LHC Physics Center

What I will be working on:

As LPC Distinguished Researcher, I plan to work on measurement of the Higgs boson self-interaction by investigating the Higgs boson pair production (HH), exploring final states characterized by the presence of four b-quark jets (HH→4b). I am developing a new set of dedicated high-level triggers for HH→4b in view of Run3 data-taking, focusing on the improvement in both b-jet and boosted H(bb) tagging at the via cutting-edge Machine Learning (ML) techniques. I'll also lay the foundations for the new generation of the HH→4b analysis by revamping the strategy used in earlier Run2 publications. In addition, I continue my involvement in the Phase2 Outer Tracker (OT) project by giving major contributions to the development of a robust framework for performance evaluation and quality control of the OT module production.

My role in CMS past and present:

I joined CMS in 2012 as Master Student working on the development of an algorithm for the inter-calibration of the ECAL detector using isolated electrons. Later, as a Phd student, my research focused on the search for new massive resonances decaying to vector boson pairs with Run1 data. In this period, I gave important contributions to the development of jet-substructure techniques in CMS. I also worked on prospects for vector boson scattering measurements at the HL-LHC that were included in the technical proposal of the CMS Phase2 upgrade. In 2016, I won the INFN prize "Marcello Conversi" for the best Phd thesis of the year. In the same year, I joined the CMS UCSD group as PostDoctoral researcher. With first Run2 data I lead the search for dark-matter particles produced in association with energetic jets or hadronically decaying vector bosons, as well as the search for invisible decays of the Higgs boson produced via vector boson fusion and the Higgs invisible Run1+Run2 combination. In parallel, I have been involved in DAQ, commissioning, and operation of the CMS Si-Strip detector. In 2018, I became convener of the Si-Strip DAQ and calibration group and I won the CMS Achievement Award for my contributions to the Strip-Tracker project during Run2 data taking. Furthermore, from 2018 to 2020, I played a major role in the evidence for Higgs boson decays to a pair of muons. Since the beginning of 2021, I am working on trigger developments for HH(4b) in view of Run3 as well as on module testing for the CMS Phase2 Outer Tracker project.