How long have you been working in sPHENIX and at what institution?
I’ve been working with sPHENIX since October 2023, when I was an undergrad at Nara Women’s University. I’m now a second-year master’s student, so it’s been almost two years since I joined!
What is the focus of your work on the sPHENIX experiment? What is the thesis title (if known)?
Since joining the sPHENIX experiment, I’ve been part of the INTT detector group.
I’ve been working on reconstructing the collision vertex position in the beam direction (Z-vertex) using the INTT detector.
I’m very grateful that I had the opportunity to discuss my analysis with many members of the collaboration. I learned a lot and had a truly valuable experience.
Moving forward, I’ll continue my analysis for my master’s thesis. I’m particularly interested in tracking analysis with calorimeter.
Where did you grow up and what is your educational background before your current position?
I was born in Kobe, Japan. I moved to Nara for university and completed my undergraduate degree at Nara Women’s University.
sPHENIX is the first international experiment I’ve been involved in, and it’s been an exciting experience!
Awards or biggest talk highlight?
I haven’t received any awards or given a major talk yet, but presenting a poster at Hard Probes 2024 in Nagasaki was my biggest conference experience so far.
How did you decide to go into heavy ion or spin research?
I’ve been fascinated by space and astrophysics since I was a child — I even stayed up all night at observatories to watch the stars. I always thought it was exciting to imagine how the universe began.
Later, while studying physics at university, I learned that quark-gluon plasma existed just after the Big Bang, and studying it can help us understand the early universe. That’s what sparked my interest in heavy-ion physics.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I really like music!
I’ve been playing the piano since I was 2 years old, and I started playing the euphonium in junior high school. (It’s not a very well-known instrument, so I’d be happy if this document helps someone get to know it!)
Music has always been a big part of my life, and I want to keep playing for as long as I can. I really believe: no music, no life!
Fun fact?
I’m a huge tea lover. During my shifts at sPHENIX, I usually drank 4–5 cups of tea a day! Let me know if you know any good tea spots — I’m always looking for more!