ATLAS Experiment

I work with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The LHC collides protons at high energy in a controlled environment, allowing for the precise study of fundamental particles and interactions. Our current understanding of fundamental particle physics is described by the Standard Model (SM) However, extensions to the SM are needed for it to give a complete description of nature, and high-energy collider experiments provide the best avenue for probing a large variety of theories beyond the Standard Model (BSM). The LHC experiments have so far made precise measurements of quantities predicted by SM and BSM theories, which have turned up a number of hints of potential BSM physics. In the coming years, there are three primary goals for the LHC experiments: to closely study the existing deviations from the SM expectations, to look in uncovered regions of phase space, and to make more precise measurements of SM quantities that are particularly sensitive to BSM effects.

The most significant discovery at the LHC was the observation of a new particle in 2012, which so far seems to be consistent with the previously predicted Higgs boson. The Higgs boson was the last missing piece of the SM, and because it connects to most other SM particles, its properties are sensitive to a variety of potential BSM effects. As a result, further exploration of the Higgs sector potentially presents the best opportunity for finding new physics in the next two decades. My research focuses on measuring Higgs boson coupling to quarks and looking for additional Higgs bosons.