How long have you been working in sPHENIX and at what institution?
I joined sPHENIX in July 2024 as a first-year master student at Nara Women's University. I have been working on the sPHENIX experiment for about a year and a half.
What is the focus of your work on the sPHENIX experiment? What is the title of your Ph.D. or tentative title?
Now I am developing a track reconstruction method based on silicon detectors and calorimeters, with the Silicon-Calo tracking group. My focus is the measurement of K0S meson production in p+p collisions. In my research, I have recently incorporated KFParticle, the analysis package used for Heavy Flavor resonance reconstruction in sPHENIX. By using this framework, I can determine the decay vertex of K0S with high precision in MC simulation. For further detailed analysis, I plan to reconstruct K0S using real data as well.
Where did you grow up and what is your educational background before your current position?
I was born in Osaka, Japan. When I was three years old, I moved to Ibaraki, where I spent most of my childhood. At the age of 18, I moved to Nara to study at Nara Women's University. It has been six years since I moved here.
How did you decide to go into heavy ion or spin research?
When I started studying physics at my university, I became interested in large-scale experiments and working together with international collaborators. It was a valuable opportunity for me to stay at BNL and conduct research in the field of high-energy heavy-ion physics.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love listening to jazz and have been playing the tenor saxophone since I was 13 years old. During my time at BNL, I visited Manhattan on my days off and attended concerts at places like Blue Note New York and Village Vanguard jazz club, which were very exciting.
Fun fact?
Although I got my driver’s license in Japan four years ago, I had almost no driving experience. While staying at BNL last year, I decided to practice driving around the site, and eventually I could drive on my own. My goal was to drive by myself from BNL to the nearest Walmart—and I’m happy to say I finally achieved it!