Within the framework of the collaboration between the Institute and the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN, engineer Sebastián Gálvez spent a month in Switzerland to learn about a project for a new detector that will be developed as part of the ATLAS collaboration.
Sebastian is a Civil Engineer with a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Universidad de la Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María and the objective of his visit to CERN was to familiarize himself with the Baby Demo Project . Baby Demo Project, which is an experimental set for ITk which is being developed in the context of the second phase, or Upgrade Phase II of ATLAS.
" ITk is the new pixel detector for ATLAS, a project that belongs to the Phase II Upgrade of the ATLAS experiment. This new detector requires an operating temperature of -45°C. This temperature will be maintained through a flow of liquid CO2, which is provided by a cooling system. So, Baby Demo corresponds to the supply, on a smaller scale, of liquid CO2 to perform different experiments to the new components of the ITk pixel detector", explained the engineer about the operation of the set.
Although the stay was brief, these situations test the ability to adapt and communicate fluently with people from different professions and backgrounds. "Beyond the tasks to be performed, the challenge was to understand the professional, multicultural and technical environment in which one must operate. In the professional and technical sense, it was necessary to understand the system of Baby Demosystem, its components and objectives. A great advantage for me was to be able to speak 4 different languages every day (Spanish, English, French and Italian), using these languages in different contexts", says Sebastian.
Although this was an approach to what will be the operation of the detector, the purpose is that the SAPHIR team can contribute to its operation, from the research and technical point of view, during the period 2024. As the engineer pointed out: "The idea is to have familiarized myself with the technical and professional environment of CERN and, specifically, of Baby Demo, so that in 2024 I can support the group for a longer period of time".
Discovery and professional development
Sebastian, like other young people, had to identify his interests and figure out what his vocation was. Today, he is part of a Millennium Institute and this decision led him to travel and visit CERN, which is one of the great dreams of anyone who is dedicated to particle physics.
"Since high school I have always been interested in learning about science-related topics in general. I feel that it is the desire to question the established and always try to understand each process and/or phenomenon at the highest level of detail possible, which has led me to stay on the path of science and technological development," he commented on his decision to orient his engineering studies to science.
From the Institute, we seek to bring science closer to people, regardless of their level of knowledge in physics or experimentation, and we are faithful to this commitment. We hope that each of the testimonies and experiences we share will serve as inspiration for those who are searching for their vocation.