About
I am a Professor at the University of Liverpool (STFC Advanced Fellow until 2014), Head of Research and Deputy Head of Department, member of Science Board PPAN (Particle Physics, Astronomy and Nuclear Physics), elected member of Senate.
As experimental particle physics, my research has focused on measurements of Standard Model processes, first, and subsequently on searches for new physics at hadron colliders. These include searches for Supersymmetry (third generation bottom and top squarks, electroweakinos), WIMP-like dark matter candidates (SUSY, extended Higgs sectors), leptoquarks, and hidden sectors leading to long-lived particles (dark photons, axion-like particles). Member of CDF, FNAL (2000-2011), of ATLAS, CERN (2001-Present), and FASER, CERN (2020-Present), I led or directly contributed to more than forty publications in the past decade, and I have been appointed for several national and international roles including Supersymmetry and Physics Modelling ATLAS working groups convener (2012-2017); ATLAS UK PI (deputy until 01/26, 15 institutes); FASER UK PI (4 institutes); team leader of the Liverpool ATLAS and FASER groups. I collaborate with experimentalists and theorists for future facilities’ plannings and medium and long-term high energy physics projects: the upgrade of the ATLAS detector at the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC, 2028-2040); a proposed electron-proton facility at CERN (LHeC) to be built in parallel to the HL-LHC, for which I also co-coordinate the general-purpose high-energy physics programme; the proposed Forward Physics Facility (FPF) at CERN, meant to host a suite of experiments targeting long-lived particles and high-energy neutrinos; and the Future Circular Collider (FCC), the ultimate 100-km accelerator proposed to be built after 2040 at CERN. For my research, I exploit modern data-analysis tools based on AI/ML approaches. Further to this, I work on projects that utilise such tools in the broader context. I co-initiated an international consortium with computer and medical scientists for the development of explainable AI tools to be applied also in medical physics and neuroscience (Multi-disciplinary Use Cases for Convergent new Approaches to AI explainability, MUCCA), and collaborate with industrial partners also through supervision of students co-funded by the LIV.INNO Centre for Doctoral Training.
As Head of Research, I coordinate the overall departmental research programme and steer activities in particle physics, nuclear physics, accelerator science, physics education research and condensed matter physics, fostering collaborations in overarching topics. Chair of the Research and Impact Board (member since 2014, REF output coordinator for REF2021), I help increase and diversify the overall funding portfolio establishing partnerships with universities, research facilities and industry around the world. I recently initiated four across-area activities in the department, aiming at capitalising on diverse expertise and perspectives, for quantum science and technologies development (QSTD), sustainable technologies, applications in medical physics and AI/data science, the latter directly coordinated by me.
I have served as member or chair in panels and committees at national and international level, including STFC Science Board PPAN (2023-present), IPPP Steering Committee (2024-present), STFC Particle Physics Advisory Panel, STFC Boulby Infrastructure Advisory Scheme (2023), STFC Early-Stage Research and Development Scheme (2022-2023), STFC Particle Physics Evaluation Panel (PPEP) (2022 and 2019), Chair of the PROBIST panel at the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (Spain, 2021), UKRI Review Panel on Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics (2020), DOE (Department of Energy) panel for the US-CMS HL-LHC upgrade programme (2019-present), STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowships panel (2019-2022), STFC Projects Peer Review Panel (2017-2020), Advisory Board for the EU funded Marie Curie Initial Training Network MCNet (2017-2021). Since 2016, I am member of the Particle Data Group (PDG) Collaboration and currently author of the SUSY experimental review. I referee for international journals (Physics Letter B, JHEP, EPJC), and I am grants’ referee or reviewer for: STFC (ERF); Royal Society (URF, Visiting Fellows); UKRI (FLF); Swiss National Science Foundation; CNRS (France); Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden); Helmholtz Young investigator programme (Germany); Habilitations to professorships (Germany).
Funded Fellowships
- Halliday Prize for first rank in STFC Advanced Fellowship (Science Technology Facilities Council (STFC), 2009)