduate degree: University of Warwick, Physics• Started on Maths course, switched to Physics
• Integrated Masters (MPhys BSc) 2:1
• 2010-2014
• Modules I liked best:
• Anything particle physics or QM…
• Anything mathsy...
• Anything programmy…
• Visited CERN as part of degree
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How did I get here?• Undergraduate degree: University of Warwick, Physics• Masters’ project : • Evidence of!"# → %&#'( decays• LHCb experiment• Observation of new
decay mode for very first time – cool! • My first taste of real
experimental particle physics• Didn’t go straight to
PhD…Lauren Douglas - LHCb 4)*+ ,-**
How did I get here?• Selex ES (Now Leonardo UK) –
Edinburgh• Software engineer (2014-2016)• Previous summer internship (2013)• Eurofighter Typhoon CAPTOR-E
nose radar control software• Exposure to engineering lifecycle
and development of good software practice• Experience working with people
from different engineeringfunctions• Very cool stuff, but I missed physics!
And wanted to do more data analysis.Lauren Douglas - LHCb 5
How did I get here?• University of Glasgow
• PhD in experimental particle physics (2016 – 2020)• Offered STFC funded position after interview• STFC funding:
• Science & Technologies Funding Council• Can include a 12-18 month (funded) placement at CERN
known as a Long Term Attachment (LTA) • Positions will be advertised as STFC funded
• Currently in my 2nd year of research, and 6 months into my LTA here at CERN• Still on LHCb experiment, different research topic to my
masters…
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What I do now
• CP Violation • When matter is created from pure energy,
equal amounts of particles and antiparticlesare generated.• But the universe is almost entirely made of
particles – and few antiparticles!• Where did all the antimatter go?• "CP-Violating effects” might explain!• Look for evidence of these
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What I do now• LHCb experiment – one of many at CERN!• Optimised for heavy quark physics (bottom and
charm)• Cone shaped detector as opposed to ATLAS &
others (cylindrical) • Measuring parameters of CP violation in
interactions of heavy quark hadrons• Rare decays - possibly see new physics??• I analyse data using C++ and Python• I am involved in the operation of the detector
and do shifts• I also contribute to detector software
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Summary
• Liked science & computing at school• Obtained physics degree• With emphasis on particle physics & programming modules
• Spent 2 years in the real world gaining software experience• Not compulsory, but has been useful!
• Now STFC funded PhD Student, spending 18 months at CERN
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Thanks for listening!