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How do you describe your work to people who don't work in your field?

As a particle physicist, I aim to understand what 85 per cent of the matter in our universe is made of. Astronomical and cosmological observations imply the presence of a new form of matter—different from ordinary matter like atoms and molecules—which is five times more abundant and named dark matter. 

Despite its predominance, dark matter has never been directly detected on Earth, making it one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of our universe. Although dark matter hasn’t been detected directly yet, it is pivotal to explaining the evolution of our universe, and the emergence of stars, planets and even life. The difficulty is that dark matter interacts very weakly with ordinary matter, creating only a low-energy signal in our detector, which makes it extremely difficult to detect with Earth-based experiments.

To give an idea of the energy signal of the dark matter our detector is targeting: it is the same as observing the force generated when a grain of salt falls from a height of 1 mm onto a table, divided by 100 million! This is the level of the signal we try to detect.

My work involves pushing the boundaries of detector technology to detect such low-energy signals for future dark matter searches. To achieve this, I develop theoretical and computational models and perform dedicated experiments in my laboratory to test them.

What's one big problem you want to solve through your work?

Searches for dark matter have been conducted for more than fifty years and have reached such sophistication that neutrinos emitted by the sun will constitute the “big problem” for detecting dark matter. To distinguish dark matter from neutrino signals in the future, we need detectors more sensitive to incoming particles because we know that the background neutrinos are coming from the sun. 

To solve this problem, my research aims to achieve the milestone of realizing better sensitivity in dark matter detectors by developing new cutting-edge technologies. I am excited to share that I was honoured to receive the from the National Research Council Canada, supporting my work to advance dark matter detectors through innovative technologies and interdisciplinary connections.

What does the word "innovation" mean to you?

To me, innovation means pushing boundaries, embracing new ideas and pioneering approaches to find solutions that greatly benefit our research endeavours and community.

What's been your biggest a-ha moment — in life or work — so far?

I have had many! Physics is such a fascinating area. It's amazing to me when you understand how it works and can explain it with equations or confirm theories through experiments.

My recent biggest a-ha moment was with my MSc student when we studied the mechanism of bubble growth in bubble chamber detectors for dark matter searches. Through an innovative approach to the nucleation process, we built a new model of bubble growth which surpasses the traditional theory used since the ‘60s and could resolve some long-standing discrepancies between theoretical predictions and experimental data in dark matter searches. Our results represent a significant advancement toward accurately describing the nucleation process of those detectors, in particular at low energies, which is crucial for dark matter detection.

You can find our open-access publication .

How do you or your team come up with your best ideas?

My best ideas come to me after several steps of reflection and exchange across different fields, which helps broaden my perspective. When I come up with an idea, my foremost concern is to ensure its potential for significant impact, originality and feasibility. My creative spark is triggered by my desire to advance knowledge and aid others. I begin by identifying the challenges and gaps that impede progress, then reflect on how to overcome these obstacles and determine the necessary resources to do so. Bringing an idea to life requires a collaborative effort, aligning with Helen Keller's words, "Alone, we can do so little; together we can do so much."

Working with my team, we examine key questions, like: Is it necessary? Is it valuable in other scientific domains? Has similar work been done before? Do we collectively possess the expertise and knowledge? What are the requirements to make the idea a successful reality?

What's your favourite thing about working at the U of A?

My favourite things about working at the ���ϲ����� are the high quality of the laboratory space, the great technical support resources available and the overall environment. I remember when I first came to the university for my job interview. I was so impressed by the potential of great research I can do in such an environment and I am proud to be a part of it now.

In Shape: The University Strategic Plan, the ���ϲ����� commits to having a positive impact on our students and staff, our communities and the communities we serve here in ���ϲ����� and around the world. How does the work you do create impact?

There are many ways to create impact through my work. The impact for me is strongly related to the influence and effect it has on the research field through innovation and advancement of knowledge, but also on the community I interact with.

In my work, I am also a mentor and a teacher. The career development and success of my students are other ways I create impact through my work. I guide them through a structured mentoring plan to provide proper skills, experience and knowledge to prepare them to be competent, successful and competitive in their research and the next stages of their career.

Additionally, transferring and sharing knowledge is also my way of creating an impact through my work. It demands us to be flexible and find the appropriate method depending on the strength, the need and the personality of the community. I am inspired and excited about my profession as a teacher and mentor because I am committed to having an essential role in the education, training and teaching of the next generation of physicists and scientists. 

Lastly, dedicating time to making physics accessible for everyone in and outside the university is also how I create impact through my work.

What's next for you? Do you have any new projects on the horizon?

I am actively engaged in various research projects with my group at the ���ϲ����� and also with external collaborators. My main focus over the next two years will be advancing the field of dark matter detection supported by the prestigious Dorothy Killam Fellowship. This achievement is a critical step toward claiming a discovery of the dark matter signal.

In a broader context, detecting dark matter is one of the most outstanding tasks. You might ask why we care and why this is important. Our current knowledge in any field of science and technology is based on just 15 per cent of the matter in our universe. Imagine the advancements we could make by unlocking the remaining 85 per cent.

Innovator Spotlight is a series that introduces you to a faculty or staff member whose discoveries, knowledge and ideas are driving innovation.

Do you know someone at the U of A who is transforming ideas into remarkable realities? Maybe it’s you! We are interested in hearing from people who are helping shape the future, improving quality of life, driving economic growth and diversification and serving the public. We feature people working across all disciplines, whether they are accelerating solutions in energy, shaping the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence or forging new paths in health and Indigenous leadership.

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