- Seminars-iihe - listserv.vub.be

IIHE Invited seminar: Neutrino Astrophysics with the Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) - Monday Sep 14th at 2PM (NOTE THE CHANGE OD DAY)
by Simona Toscano 24 Aug '26

24 Aug '26

Dear all, I hope you all had a nice break. As we are slowly returning from our summer holidays, I would already like to announce the start of our seminar season, which this year coincides with the RNO-G Collaboration Meeting being held in Brussels. It is my great pleasure to announce that the first speaker of our seminar series for the 2026–2027 season will be our RNO-G colleague Prof. Abigail Vieregg from the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago. Prof. Vieregg will speak about Neutrino Astrophysics with the Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO), an ultra-high-energy neutrino experiment that flew from Antarctica in December 2025. For organizational reasons, the seminar will take place on Monday, September 14, at 2:00 PM in the J. Sacton Room. Please find further details below: *********************************** Title: Neutrino Astrophysics with the Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) Abstract: The Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) is a NASA Astrophysics Pioneers Long Duration Balloon Mission, which launched from McMurdo Station in Antarctica on December 20, 2025 and flew for 23 days. PUEO aims to detect the highest energy astrophysical and cosmogenic neutrinos, which is an important step toward understanding the most energetic cosmic accelerators in the universe. After giving a broader overview of the field, I will discuss PUEO’s science, the instrument, the flight, and the ongoing analysis of data. Short Bio: Abigail Vieregg is a Professor of Physics and Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Chicago and serves as the David N. Schramm Director of the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago. Her research focuses on experimental particle astrophysics and cosmology. She is the PI of the Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) mission, a senior member of the Radio Neutrino Observatory in Greenland (RNO-G), a senior member of the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and the BICEP suite of telescopes at the South Pole, and is developing concepts for low-frequency radio detection of cosmological signals. She is a fellow of the American Physical Society and her honors include a Sloan Research Fellowship, a Cottrell Scholar Award, a Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship, The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), and a Moore Foundation Experimental Physics Investigator award. https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2689/ IIHE Invited seminar: Neutrino Astrophysics with the Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) indico.iihe.ac.be ****************************************************** Please save the date already on your agenda. I look forward to a well-attended seminar and to seeing many of you for this very first seminar! Best, Simona.

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IIHE Invited seminar: SHIFT - Thursday, June 18, at 15:00 in the Neutrino room
by TOSCANO Simona 18 Jun '26

18 Jun '26

Dear all, Despite my earlier announcement that the previous seminar would be the last of the season, it turns out that we have one more seminar this Thursday, June 18, at 15:00 in the Neutrino room. Please note the change of both day, time and room. Our speaker is Jeremi Niedziela who recently joined the VUB group as a postdoc, on a proposal for a fixed-target experiment upstream of the CMS detector at the LHC, named SHIFT. Here’s the info ************************************** Title: SHIFT Abstract: SHIFT is a proposed fixed-target experiment at the LHC based on injecting a gas into the beam pipe upstream of the CMS detector. By exploiting these fixed-target collisions, SHIFT provides a unique environment to search for long-lived particles with displaced decays, extending the physics reach beyond the standard collider program. The experiment combines large decay volume, low backgrounds, and the powerful CMS detector capabilities to probe a broad range of new physics scenarios. In addition, SHIFT may enable studies of proton structure, heavy ions, and make the observation of neutrinos in CMS possible, making it a versatile addition to the LHC experimental landscape. Short bio: Jeremi Niedziela is a postdoctoral researcher at the VUB and a member of the CMS Collaboration. His work spans both precision measurements and searches for new physics, including studies of baryon–antibaryon interactions at ALICE, one of the first measurements of light-by-light scattering, precision studies of the Breit–Wheeler process, searches for disappearing tracks, and axion-like particles in top-quark events, as well as machine-learning approaches to anomalous jet detection. He is also involved in software development for the CMS High-Granularity Calorimeter, and currently focuses on the development of the SHIFT@LHC fixed-target experiment proposal. <https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2656/> [indico_square.png] IIHE Invited seminar: SHIFT<https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2656/> indico.iihe.ac.be<https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2656/> **************************** To properly close this year's seminar series, I would like to invite you to join us for some cake in the kitchen at 14:30 before the seminar. This will be an opportunity to gather your feedback on this year's seminars and hear your suggestions for speakers and topics you would like us to cover next year. I hope to see many of you on Thursday! Best regards, Simona.

