Category: Award holders 2022-23

Professor Maxell Chertok, University of California, Davis, performs research in high energy particle physics, and participates in the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Both the UC Davis and Bristol groups had a hand in the monumental discovery of the Higgs boson, in 2012, and have continued with strong involvement in this long-running experiment since then. In May-June 2023, Professor Chertok visited the University of Bristol as a Benjamin Meaker Distinguished Visiting Professor and was hosted by Professor Joel Goldstein in the School of Physics. 

During the visit, I integrated with the large particle physics group, led by Professor Goldstein, attending meetings with researchers there and at CERN over zoom, and met with faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students on many occasions to discuss research in particle physics experiment. I delivered two seminars on current research as well as a departmental-wide colloquium on the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment: 

• Tracking Detector Mechanics
  I presented the key challenges and advancements in the realm of silicon detector mechanics including results from my work at UC Davis and Fermilab for the CMS upgrade. 
• Recent results from the CMS Experiment 
  I delivered a departmental  colloquium on collider physics, including a variety of recent results from the CMS Experiment at the LHC. 
• Searches for Exotics Higgs Boson Partners
  I presented the physics program for searches for light pseudoscalar Higgs bosons at CMS, provided analysis technique details, and made projections for Run 3 and the upcoming High Luminosity LHC. 

The stint also paved the way for future collaborations between the Bristol group and myself.  Potential joint projects related to data analysis topics and silicon tracking technology and its applications in particle physics experiment were discussed.  

On Tuesday 14^th March the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement, Professor Agnes Nairn, and the International Research Partnerships (IRP) team were delighted to welcome several of the current cohort of Bristol Benjamin Meaker Distinguished Visiting Professors, Bristol ‘Next Generation’ Visiting Researchers and their University of Bristol hosts to a meet-and greet event. This gathering took place in the Verdon Smith International Meeting room in Royal Fort House and presented an opportunity to learn about the different collaborative international projects taking place and meet other visitors. Light refreshments and cake were served, making for a very pleasant and relaxed atmosphere with a real buzz in the room as guests mingled and made new connections.

Professor Nairn provided a warm welcome, and invited everyone to make a brief introduction. We heard about a range of fascinating projects from our visitors from Brazil, Canada, Ghana and the USA. Projects included:

• African resistance, history and culture in Lusophone film.
• Border Networks in Medieval Britain and the Atlantic.
• British Gospel Choirs.
• Effects of Climate Change and Health Outcomes.
• The Interplay of Toxic Chemicals and Nutrients.

It had already been a busy day for some of our visitors, with several activities taking place around the University. This included a hybrid seminar from Dr Owoo from Ghana on ‘The Effects of Climate Change on Health Outcomes in Ghana’ and a talk from Professor Ferreira from Brazil on ‘An African Queen on Screen: Njinga, Queen of Angola’ earlier that day, with Professor Hudson from USA due to deliver his talk on ‘Dangerous Company: Questions about MacBeth’ later that afternoon.

We are so delighted to have such a flurry of international activity back at the University of Bristol again after a hiatus during COVID, and it was such a pleasure to have met and talked to so many of our visitors and hosts. We are really looking forward to organising another similar event in the autumn!