I was born in 1973 in Jesi (An).
Academic Curriculum:
1999: Master Degree in experimental particle
physics.
2005: PhD in Physics at Bologna
University.
Current position:
I'm a Fixed-term Researcher at the Department of Physics and
Astronomy at the Bologna University.
Scholarships and wards:
-February-July 2001: INFN scholarship for new
graduate students.
-October-December 2001: Scholarship at the Bologna
University Physics Department.
-January 2002-December 2004: PhD in Physics at the
Bologna University Physics Department.
-January 2005-December 2008: Grant at iMuseo Storico
della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche “E. Fermi”di Roma for the
EEE Project (Extreme Energy Events).
-Ottobre 2007: World Federation of Scientists
“G. Puppi-WFS Award for New Talents-2007” award for the
original contribution in the EEE Project.
-January 2009-December 2010: Post Doc Grant at
Bologna University Physics Department.
-January 2011-December 2012: Post
Doc Grant at Bologna University Physics Department.
Research Activity
My research activity takes place in the context of the physics
of cosmic rays, neutrinos and the search for dark
matter.
I work in the XENON100 and XENON1T dark
matter search experiments located at Gran Sasso National
Laboratories. There are cosmological and astrophysical
evidences of existence of Dark Matter in the Universe (26%);
favourite candidates for dark matter particles are WIMPs, Weakly
Interacting Massive Particles. The detection of WIMPs is possible
by means of ultra pure detectors located in low background sites.
The XENON100 detector is a dual phase (liquid-gas) Xenon Time
Projection Chamber (TPC); the Xenon is both the target for WIMPs
interaction and the drift medium. The XENON100 TPC is filled with
about 160 kg of liquid Xenon (about 60 kg are the active mass).
XENON1T is the upgrade of the XENON 100 detector; it is
under construction at Gran Sasso National Laboratories. The TPC
will house about 3 tons of liquid Xenon and is designed to improve
the sensitivity for spin independent WIMP-nucleus interactions by
two orders of magnitude.
I also work in the LVD (Large Volume Detector)
experiment and in the EEE Project experiment.
LVD (Large Volume Detector) is located at Gran Sasso
National Laboratories and in is tacking data since 1992. LVD is
optimised for the detection of antineutrinos from core collapse
SuperNovae. Till 2002 there was also a tracking system (based on
limited streamer tubes) which allowed to reconstruct cosmic muon
tracks.
The EEE Project (Extreme Energy Events) is devoted
to the detection and study of extensive air showers initiated by
high energy primary cosmic rays. It consists of a network of muon
tracking telescopes made by three MRPCs (Multigap Resistive Plate
Chambers) installed inside Italian High School. The experiment aims
also to disseminate scientific culture involving young students in
the experiment from the construction of the detectors to their
operation and data analysis.
Teaching Activity
2001-2006 : Tutor for Physics and Statistics
course – Master of Science in Biotechnology.
2007-2013: Tutor for the laboratory part for the
Nuclear and subnuclear Physics Laboratory course.
2014: Teaching for the laboratory part of Nuclear
and subnuclear Physics Laboratory course.
Since 2005: member of the member of the board of
examiners of the Physics course for Master of Science in
Biotechnology.
Assistant Supervisor
- Master Degree Thesis “Caratterizzazione e
calibrazione dei fotomoltiplicatori del sistema di veto dei muoni
per l'esperimento XENON1T”, Federica Agostini, A.A. 2012-2013,
Università degli Studi di Bologna, Facoltà di SS. MM. FF. NN.,
corso di Laurea Magistrale in Fisica.
-Master Degree Thesis “Studio del Segnale dei fotomoltiplicatori
del veto di muoni dell'esperimento XENON1T presso i Laboratori
Nazionali del Gran Sasso”, Giuseppe Morana, A.A. 2011-2012,
Università degli Studi di Bologna, Facoltà di SS. MM. FF. NN.,
corso di Laurea Magistrale in Fisica.
- Bachelor Thesis “La Materia Oscura e l'esperimento
XENON”, Massimiliano Fabianelli, A.A. 2011-2012, Università degli
Studi di Bologna, Facoltà di SS. MM. FF. NN., corso di Laurea
Triennale in Astronomia.
-Master Degree Thesis “Sviluppo e test del sistema di
fotomoltiplicatori del veto di muoni cosmici dell'esperimento
XENON1T”, Fabio Valerio Massoli, A.A. 2010-2011, Università
degli Studi di Bologna, Facoltà di SS. MM. FF. NN., corso di Laurea
Magistrale in Fisica.
-Bachelor Thesis “Test dei fotomoltiplicatori per il veto di
muoni dell'esperimento XENON1T”, candidato Matteo Pancaldi, A.A.
2010-2011, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Facoltà di SS. MM.
FF. NN., corso di Laurea in Fisica.
-PhD Thesis “Studio di raggi cosmici di altissima energia con il
Progetto EEE”, Dott.ssa Elisa Bressan, Università degli studi di
Bologna, Facoltà di SS. MM. FF. NN., Dottorato di Ricerca in Fisica
– XXIII Ciclo, settori scientifico-disciplinari di afferenza
FIS/01-FIS/04-FIS/08.