- Higgs boson searches: Standard Model (SM) and beyond (BSM) at CMS
I contributed to the discovery of the Higgs boson envisaged by the SM, focusing on the decay of the Higgs boson in a pair of tau, at least one of them decaying in hadrons (tau-jet).My activity was focused on the associated production of Higgs with a W boson.After the discovery of the Higgs boson I worked on the search for heavy pseudoscalar bosons,predicted by the BSM theories,that decays to 2 light SM-like Higgs bosons, one of them decaying in two b-jets and the other decaying in 2 tau-jets. I worked in search for the Higgs boson decays in two muons in the vector boson fusion production.
- Hadronic Tau reconstruction at CMS
A crucial contribution to the mentioned analyses is the optimization of the tau-jet reconstruction using the Particle flow algorithm. I performed measurement of reconstruction and identification efficiency and introduced the tau lifetime information (exploiting MVA techniques).
- Charged lepton flavour violation at CMS
Since 2016 I worked precision measurements,searching for the rare decay of the tau lepton in 3 muons.I designed and performed the full analysis to motivate the phase II upgrade of the CMS Muon System with extended pseudorapidity and presently I am working on this search on Run II data.
- CMS Muon System upgrade
I lead a task force to study the impact on the physics searches of the upgrade of the CMS muon system with additional triple-GEM stations.The goal was to identify the needs of physics searches that can be met by the design of new detectors and quantify the impact of the new detectors. I identified processes in which the role of the new detectors would be crucial,led the analysis and studied the detector design.The results,crucial for the final layout of the new detectors and the development of the prototypes, are published in two technical design report (CMS-TDR-013, CMS-TDR-016).
- Muon Reconstruction at CMS
I worked on the muon reconstruction algorithm with the Phase II upgraded CMS detectors,by optimizing the present algorithm accounting for the new additional stations,tuning the working point of the identification and studying the transverse momentum assignment with HL-LHC data-taking conditions.I measured the performance of present identification algorithms comparing results obtained in data and simulations.
- Data Quality and Detector Monitoring at CMS
I’m coordinating the CMS team that monitors the performance of all the sub-systems of the experimental apparatus and the data certification,by analyzing the relevant observables during the data taking. I coordinate the development of a software package based on Deep Learning to perform the offline and online analysis in a semi-automated way
- R&D of MPGD Since 2016 I’ve been involved in the R&D of the triple-GEM technology for the CMS Muon System Upgrade.I participated in two test beam at the SPS accelerator for the measurement of the efficiency and time resolution.I lead the definition of a protocol of measurements to be performed in the production sites (spread all over the world) of the CMS triple-GEM detectors,with the goal to ensure the uniformity of the performance and good operation (results in publication on NIMA, https://arxiv.org/pdf/2203.12037.pdf). Since 2015 I’m working on the R&D of a new detector based on MPGD technology,the FTM (fast timing MPGD) in the context of the project "FTM NEXT",approved by the National Scientific Commission V of INFN and by the R&D51 collaboration at CERN.The detector is designed for future HEP experiments. I worked on a test of the prototype with beams at the SPS,I’m coordinating the characterization of the prototype in the Bari lab and studying resistive electrodes with DLC coating. Co-author of the Snowmass white paper: MPGDs for tracking and Muon detection at future high energy physics colliders.
- Design of a Muon Collider (MC) experiment. Measurement of the muons emittance in the scattering of a positron beam on a fixed target, one of the option considered for muon production mechanism (LEMMA, Low Emittance Muon Accelerator): test beam setup and data analysis. MC experiment design definition and physics potential: simulation studies on H->ZZ*- >4mu,H->cc with Muon collider framework. Preliminary study of jet reconstruction performance and flavor tagging. Co-autor of the white papers for Snowmass process: Simulated detector performance at the Muon Collider, Promising Technologies and R&D Directions for the Future Muon Collider.
- R&D of Quantum detectors for HEP. Recently, in the context of the ECFA roadmap process for future HEP experiments, I started a feasibility study of a chromatic calorimeter based on the capability of quantum dots of emitting in a narrow and tunable range of wavelengths in the visible spectrum.
COORDINATION
- 2021-ongoing: Local coordinator of Muon Collider Experiment in INFN-Bari section
- 2020-2023 : Coordinator of Detector and Data Quality Monitoring in CMS (Level 2)
- 2017-2020: Manager of CMS triple-GEM Construction and Characterization at INFN-Bari (Level3)
- 2015-2017: Coordinator of Physics Searches for CMS Phase 2 Upgrade Muon System (Level 2)
- 2017-2020: Coordinator of Data Quality Monitoring and Certification in the CMS Muon System (Level 3)
- 2020-ongoing: Local coordinator of “Art and Science across Italy”, outreach INFN project
- 2016-2019 Contact person for trigger and dataset definition in the CMS Muon System
GRANT AND AWARDS
- PI for PRIN 2022 grant: "An Innovative and Radiation Hard Calorimeter Proposal for a future Muon Collider Experiment: CALORHINO"
- “CMS Detector Award” 2018, for “‘years of essential contributions to the Muon system and in particular in the GEM project"
- Grant: 03/2020:REFIN-Research for Innovation:“Design and development of a scanner based on the cosmic muon tomography with MPGD detectors for the control of nuclear traffic on the Apulian territory”
