My journey
“Behind the effort there is passion, behind the passion there are people with the courage to try.”
Arthur B. McDonald, 2015
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About me
About me
Associate Professor, University of Alberta (UofA), McDonald Institute (MI)
Teaching :
PHYS 130: Wave Motion, Optics, and Sound (Fall term)
PHYS 397: Projects in Experimental Physics (Winter term)
PHYS 495/595: Dark Matter (Winter term)
Areas of expertise: Particle physics * Dark matter * Purification techniques and assay * New detector technology and R&D * Low WIMP masses * Directionality detectors * Data analysis * Background simulations and detector modeling (MC, Geant4, COMSOL, machine learning)
McDonald Institute Launch, Kingston ON - May 2018
Background and expertise
Background and expertise
XENON1T commissioning at LNGS (Gran Sasso, Italy) - October 2015
Throughout my career, I have been involved in several international dark matter search projects for the commissioning of the detectors as the expert on-site and data analysis on various detection techniques such as:
Superheated liquid of fluorocarbon dispersed in a polymerized gel for the PICASSO (Project In Canada to Search for Supersymmetric Objects) experiment at SNOLAB in Canada,
High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors operated at millikelvin (mK) temperatures for the EDELWEISS-III experiment at the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane (LSM) in France, and
The world’s largest (ton scale) double-phase Xenon Time Projection Chamber (TPC) for the XENON1T experiment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in Italy.
Current work and research interests
Current work and research interests
Surpassing challenges of ultra-sensitive detection by developing techniques to remove the main contaminants such as radon.
Developing new directionality technologies for current and future dark matter (DM) detectors.
Understanding detector behavior from theoretical perspectives by analyzing data and comparison to simulations.
Developing new calibration tools for low-energy detector technologies.
Exploring new DM theories and novel signatures with experimental tests.
Discovering the mysteries of our Universe ...
NEWS-G detector installation at LSM (Modane, France) - Summer 2019
Mentorship - Research group
Mentorship - Research group
Scientific community and beyond
Scientific community and beyond
OUTREACH
Mentoring and making physics accessible to the public have always been priorities for me. I attach particular importance to outreach activities, writing scientific communications, and enhancing public awareness of physics.
Participating in conferences and networking activities (TeamUP Sciences, CAP tour, CUPC, CCUWIP).
Developing outreach projects targeting high school students where undergraduate/graduate students can actively participate (demonstrations, seminars, etc.)
Organizing lab tours, open houses, public events (colloquium for DM Day), and highlighting our work and passion for research.
Dark Matter Day at the UofA - Octobre 2019
As a member of the Outreach/Science Fairs/Open House committee in the Department of Physics at the University of Alberta (UofA), I have created videos:
I am also working with my colleague Ian Doktor to integrate particle physics activities for High school students but also resources with a broad range of materials for teachers.
Resources for High School (Students and Teachers)
In addition, I help promote career and job opportunities for students:
>>>>> Career opportunities in Physics and Career toolbox!
In my current role in the Physics recruitment committee at the University of Alberta, career development of our students (undergraduate/graduate), postdocs, and RAs is a top priority, offering:
Student support and activities, and
Career and employment resources.
Thanks to many sponsors including TRIUMF, SNOLAB, Perimeter Institute, MI, and the Institute for Particle Physics (IPP), there are Schools available for students to gain skills with experts in the field:
EQUITY DIVERSITY INCLUSION (EDI)
Every day we can act to increase awareness about EDI by creating a welcoming climate of collaboration within our groups and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to be heard and to participate.
Thanks to the support of the Department of Physics at the University of Alberta (UofA), I have undertaken several initiatives such as :
Offering summer programs to improve EDI in the sciences.
By organizing group meetings and EDI workshops within my team.
Participating in talks and group discussions.
If you would like to know more about EDI in sciences at the UofA and elsewhere, then click here >>> EDI RESOURCES
Open house at the UofA - October 2019
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