IRES: A New US-CERN Summer Program on ATLAS Experiment of LHC at CERN for California State University System

California State University-Fresno Foundation, Fresno CA

Investigators

Abstract

This project will provide international research experience for students from the California State University (CSU) system through collaborative research projects and educational experience on the ATLAS experiment of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland. This program will send 5 CSU students per year to work on ATLAS research projects for ATLAS Run-2 and ATLAS detector upgrades. The physics potential of incoming Run-2 will be 10 to 100 times greater than Run-1 during which the Higgs boson was discovered. The CSU students will improve the NLO Monte Carlo generators (NLOjet++, APPLGRID, etc.), perform jet cross-section related simulations and measurements with ATLAS data, extract the Parton Distribution Function (PDF), and understand systematic uncertainties in Top quark reconstruction. The measurements of spin and polarization properties of the Top quark are important tests of the Standard Model and are sensitive to new physics beyond the Standard Model. On ATLAS detector upgrades R&D, the CSU students will work on the installation and data analysis of small stand-along pixel detectors, and improving software packages in monitoring various inner detector components. On ATLAS Trigger and Data Acquisition (DAQ), the CSU students will develop associative memory variables for Fast Tracker (FTK), improve and optimize FTK variable resolution patterns, and conduct offline and online testing of FTK resolution patterns performance. The students will also attend the renowned CERN Summer Student Lecture Series given by top physicists from all over the world. The Higgs discovery by ATLAS and CMS experiments of LHC in 2012 has captured the attention and imagination of the public and students throughout the world. This International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) project will support 15 students over three years working on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. This CSU international research project is focused on the largest university system in the country with 23 campuses and total population of approximately 430,000 students. Because CSU has very large minority and first-generation college student populations, student recruitment in this project will attract underrepresented students. Upon returning to the US, student participants will give colloquia, seminars, and invited talks at CSU campuses, high schools, and local communities about their ATLAS research work and the CERN summer experience.