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IIHE Invited seminar: High-Energy Neutrinos at the LHC - Friday May 29th at 2PM
by TOSCANO Simona 28 May '26

28 May '26

Dear all, To close our seminar cycle for this academic year, this Friday we have the pleasure of hosting Prof. Dennis Soldin from University of Utah, who will discuss the prospects of next-generation neutrino experiments at colliders. The seminar will take place in the J. Sacton Room this Friday, May 29th, at 2:00 PM. Please find further details below: *********************************** Title: High-Energy Neutrinos at the LHC Abstract: The recent direct detection of high-energy neutrinos at the LHC has opened a new window into high-energy particle physics and highlighted the potential of neutrino physics for groundbreaking discoveries. I will give an overview of the physics potential of high-energy neutrino measurements at colliders with an emphasis on the connection between particle and astroparticle physics. I will discuss recent results of measurements at the LHC and outline the prospects of next-generation neutrino experiments at colliders, highlighting various proposals for future detectors. Short bio: Dennis Soldin studied physics at the University of Wuppertal, Germany, where he also received his doctorate degree in 2017 for work on measurements of cosmic rays with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory (IceCube). As a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Delaware he continued his work in cosmic-ray research with IceCube where he was also the convener for the comic-ray working group from 2018 to 2023. Since 2021, he is involved in plans to build a Forward Physics Facility (FPF) at CERN as a member of the FPF coordination panel and convener for the working group on light hadron production. In 2022, Soldin moved as a postdoctoral researcher to the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany, before he became an assistant professor at the University of Utah in 2023. In 2024, he joined the Trinity Collaboration to build a new neutrino oberservatory at Frisco Peak in southern Utah, where he is the convener for analysis and simulation. Since 2025, Soldin is the IceCube analysis coordinator and responsible for the overall organization and oversight of the working groups and physics analyses in IceCube. <https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2463/> [indico_square.png] IIHE Invited seminar: High-Energy Neutrinos at the LHC<https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2463/> indico.iihe.ac.be<https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2463/> **************************************** As always I look forward to a well-attended seminar and to seeing many of you on Friday! Best, Simona. Dr. Simona Toscano (she / her / hers) Université Libre de Bruxelles Inter-university Institute for High Energies (IIHE) Service de physique de particules élémentaires, ULB - CP 230 Boulevard du Triomphe - 1050 Bruxelles (Belgium) Office : G.0.16 tel: +32.(0)2.629.3216 Email: stoscano(a)ulb.be<mailto:stoscano@vub.ac.be> or toscano(a)icecube.wisc.edu<mailto:toscano@icecube.wisc.edu> [PastedGraphic-10.png]

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IIHE Invited seminar: Results and prospects in atmospheric electricity studies at the Pierre Auger Observatory - Friday May 8th at 2PM
by TOSCANO Simona 08 May '26

