SussexEPPCG2024

Thinking, questioning, and expressing our ideas is what makes us human. Throughout history, people have sought to understand our world, and the consequences have shaped and uplifted our lives. Experimental Particle Physics is the study of what the universe is made of, how it works, and how it got to be this beautiful way. Our questions are abstract, and often have no obvious implications for our present predicaments, and yet they have an extraordinary capacity to positively influence most aspects of modern life. Direct consequences of particle physics research include the World Wide Web, touchscreens, and proton cancer therapy. These are outstanding achievements. They are accompanied by the less tangible - but arguably equally important – impact of a thriving, international community of researchers who are eager to push the boundaries of our collective knowledge and communicate clearly and enthusiastically with generation upon generation of young people, instilling in them a sound understanding of the physical world and a fascination in the way it works. The questions we are asking at Sussex are about as abstract as they can get. Why, when antimatter and matter must be produced in almost identical quantities, is the universe apparently made entirely of matter? Why in fact does it exist at all? Is the fabric of our reality made up only of the particles we know of? What is the mysterious dark matter that is governing the way our universe behaves? Our strategy for addressing these questions is broadly divided into three physics areas. At the Energy Frontier we are using the ATLAS detector at CERN to make precision measurements of particles such as top quarks and Higgs bosons, and to search for new particles. In the Neutrino Physics group, we are measuring the oscillations of neutrinos, which have the most curious capacity to change flavour and could give insight into why the universe exists. In the Dark Sector, we are exploring new techniques to search for dark matter particles that theorists have proposed may be lurking in the shadows of reality. How on earth do we begin to answer such questions? The answer lies partially in our relentless pursuit of technological innovations. At Sussex we have a vibrant Detector Research & Development group, with projects ranging from electronics to mechanical engineering with a generous sprinkling of creative ingenuity throughout, provided in no small part by our specialist technicians. Whilst our detector development is primarily aimed at answering the Big Questions of the universe, they also have potential impact in areas as diverse as public health, security, and tackling ageing infrastructure. At Sussex, we firmly believe that research is not complete until we have explained it in a way that can benefit the majority of non-physicists in the world. We are constantly coming up with new ways to do this via various formats, including masterclasses, festivals, artistic collaborations and school and public talks. We co-lead the ATLAS Open Data project and are partnered with the ICTP Physics Without Frontiers programme. We train hundreds of young people from as near as our local secondary schools, and as far as Senegal, Afghanistan, and Bhutan, giving them insights into physics, data analysis, and machine learning. We look forward to sharing the exciting results that will emerge as a result of the next round of STFC funding.