How long have you been working in sPHENIX and at what institution?
I started working on sPHENIX in the summer of 2022 as a graduate student at Lehigh University. The first task I undertook was helping with the construction of the sEPD.
What is the focus of your work on the sPHENIX experiment? What is the title of your Ph.D. or tentative title?
My focus is heavy flavor (HF), and my proposed thesis is entitled, "J/Ψ yield in sPHENIX proton+proton data." Much of my work thus far has centered on matching tracks with EMCal clusters in KFParticle, the analysis package we use for HF resonance reconstruction in sPHENIX. This capability is important for the HF program, since we need E/p for our electron ID. Most of the testing has been done with photon conversion, but I plan to try to reconstruct other resonances, including the J/Ψ, in the near future!
Also--I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my most recent contribution, which is of course helping design, install, and commission Bucket Under hCal Katching Emcal ouTflow (BUCKET). 🪣
Where did you grow up and what is your educational background before your current position?
I grew up in Warsaw, Indiana, and I got my undergraduate degree from Ball State University. I earned a BA in both physics and writing & rhetoric.
Awards or biggest talk highlight?
I was awarded the Dr. Hyo Sang Lee Graduate Fellowship Program through Lehigh University in 2023.
How did you decide to go into heavy ion or spin research?
I knew I wanted to go into high energy physics when I took a particle physics course during my undergraduate study. The college wasn't going to offer the course; however, I collected signatures from other physics majors for a petition, and we successfully convinced the admin to offer it. I ended up loving the class, so when I applied to graduate school, I only applied to institutions with high energy programs. My undergraduate advisor, Dr. David Grosnick (he works on STAR!), taught the particle physics class. He introduced me to heavy ion physics and encouraged me to apply to Lehigh, which led me to sPHENIX!
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I have too many hobbies; I don't have time to do them all! Recently, I've been learning to play chess (send me a friend request on chess.com if you have an account!!), but I also do a lot of crafting and art. I like to do fiber arts (knit, crochet), sew, paint (acrylics and digital), and write.
Fun fact?
I've been working on some designs for sPHENIX stickers, and I'm hoping to get them printed in time for the next collaboration meeting!
sPHENIX stickers created by Valerie
