LHC Physics Center

What I will be working on:

I will be working to design new jet substructure algorithms to identify the unique signatures of high-momentum particle decays, and to deploy them in searches for new physics beyond the standard model in fully hadronic final states, specifically new signatures with high multiplicities of top quarks, W, Z, and Higgs bosons. Exploring and utilizing new machine learning techniques can significantly increase the performance of these tools -- understanding these mechanisms is an active area of research. I am also interested in performing measurements of jet observables to improve our understanding of QCD processes. These tools and results will be critical to maintain analysis performance as we look toward the future of the experiment where increased instantaneous luminosities will provide a challenging environment for jet reconstruction.

My role in CMS past and present:

I am active in the 'Beyond 2 Generations' physics group, which specializes in boosted object reconstruction with jet substructure, having served as a jet object expert and resonance subgroup convener. I have led searches for new gauge bosons (Z'->t t-bar) as well as vector-like quarks (T->Wb) in hadronic final states using jet substructure techniques, and performed statistical combinations of searches for legacy publications. I am currently involved in updating these searches with the latest LHC dataset. I have experience with muon detectors, being part of the cathode strip chamber (CSC) group and having served as CSC deputy run coordinator for one year during my time at CERN. As a member of the LPC, I organize jet substructure events here at the Fermilab LPC and serve as a facilitator for the annual CMS data analysis school.