08 May '26

Dear all, This week we have the pleasure of hosting Dr. Roberta Colalillo from the University of Naples. Dr. Colalillo will discuss her research work on atmospheric studies at the Pierre Auger Observatory. The seminar will take place in the J. Sacton Room this Friday, May 8th, at 2:00 PM. Please find further details below: ********************************************* Title: Results and prospects in atmospheric electricity studies at the Pierre Auger Observatory Abstract: The Pierre Auger Observatory, beyond its primary focus on cosmic rays, also yields valuable results in cosmogeophysics. Over the past decade, its fluorescence detector (FD) has captured ELVES, light emissions from the upper mesosphere caused by lightning. Exploiting high time resolution, we validated model predictions on double and triple ELVES. Moreover, the FD traces hinted at observing other transient luminous events (TLEs), such as halos, promoting the installation of a dedicated camera in December 2023 to detect their optical counterparts. It has registered several SPRITES and the first ELVES. The surface detector captures Cherenkov signals from TGFs, complementing FD with near-field cosmogeophysics data. The time resolution of the order of tens of ns and the possibility to sample the whole TGF footprint unlike in the other experiments designed for TGF detection allows us to constrain production mechanisms. <https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2462/> [indico_square.png] IIHE Invited seminar: Results and prospects in atmospheric electricity studies at the Pierre Auger Observatory<https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2462/> indico.iihe.ac.be<https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2462/> ********************************************************* I am looking forward to a well-attended seminar and to seeing many of you on Friday! Best, Simona.

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IIHE Invited seminar: Fiber optic hydrophones for acoustic neutrino detection - Friday April 17 at 2PM
by TOSCANO Simona 17 Apr '26

17 Apr '26

Dear all, This week we have the pleasure of hosting Dr. Ernst-Jan Buis from Nikhef. Dr. Buis will discuss his research work and progress on fiber-optic hydrophones for acoustic detection of UHE neutrinos. The seminar will take place in the J. Sacton Room this Friday, April 17th, at 2:00 PM. Please find further details below: ********************************************* Title: Fiber optic hydrophones for acoustic neutrino detection Abstract: The scientific potential for detecting cosmic neutrinos with energies at or above the GZK cut-off—the energy limit for cosmic rays due to interactions with the cosmic microwave background—has been extensively discussed in the literature. The recent observation of a very high-energy event by the KM3NeT telescope has further fueled this discussion, as it may represent the first detection of a GZK neutrino. However, despite this remarkable result, the extremely low expected flux of ultra-high-energy neutrinos (Eν > 1018 eV) clearly indicates that their detection will require a telescope with an effective volume exceeding 100 km3. Acoustic detection offers a promising approach for observing these ultra-high energy cosmic neutrinos. The sound waves generated by their energy deposition in the deep sea can propagate over many kilometers with little attenuation, making it feasible to instrument a vast volume of water for neutrino detection. Achieving this requires the development of acoustic detection technologies capable of supporting a large-scale, deep-sea sensor network. Fiber-optic hydrophone technology stands out as a promising candidate for such a network, combining the necessary sensitivity to detect the faint acoustic signals from neutrino interactions with the potential for cost-effective large-scale deployment. Nikhef is actively developing this fiber-optic hydrophone technology to meet the sensitivity and operational requirements of deep-sea environments. In this presentation, I will report on the progress of the hydrophone development and outline the plans toward a future acoustic neutrino telescope — opening a window to explore the universe beyond the GZK horizon. ************************************** <https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2461/> [indico_square.png] IIHE Invited seminar: Fiber optic hydrophones for acoustic neutrino detection<https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2461/> indico.iihe.ac.be<https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2461/> As always, I look forward to a well-attended seminar and to seeing many of you on Friday! Simona. Dr. Simona Toscano (she / her / hers) Université Libre de Bruxelles Inter-university Institute for High Energies (IIHE) Service de physique de particules élémentaires, ULB - CP 230 Boulevard du Triomphe - 1050 Bruxelles (Belgium) Office : G.0.16 tel: +32.(0)2.629.3216 Email: stoscano(a)ulb.be<mailto:stoscano@vub.ac.be> or toscano(a)icecube.wisc.edu<mailto:toscano@icecube.wisc.edu> [PastedGraphic-10.png]

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IIHE Invited seminar: Quantum Sensing for (low and high energy) particle physics
by Simona Toscano 01 Apr '26

