Ph.D. Research in High Energy Particle Physics and Heavy Ion Collisions

High Energy Physics in Birmingham

There could hardly be a better time than the present to begin a Ph.D. in experimental particle physics in Birmingham! We play central roles in cutting-edge experiments, past, present and future, addressing a broad range of issues in modern particle physics. Our largest current activities centre on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which is now well into its first physics run.

We are deeply involved in the analysis of the first proton-proton collision data from ATLAS , and are also optimising the first level calorimeter trigger, for which we built major electronics components. Our Birmingham nuclear physics colleagues are the only UK group which is involved in the LHC programme of heavy ion collisions, to be studied with the ALICE experiment. We have also recently joined the LHCb experiment, which is searching for new physics through high precision measurements of beauty decays and rare decay modes. We are also searching for new physics in very rare strange particle decays through our work on the CERN fixed target NA62 (formerly NA48) experiment.

We are also looking at future possibilities for electron-proton collisions using the LHC proton beam (LHeC project). We are no longer offering studentships in collimator R&D for ILC, or high performance calorimeter development for a future electron-positron collider .

We have a large particle physics group, with around 30 academic and support staff members and around 15 Ph.D students at any given time and extensive local facilities . We accept excellent students to work for a Ph.D. on the research projects shown to the right, with emphasis currently on the LHC projects. Each year we have several research-council funded places for students from the UK or other EU countries. Students from elsewhere in the world should make contact to investigate alternative funding possibilities.

Outline of Ph.D research in the group

The particle physics group is housed in recently renovated offices with excellent computing facilities, near to the centre of the University campus. Students work closely with their supervisors, but also with other academic and research staff, participating fully in the life of the group. In addition to the research work on their selected experiment, students spend part of their first year on a taught graduate course, including lectures on particle physics theory and experimentation. The course culminates in the Rutherford Laboratory Summer School on Particle Physics held at the end of the first year. As part of their training, students also usually attend a CERN or other major international Summer School relevant to their research at the end of their second year.

The remainder of the course is focussed full-time on research. This usually involves a mixture of detector preparation or operation and analysis of experimental data, the exact mix depending on the experiment and the student's interests. Students usually spend significant time on site at their experiment, for example at CERN (Geneva), working closely with our international colleagues. This may be in the form of a long-term attachment of perhaps a year, or else several short visits, depending on the project and the student. The extensive analytical, scientific, computing, presentational and team-working skills obtained by particle physics Ph.D students provides a solid foundation for post-doctoral employment, either in research, industry, or business.

Further information

• The home page of the Birmingham particle physics group
• The home page of the Birmingham nuclear physics group
• The STFC website student pages give information about STFC studentships
• The PhD Opportunities page for the School of Physics and Astronomy
• A list of all UK universities with PhD places in particle physics

• CERN - The European Laboratory for Particle Physics in Geneva, Switzerland
• Particle Physics in the UK