Page 7 - EUREKA! Fall 2017

Underground Alumni such animated discussions about labs, reaching about 1,000 science be today if it were not for SNO. I draw
daily from the expertise I developed
analysis details and the fine points of
and engineering students every year.
physics models, even with some of
as a student on the project, and
The work I did on SNO helped me
the participants under the influence of
program.
and skills are necessary for a graduating
several hours of jetlag, and the senior understand what type of knowledge those experiences guide my research
How the world’s deepest physics lab inspired physicists were more than happy to student to take part in a world leading
experiment. In addition to the technical
converse with the students. Truthfully,
five former Carleton students coffee breaks are where the magic knowledge I can pass on to my
really happens.
students, I can also give them examples
My work at SNO is what launched of how what they learn is applied. It’s a
Students were the lifeblood of the SNO experiment and are the fuel that keeps my career as an experimental particle good way to motivate our students.
SNOLAB firing, says Alain Bellerive, the chair of Carleton’s physics department. physicist. Much of my current research
“Even if you have scientists with vision, you need students to do the work and is similar to my research at SNO:
thinking,” says Bellerive, who took a faculty position at the university in 2001 to analyzing data from specialized
head SNO’s data analysis effort. “Students often come up with original ideas. You detectors to tease out traces of ghostly
subatomic particles. More generally,
need to flip all the rocks to see what’s underneath. I considered myself extremely SNO is where I learned to function as
lucky to work in that environment and help teach the next generation of part of a global collaboration. It’s where GORDANA TEŠIĆ
scientists for whatever they went on to do in their careers.” I learned how the research process 2002-2008: MSc + PhD, SNO
works, how to use standard analysis Currently: senior data scientist,
tools, and how to find innovative Canada Mortgage and Housing
—Illustrations by Joel Kimmel solutions to unexpected challenges. I Corporation, Ottawa
wouldn’t be where I am today without
the contacts I made and the mentors I DARREN GRANT There was a lot of collaboration at
found at SNO. 1996-2005: MSc + PhD, SNO SNO in general, and even more within
Currently: Canada Research Chair in groups working on a similar task within
working on had its magic moment Astroparticle Physics, University the experiment. These groups worked
of “opening the box” to see what the of Alberta on projects such as signal extraction,
answer was for our work; we ran a detector calibration, simulations and
program on the real data for the first I remember my first cage descent. It so forth. People came from different
time after conducting countless “fake” MIRIAM DIAMOND was very much like the anticipation institutions, and each brought their
experiments with simulated data. We 2008-2012: BSc, SNOLAB you feel when you’ve boarded a uniqueness to the collaboration. Once
were searching for very high-energy Currently: experimental research roller coaster. Having never been per year, the entire group would meet
neutrinos from the sun or from ancient associate, SLAC National Accelerator underground before, the mine for about a week. That was a great
supernovae. We weren’t expecting Laboratory, Stanford University environment itself was a completely opportunity to get to know all the
to see many, or even any, neutrinos. new experience. To finally emerge from collaborators even better.
The main source of background for My obsession with physics began early an active mine into one of the cleanest Having a facility like this brings top
DAVID WALLER the analysis were the atmospheric in high school after reading some ETIENNE ROLLIN lab environments created was, simply scientists from around the world to
1995-1997: MSc, SNO; 2003-2006, neutrinos I had been working on, so I Scientific American articles and popular 2005-2012: MSc + PhD, SNO + put, incredible. Even 20 years and Canada. In science, collaboration is
post-doc, SNO was really hoping I had estimated that science books. Particle physics gave me SNOLAB hundreds of trips underground later, I crucial and there should not be borders
Currently: defence scientist, background correctly. As expected, a way to look beyond the surface of my Currently: lab supervisor, still feel that first sense of awe when I between countries. One can only gain
Department of National we didn’t see any of the high-energy messy and seemingly nonsensical day- Carleton University visit the lab. by hosting the leading international
Defence, Ottawa neutrinos, but the anticipation of to-day life into the beauty and order One of the true highlights when I projects and having students obtain
waiting to see what the universe had and harmony laying beneath it. I was At SNO, I had to monitor the detector was a PhD student was arriving at invaluable research experience by
I was drawn by particle physics to provided for us was very exciting. particularly fascinated with neutrinos, a few months every year. The thing I SNO on a normal morning and being working on major experiments.
understand the universe at its most For the last nine years, I have been and their ghostly unwillingness to feared most during those shifts were asked to escort Ray Davis, a pioneer I moved back to Ottawa recently
fundamental level. It mesmerized me applying the experimental nuclear and interact. Neutrinos can show us thunderstorms. We occasionally lost of solar neutrino measurements and and started working at the Canada
that one could build huge complex particle physics I learned at SNO and at phenomena that light never could, power at the facility, and when that 2002 Nobel laureate, for his tour of the Mortgage and Housing Corporation. I
detectors to understand the very Carleton to improve Canada’s defence because various substances that block happened, a complex emergency underground lab. Those moments can still do research, although not particle
smallest constituents of the universe. and security against nuclear and photons are no obstacles to neutrinos. procedure had to be implemented really change a young researcher’s life. physics. My work is focused on the
Dropping down the elevator shaft radiological threats. My main work has I worked at SNO as an undergraduate to make sure no permanent damage I am currently the collaboration development of machine learning
at Creighton Mine at high speed been to develop a technology capable as part of the “exotics group,” searching occurred to the multimillion dollar spokesperson for the IceCube Neutrino models for predictive data analytics,
reminded me of the opening scene of of detecting and making 3D images of for neutrino signals from gamma ray experiment. It was even worse when Observatory. My research focus remains anomaly detection, sentiment analysis
Aliens when the soldiers are dropping hidden or smuggled “special nuclear bursts, pulsars, solar flares and other it happened during the night and you the study of neutrino properties and and recommender systems. My day-
down from space onto the surface of material,” the uranium or plutonium “exotic” astrophysical sources. My main were the only person on site. Electronic the search for dark matter. I spend my to-day comprises programming,
the alien-infested planet. The miners’ from which a nuclear weapon can be responsibility was data analysis: looking experts were asleep and you had to days working with my research group developing machine learning models,
headlamps provided an eerie lighting made. It’s been the kind of work that through the haystack of SNO data for wake them up when something didn’t on new data analyses and developing testing them and interpreting analysis
that added to the ambience. one hopes is never actually needed, but tiny signal needles. behave as expected. novel particle detectors for the planned results. I am also exploring how artificial
My most memorable moment if it ever is, you really hope you’ve done I will never forget my first SNO Most of my current duties consist of next generation of experiments. It is intelligence can help our organization
was when the physics analysis I was the best job possible. collaboration meeting. There were teaching first- and second-year physics impossible to imagine where I would to achieve its mission more efficiently.

6 science.carleton.ca science.carleton.ca 7