01 Apr '26

Dear all, This week we have the pleasure of hosting Prof. Michael Doser from CERN. Prof. Doser will talk about quantum sensing, with a particular focus on applications in particle physics. The seminar will take place in the J. Sacton Room this Friday, April 3rd, at 2:00 PM. Please find further details below: ********************************************* Title: Quantum Sensing for (low and high energy) particle physics Abstract: The seminar will provide a glimpse of some elements of the rapidly evolving field of quantum sensing, with a particular focus on applications in particle physics. Specific approaches involving quantum systems, such as low-dimensional systems or manipulations of ensembles of quantum systems, hold great promise for improving high-energy particle physics detectors, particularly in areas like calorimetry, tracking, and timing. The use of quantum sensors for high-precision measurements, such as precision spectroscopy of novel atomic, molecular or ionic systems, as well as the development of new quantum sensors based on superconducting circuits, ion and particle traps, crystals, and nanomaterials, are equally relevant for low energy measurements that rely on high energy physics infrastructures. Significant advances and improvements in existing or future quantum technologies will be necessary to address such topics related to the dark universe, the detection of relic neutrinos, precision tests of symmetries and of the standard model and probing general foundational issues in physics. The seminar will thus also feature discussions of the Quantum Sensing Initiatives at CERN and the ECFA R&D Roadmap on Quantum Sensing and Advanced Technologies and will discuss options for future collaborations in the context of the recently approved DRD5 implementation of the roadmap. Short bio: Michael Doser is an emeritus senior research physicist working at CERN, the European Centre for Nuclear Research in Geneva, Switzerland. He founded (in 2012) and led (until 2022) the AEgIS experiment working with antimatter atoms, and continues to focus on working with antimatter (formation of anti-atoms, study of matter-antimatter asymmetry, measurement of the gravitational interaction between matter and antimatter, exotic atom and ion spectroscopy and nuclear physics), using it either as a tool or as an object of study itself. In 2022, he was tasked with exploring the opportunities provided by quantum sensing for particle physics and since 2024 is spokesperson of a global collaboration (the DRD5 collaboration) of 120 institutes carrying out R&D on a wide range of quantum sensor families with the goal of developing these for fundamental physics. He is also editor of Physics Letters B since 20 years. ************************************** https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2460/ IIHE Invited seminar: Quantum Sensing for (low and high energy) particle physics indico.iihe.ac.be We very much look forward to a well-attended seminar and to seeing many of you on Friday! Simona. Dr. Simona Toscano (she / her / hers) Université Libre de Bruxelles Inter-university Institute for High Energies (IIHE) Service de physique de particules élémentaires, ULB - CP 230 Boulevard du Triomphe - 1050 Bruxelles (Belgium) Office : G.0.16 tel: +32.(0)2.629.3216 Email: stoscano(a)ulb.be <mailto:stoscano@vub.ac.be> or toscano(a)icecube.wisc.edu <mailto:toscano@icecube.wisc.edu>

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IIHE Invited seminar: The GRAiNITA calorimeter
by Simona Toscano 20 Mar '26

