Ongoing Research

I currently work on the ATLAS experiment where I focus on measuring rare Standard Model processes and using rare SM processes as a tool for the discovery of particles beyond the SM. I also work on the proposed MATHUSLA experiment, which is a possible future detector that will allow us to discover long-lived particles that are produced in LHC collisions but pass through existing detectors completely invisibly before they decay many metres later. For further information, please see my research page.

Previous research

Searches for long-lived particles at ATLAS

I worked on searches for hadronically-decaying long-lived, neutral particles in ATLAS, with a focus on the reconstruction of decays in the muon spectrometer. My main contributions were improving the Run-2 triggers for displaced decays, characterising the the performance of displaced decays in monte carlo (MC) simulation and 13 TeV data, and improving the displaced vertex reconstruction algorithm for both algorithm robustness and timing performance.

Phenomenology study: Data-driven Model-independent Searches for Long-lived Particles

One of the interests I have developed over my time on ATLAS is in designing searches to be optimally recast able by the theory community. To this end, I worked with two theorists and two experimentalists on a paper outlining a method for model-independent searches for long-lived particles. This approach allows us to perform a coarse, topology-based search, covering a much larger area of phase space than the currently published analysis.

UVic Physics and Astronomy EDI Committee Chair (Jan 2024 - present)

CAP Particle Physics Division (vice) chair (July 2023 - July 2025)

ATLAS Analysis Model Group Convener (May 2022 - Sept 2023)

Coordination of the development of common software tools and best practices for analysis on ATLAS. This includes common analysis framework development and design, incorporation of modern analysis techniques, evolution of the analysis model for the High-Lumi LHC, tutorials and training, and ensuring a consistent tool base for the access and use of physics objects in analyses. Data storage, CPU usage, and ease-of-use are all considerations that fall under the AMG umbrella.

ATLAS Standard Model Electroweak Subgroup Convener (Oct 2019 - Sept 2021)

The Standard Model Electroweak subgroup contains ~30 ongoing analyses and over 200 researchers at any given time. The anlayses in our group include precision differental diboson measurements, searches/first observation of rare SM multi-boson processes, and effective field theory interpretations.

ATLAS B-physics and Light States trigger coordination (Oct 2017 - April 2019)

I coordinated the B-physics and Light states trigger group, managing a team of around ten physicists to ensure the optimal performance of triggers selecting B-meson (and other light state) candidates. This has involved close collaboration with both the physics analyses within the B-physics and Light States Working Group and the trigger community. During my tenure as coordinator, I have:

• Developed triggers targeting new final states that ATLAS has previously not been able to study
• Optimised the data-taking strategy to ensure that we are recording as many B-physics events as possible, within the various rate and bandwidth limitations
• Supervised of students working on qualification tasks
• Maintained the B-physics trigger code.

Teaching

I currently teach PHYS 215 (Introductory Quantum Mechanics) and a directed study in particle physics (PHYS 490)

Course development: PHYS 329 (Intermediate Experimental Physics)

Previous courses: PHYS 321A (Classical Mechanics I), PHYS 509 (Particle Phenomenology)

Assistant Professor, University of Victoria

Sept 2021 -

Senior Research Fellow, CERN

Oct 2020 - Aug 2021

Research Associate, McGill University

Jan 2017 - Sept 2020

U.S. ATLAS Outstanding Graduate Student Award

For exceptional contributions to the ATLAS experiment

Henderson Prize (Department of Physics, University of Washington)

For an outstanding Ph.D. thesis

University of Washington

2011 - 2016

PhD in Physics

Thesis: Search for long-lived particles decaying in the muon spectrometer of the ATLAS detector at the LHC

(description in research section)

Perimeter Institute

2010 - 2011

MSc in Theoretical Physics

University of Victoria

2005 - 2009