Welcome to the HEP group at Florida Tech!
Faculty:
Dr. Souvik Das, Dr. Marcus Hohlmann
Our main field of research is experimental High Energy Physics (HEP). We study proton-proton collisions at the largest and most energetic particle accelerator in the world, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located in Geneva, Switzerland at the European particle physics laboratory CERN. Our primary research is at the CMS experiment, one of the four large particle detectors at the LHC. We employ machine learning techniques in our physics analyses on dark matter searches and are preparing upgrades of the CMS Silicon tracker and muon system with GEMs for the High-Luminosity LHC. We also develop MPGD tracking detectors for the ePIC experiment at the future Electron-Ion Collider in the US. Since 2023, we are doing R&D on gaseous detectors for experiments at a future "Higgs Factory," e.g. at the Future Circular Collider at CERN. A former research area is the construction of a muon tomography system for detecting nuclear contraband hidden in cargo and other applications.
Demystify the universe
What is dark matter? Are there extra-dimensions of space? Are there new fundamental forces or interactions? What is the origin of mass? Why is there a matter-antimatter asymmetry in the Universe? We are searching for answers to the most fundamental questions about the mysteries of the Universe.
Develop new technology
We are using the latest detector technology to study in detail the collisions produced in the LHC. New tools are being developed to handle and analyze the enormous volume of data collected by the CMS experiment. Improved and new detectors are being developed for future high-intensity operations at the LHC.
Explore new ideas
The Standard Model of particle physics is a successful theory but still cannot explain the most fundamental questions about the Universe. Many new theories beyond the standard model have been proposed and are being tested at the LHC. We also explore new ideas to test new theories in simulations of future new particle collider experiments.
Train the next generation
We train graduate and undergraduate students at all levels in hands-on hardware work and data analysis techniques for High Energy Physics.
Florida Tech HEP Group News
- Ph.D. Students present research at International Conference: Pietro Iapozzuto, Merrick Lavinsky, and Erick Yanes presented their work on micro-pattern gas detectors at the 2024 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium in Tampa dominating one session at the conference. Pictured from left to right are Marcus Hohlmann, Merrick, Pietro, and Erick (10/28/24).
- HEP does it again at the Science & Engineering Showcase: Physics Senior Matt Romano wins the President's Cup for best science project in the College of Engineering & Science - the fourth overall showcase win by a student from Dr. Hohlmann's group (4/19/24).
- Ph.D. candidate Erick Yanes receives the award for Outstanding PSS Graduate Student of the Year at the 2024 Honors Convocation (4/11/24).
- Dr. Souvik Das is our newest HEP faculty member. He joins us from Purdue University as an assistant professor (11/15/23).
- Ph.D. student Loriza Hasa is awarded a travel grant to present a talk on top physics at the 2023 April meeting of the American Physical Society (4/7/23).
- Post-doc Tamer Elkafrawy and Ph.D. students Bandar Alsufyani and Erick Yanes participate in the CMS Upgrade Days with a poster on test stands for the GEM muon upgrade (2/7/23).
- Ph.D. students Stephen Butalla and Mehdi Rahmani take first category place in the International Machine Learning for Science (ML4SCI) hackathon for an algorithm to distinguish electron and photon clusters in a calorimeter (1/24/22)
- A group of graduate students mentored by research associate Tamer Elkafrawy at the CMS Data Analysis School at Fermilab take first place for their analysis work on contact interactions using CMS data ( 1/14/22)
- HEP group contributes to new milestone report for the new Electron-Ion Collider, 3/16/2021, BNL press release
- Florida Tech Hardware Installed in LHC 10/16/2020, FIT news item in Academics & Research
- Florida Tech Researchers Working to Upgrade Detector 9/20/2019, FIT news item from Florida Tech Ad Astra
- HEP wins big at 2019 FIT Science & Engineering Showcase: Devon Madden and Zach Paul win the President's Cup for best project in science from the College of Engineering & Science - the third overall showcase win by students from Dr. Hohlmann's group. Akshath Wikramanayake from the same group wins 'Best of Show' in Physics & Space Sciences. Congratulations to our students! 4/12/2019.
- CMS tightens its net around muons 4/7/2019, from CERN news
- Check out the abecedary of particle physics in the Florida Tech Magazine Winter 2019 issue (see page 16).
- Marcus Hohlmann and his group are featured in the "Discovery" Spring 19 Issue published by FIT (see p.3 & p.22).
- In the last week of Nov 2018, Titas Roy successfully defends her CMS dissertation on tt-bar + gamma production and Mehdi Rahmani advances to PhD candidacy. Congrats Dr. Roy and Mehdi!
- Postdoc Named Distinguished Researcher for Collider Work 10/30/2018, from Florida Tech Now
- Scientists at Large Hadron Collider Detect Important Higgs Decay 8/31/2018, from FIT Newsroom
- Higgs Boson, Top Quarks Linked for First Time in New Collider Research 06/13/2018, from FIT Newsroom