20 Mar '26

Dear all, This week we have the pleasure of hosting Prof. Marie-Hélène Schune (IJCLAB), who will present on the concept of the GRAiNITA calorimeter, R&D project for a new calorimeter designed for FCC-ee. The seminar will take place in the J. Sacton Room this Friday, March 20th, at 2:00 PM. Please find further details below: ************************** Title: The GRAiNITA calorimeter Abstract: The GRAiNITA calorimeter represents a novel approach to high-granularity electromagnetic calorimetry, leveraging millimeter-sized scintillating crystal grains immersed in a transparent liquid to achieve excellent energy resolution and shower position. A small prototype has undergone testing using cosmic rays and test beams at CERN, demonstrating that the foreseen performances are at reach. This seminar will present the latest results from prototype testing, simulation studies, and ongoing R&D efforts, highlighting how GRAiNITA could contribute to advancing detector performance for the FCC-ee collider. Short bio: Marie-Hélène Schune is reserach director at CNRS at the Laboratoire de Physique des 2 Infinis Irène Joliot-Curie (IJCLab), CNRS/IN2P3, in Orsay, France. She is a high-energy physics, with a focus on flavour physics. She worked at LEP and on BaBar at Stanford. Currently, she is involved in the LHCb experiment. She has co-lead the Flavour Physics Working group for the European Strategy for Particle Physics Update (2025). She is also working on an R&D project for a new calorimeter designed for FCC-ee, called GRAiNITA. ******************************* https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2459/ IIHE Invited seminar: The GRAiNITA calorimeter indico.iihe.ac.be We very much look forward to a well-attended seminar and to seeing many of you on Friday! Simona. Dr. Simona Toscano (she / her / hers) Université Libre de Bruxelles Inter-university Institute for High Energies (IIHE) Service de physique de particules élémentaires, ULB - CP 230 Boulevard du Triomphe - 1050 Bruxelles (Belgium) Office : G.0.16 tel: +32.(0)2.629.3216 Email: stoscano(a)ulb.be <mailto:stoscano@vub.ac.be> or toscano(a)icecube.wisc.edu <mailto:toscano@icecube.wisc.edu>

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IIHE Invited seminar: Latest results from DESI and their implication in cosmology
by TOSCANO Simona 05 Mar '26

05 Mar '26

Dear all, This week we have the pleasure of hosting Prof. Héctor Gil Marín from the University of Barcelona, who will present the latest results from the DESI experiment. The seminar will take place in the J. Sacton Room this Friday, March 6th, at 2:00 PM. Please find further details below: **************************************** Title: Latest results from DESI and their implication in cosmology Abstract: The Dark Energy Spectroscopy Instrument (DESI) has undertaken the largest spectroscopic survey to date. I will briefly describe the instrument and present the recently released results in terms of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) and Full-Shape analyses. Thanks to these studies, we have been able to measure the expansion history of the universe with unprecedented precision, test the theory of gravity at cosmological scales, and set an upper limit on the sum of the effective masses of neutrinos. When combining with other datasets such as the CMB or SNe samples, interesting findings point towards the possibility of the existence of a type of Dark Energy that would evolve with time. Short Bio: * PhD at the University of Barcelona, 2012 * Postdoc Position at the Institute of Gravitation and Cosmology (ICG) at the University of Portsmouth UK, 2012-2015 * Largrange Fellow at the LPNHE, Paris, 2015-2018 * Junior Leader `la Caixa' Fellow at the Institut de Ciencies del Cosmos (ICC) at the University of Barcelona, 2018-2023 * Junior Faculty Ramon-y-Cajal Fellow at the University of Barcelona, 2023-2025 * Professor at the University of Barcelona 2025-Present * Former member of BOSS and eBOSS collaborations, and currently a member and builder of DESI. **************************************** <https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2458/> [indico_square.png] IIHE Invited seminar: Latest results from DESI and their implication in cosmology<https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2458/> indico.iihe.ac.be<https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2458/> We will try again and an online connection will be available for those who are unable to attend in person; however, in-person attendance is strongly encouraged. Topic: Invited seminar - Héctor Gil Marín Time: Mar 6, 2026 02:00 PM Brussels Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82850532563?pwd=DEaheauQVTJCZcA6VIWrWrMj0Es68u.1 Meeting ID: 828 5053 2563 Passcode: 700313 Join instructions https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/82850532563/invitations?signature=EcKeafkz… We very much look forward to a well-attended seminar and to seeing many of you on Friday! Simona. Dr. Simona Toscano (she / her / hers) Université Libre de Bruxelles Inter-university Institute for High Energies (IIHE) Service de physique de particules élémentaires, ULB - CP 230 Boulevard du Triomphe - 1050 Bruxelles (Belgium) Office : G.0.16 tel: +32.(0)2.629.3216 Email: stoscano(a)ulb.be<mailto:stoscano@vub.ac.be> or toscano(a)icecube.wisc.edu<mailto:toscano@icecube.wisc.edu> [PastedGraphic-10.png]

