The Commonplace Mannequin of particle physics — the present accepted principle that describes all recognized elementary particles and three of the 4 recognized basic forces — nonetheless can’t clarify sure phenomena. For one, the mannequin holds no clues to dark matter, the invisible mass that makes up 27 p.c of the universe.
Suarez is on the coronary heart of the seek for new particles that would full the Commonplace Mannequin. She has been growing electronics and evaluation strategies for the Massive Hadron Collider’s Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at CERN in Switzerland. The enormous accelerator slams protons into one another at almost the pace of sunshine, and scientists catch the ensuing occasion with the huge CMS detector within the hope of discovering new particles.
“Detectors set limitations for testing new theories,” says Suarez. It isn’t sufficient to construct a detector; one additionally must know its quirks and flaws. To that finish, her group is growing machine-learning algorithms to forestall false positives and establish defective gear that would mimic the detection of dark matter candidate particles. She can be growing electronics for the subsequent era of precision timing detectors for the CMS. In 2021, Suarez acquired a Division of Vitality Early Profession Award, which is able to allow her group to pursue these tasks.
When she’s not trying to find new particles, Suarez can be devoted to serving to college students from underrepresented backgrounds, guaranteeing that they’ll commit their time to analysis and develop a way of belonging in physics.
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