Working at CERN

I've been so busy writing about my adventures traveling, that I haven't said much about working at CERN. Last year, before the summer really started, I wrote a post about CERN and details about my experiment. I am working again this summer with the experiment group NA62. During my time at CERN, the experiment has been revamping for its run in October.

My project goal for the past two summers is to update NA62's electronic logbook, called ELOG. ELOG is a weblog that allows information to be cataloged in chronological order, with entries that can be accessed through a Web interface. The purpose of my project was to extend the NA62 ELOG in two ways: first, to implement an electronic checklist that experimenters can complete during their shift, and second, to create a way for people who are offsite to view screenshots of important information regarding NA62. This allows NA62 to monitor information from the Control Room remotely. I have done this using a software called PVSS, which allows users to view create programs that can visually represent the state of the experiment.

You might be wondering what NA62 looks like. I have spent a few days in "the pit" (where the experiment is being built) working on odd jobs updating hardware parts. I took a few pictures so you can see the work in progress.

A little background info (more in my post from last year): NA62 is a fixed target accelerator, that is, it accelerates particles in a straight line towards a target instead of around a ring. You can clearly see where the particle beam is that the particles would travel down. There are also various detectors along the line that, you guessed it, detect particles.

The origin of the beam

I feel like I've been pretty successful in my project, although there is always more that can be added to the remote monitoring program. This summer has been especially frustrating because I have run into a lot of problems with using the program on my own laptop. As a result, I wish I could have had more time to finish everything I wanted to. Oh well, isn't the process the most important part of learning? I am still happy that I was able to have the experience of learning a new software and using it to create a project. 

I am also happy for the opportunity to be somewhere as amazing as CERN. It has been eye opening to be with so many physicists and engineers working on experiments from all over the world, and I am grateful that I have been able to spend two summers here!