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Invited seminar: Understanding the interaction between hadrons: latest news from ALICE
by Simona Toscano 16 Jan '26

16 Jan '26

Dear all, First of all Happy New Year! We are pleased to resume our seminar series so early this year. For the first seminar of 2026, we have the pleasure of hosting Prof. Stefania Bufalino from the University of Torino, who will present the latest results from the ALICE experiment. The seminar will take place in the J. Sacton Room this Friday, January 16, at 2:00 PM. Please find further details below: ******** Title: Understanding the interaction between hadrons: latest news from ALICE Abstract: The ALICE experiment (A Large Ion Collider Experiment), installed at the CERN LHC, is devoted to the study of strongly interacting matter under extreme conditions of temperature and energy density. By exploiting ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions, ALICE investigates the properties of the quark– gluon plasma, a deconfined state of quarks and gluons. Thanks to a detector system optimized for excellent particle identification and precise vertex reconstruction, ALICE provides key measurements to deepen our understanding of QCD in the non- perturbative regime. In this seminar, particular emphasis will be given to the latest ALICE measurements of matter and antimatter production, which offer unique insights into hadronization mechanisms and fundamental symmetries in high-energy nuclear collisions. Light antinuclei can be produced in space either by collisions of high-energy cosmic rays with the interstellar medium or from the annihilation of dark matter particles stemming into standard model particles. High-energy hadronic collisions at accelerators create a suitable environment for producing light (anti)nuclei. Recent measurements of the production of antinuclei in different colliding system and of the cross- section of nuclei-antinuclei annihilation will be discussed. Such information is essential to study the different sources of antinuclei in our Universe and to interpret any future measurement of antinuclei in space. Short bio: Stefania Bufalino is Full Professor at the Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT) of Politecnico di Torino. She has extensive experience in experimental high-energy nuclear physics and has been actively involved in the ALICE experiment at CERN since its early phases. Her activity encompasses both physics analysis and detector hardware development, with a focus on particle identification detectors. She currently serves as deputy Project Leader of the Time-Of-Flight (TOF) detector for the ALICE 3 experimental proposal, a next-generation heavy-ion experiment at the LHC planned for the high-luminosity era. Her research focuses on heavy-ion collisions, particularly the production of matter and antimatter and hadronization processes under extreme conditions. ********* https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2437/ IIHE Invited Seminar: Understanding the interaction between hadrons: latest news from ALICE indico.iihe.ac.be We very much look forward to a well-attended seminar and to seeing many of you on Friday! Simona and Steven. Dr. Simona Toscano (she / her / hers) Université Libre de Bruxelles Inter-university Institute for High Energies (IIHE) Service de physique de particules élémentaires, ULB - CP 230 Boulevard du Triomphe - 1050 Bruxelles (Belgium) Office : G.0.16 tel: +32.(0)2.629.3216 Email: stoscano(a)ulb.be <mailto:stoscano@vub.ac.be> or toscano(a)icecube.wisc.edu <mailto:toscano@icecube.wisc.edu>

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Invited seminar: Searching for light dark matter and dark sectors with the NA64 experiment (Isabelle De Bruyn) - Friday Dec 5, 2pm in Sacton room
by Steven Lowette 01 Dec '25

01 Dec '25

Dear all, This Friday we will have a seminar from our in-house Isabelle De Bruyn: "Searching for light dark matter and dark sectors with the NA64 experiment" at 14h00 in the Sacton seminar room (G.1.03). The event's agenda can be found here: https://indico.iihe.ac.be/event/2334/ Please mark your agendas and see you Friday, Kind regards, Steven. -- Steven Lowette https://cern.ch/lowette/

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