Dekanin Stephanie Hansmann-Menzemer, Universität Heidelberg Feierliche Überreichung der Urkunden an die Masteranden, die im Wintersemester 2025/26 oder im Sommersemester 2026 abgeschlossen haben.
Prof. Dr. Andre Schöning, Physikalisches Institut, Universität Heidelberg The Art of Particle Detection - How Modern Instruments Measure the Invisible Prof. Dr. André Schöning Physikalisches Institut, Universität Heidelberg Particle detectors have been at the heart of experimental particle physics for more than 130 years. Continuous advances in detector technology have enabled one of the great achievements of modern science: the Standard Model of particle physics, which provides an extraordinarily successful description of fundamental interactions down to smallest length scales and forms a cornerstone of our understanding of the evolution of the universe. Yet the Standard Model is not the final word. Fundamental questions remain unanswered, motivating new experiments and increasingly sophisticated particle detectors. In this talk, I will introduce the physical principles behind particle detection and explore how modern detector technologies transform the passage of invisible particles into measurable signals. I will discuss the scientific and technological challenges of achieving ever higher spatial, time, and energy resolution, while maintaining excellent performance in environments with extremely high particle rates. We will see how advances in sensors and electronics are utilized to improve tracking detectors and calorimetry, thereby opening up new opportunities to explore the fundamental laws of nature.
Dr. Anne-Mazarine Lyon, CERN, Genf Towards chromatic calorimetry using nanocomposites Dr. Anne-Mazarine Lyon CERN, Genf The development of advanced detector technologies is key to the success of nextgeneration high-energy physics experiments, such as at the FCC-ee. In this context, quantum-engineered scintillating materials open new opportunities for innovative detector designs. One such concept is chromatic calorimetry, a novel approach to homogeneous electromagnetic calorimetry that reconciles detector homogeneity with longitudinal segmentation of particle showers. In this seminar, I first present the experimental validation of a proof-of-concept chromatic calorimeter. The detector is based on standard scintillating materials emitting in distinct wavelength ranges, combined with a spectrally dependent readout system. Results on shower profile reconstruction and energy calibration are discussed, demonstrating the potential of this approach. I then present prospects for implementing chromatic calorimetry using nanocomposite scintillators, consisting of quantum dots embedded in a polymer matrix. These materials are particularly promising due to their narrow, tunable emission spectra and their exceptionally fast timing capabilities. I review the current status of the production of nanocomposites based on cesium lead halide and discuss their scintillation properties in view of future applications in calorimetry.
Joel Leja, Penn State University The inference of the physical properties of galaxies at cosmological distances requires modeling a wide range of physics, including stellar evolution and atmospheres, dust attenuation and re-emission, nebular physics, AGN emission, and more. Bayesian inference is often used to map this space, and the wide range of physics and large parameter space (30-40 dimensions!) means these codes are not fast. Yet current and near-future surveys yield spectra for millions of galaxies, and imaging for billions. I will introduce the next-generation solutions, ranging from neural net emulators of core physics (photoionization modeling; stellar spectra), to efficient gradient-aware, GPU-native sampling, to rapid simulation-based inference. These yield speed-ups of between hundreds and millions, with different trade-offs in flexibility and accuracy. In addition to permitting sophisticated high-dimensional modeling on the industrial scales of modern surveys, I will discuss qualitatively new science directions enabled by these breakthroughs, such as modeling entire galaxy populations rather than one galaxy at a time, extremely high-dimensional modeling of individual systems (e.g. spatially resolved modeling), and new data-driven approaches that learn the priors directly from the data, all together with the promise to finally address critical systematics endemic to studies of distant galaxies. To arrange a visit with the speaker during the visit, please contact their host: Anna de Graaff
Prof. Dr. Leticia Tarruell, ICFO – The Institute of Photonic Sciences, Spain
